Horizon Festival launches July program

Open Air concert, Katie Noonan and Louise King. Photo: Nicholas Morley.

Horizon Festival 2020 has another incredible month of inspiration, entertainment and creativity for us all, with the July program unveiled today (July 1), plus a sneak peak of two special August events.

The July line-up features the next breathtaking Open Air concert by Katie Noonan and Louise King filmed on Chambers Island, a magical augmented reality adventure activity for children with A Forest in My Pocket, the second spoken word competition heat with The Bunker, an immersive soundscape series exploring environments across the Sunshine Coast, the next two Homegrown local artist commissions, plus we Rewind to another 2019 festival highlight, Elements.

Community Portfolio Councillor Rick Baberowski said the festival had undergone a remarkable transformation this year to deliver such a high-calibre series of online events and content.

“The July program offers something for all ages and interests, from augmented reality for children, to spoken word, music and digital art, but it’s not just about consuming the art, there are opportunities to get involved with participatory activities and artwork too” Cr Baberowski said.

Horizon Festival Artistic Director Lynne Bradley said the programming continued to celebrate our fabulously talented local artists and stunning Sunshine Coast locations.

“One of the great gifts of moving the festival online this year is that we’ve been able to showcase the Sunshine Coast region, and our extraordinary artists, to the world,” Dr Bradley said.

“The July program is another carefully curated suite of stunning events which will both delight and challenge our audiences, and encourage them to engage with the arts.”

PROGRAM:

A FOREST IN MY POCKET: From today, Wednesday, July 1

A Forest in My Pocket is a magical, augmented reality adventure for children created by illustrator and animator Helena Papageorgiou and narrated by Mischa Long. Kids and families will be led on a trail of discovery to find magic in their homes and little worlds in their backyards. Print-at-home images come to life via augmented reality using the EyeJack app. Simply download the series of three images, place them around the house and have the EyeJack app ready to guide your children through this exciting adventure.

Play along: download the images from www.horizonfestival.com.au/forest-pocket

OPEN AIR: Sunday, July 5 @ 4pm

Next up in the series is a powerhouse duo; five-time ARIA award-winning artist Katie Noonan and supremely talented classical musician Louise King of Cello Dreaming. This beautiful classic contemporary concert will feature solo and duo performances from these two incredible artists, filmed against a stunning sunset at Chambers Island, Maroochydore.

Watch: Don’t miss this special performance, available online via Facebook and Instagram @horizonartfest at 4pm on Sunday, July 5. After the performance, the stream will be available on the Horizon Festival website.

REWIND: Monday, July 6 @ 9am

Join us as we rewind to Horizon Festival 2019 for a walk through the Elements, which transformed the Maroochy Regional Bushland Botanic Garden from a natural paradise to a contemporary outdoor gallery. Exhibition curator, Hamish Sawyer, will reminisce on the event, talking us through the featured artworks and installations from the leading local and national artists who drew inspiration from the elements; fire, earth, air, and water.

Watch: Elements will be available at www.horizonfestival.com.au/event/elements from 9am on Monday, July 6.

THE BUNKER: Thursday, July 9 @ 7pm

The Bunker Spoken Word Series Heat Two comes hot on the heels of a successful Heat One, which saw five exceptional performers win their place in the Grand Final in August. Don’t miss the online heat and a special performance from international guest Anthony Ananxagorou from London, UK. From slam poets to bush poets and storytellers, the professional judging team will be on hand to send five more finalists from this heat to the Grand Final.

Register to compete or watch all the action at www.horizonfestival.com.au/event/bunker-down-speak-out-heat-2. The event will be delivered via Zoom at 7pm on Thursday, July 9.

LISTENING IN THE WILD: Sundays, July 12, 19 and 26 @ 4pm

Listening in the Wild is a series of immersive soundscapes exploring environments across the Sunshine Coast. These experiences are created by artists Leah Barclay and Lyndon Davis as transient listening experiences interwoven with Kabi Kabi stories. The series will be streamed live online and also be available after each event for you to access anywhere, any time. The locations include virtual sound walks through Eudlo Creek National Park, a journey along the Maroochy River and an ocean expedition from Mooloolaba Beach.

Each soundscape will be accompanied by a site-specific image captured by Sunshine Coast based documentary photographer Tricia King.

Listen: Tune in via Facebook @horizonartfest at 4pm each Sunday, July 12, 19 and 26, or listen after the event at www.horizonfestival.com.au

HOMEGROWN: Parametric

Thursday, July 16 – Friday, July 31

Parametric is an interactive digital artwork that investigates our individual and collective emotional state in a post-isolated world. You are invited to input your feelings on a sliding scale across a series of questions concerning how you feel about your life and relationships. Each input changes the digital artwork and renders a morphing and shifting piece of art on the screen before your very eyes. The project will culminate with a real-life exhibition of the final work in Maroochydore.

Join in or view the artwork: Visit www.horizonfestival.com.au/event/parametric from Thu, Jul 16 and see the exhibition at 10/127 Sugar Road, Maroochydore, Thu, Jul 30, 5.30-7pm.

HOMEGROWN: Love Note to the Landscape

Saturday, July 18 – Thursday, July 23 Visual artists Helena Jackson-Lloyd and Rosie Lloyd-Giblett are on a mission to capture the essence of place. Love Note to the Landscape is a plein air (outdoor) work created in three iconic Sunshine Coast locations – Maroochy Regional Bushland Botanical Gardens, Coolum’s First Bay and the Mooloolah Wetlands. Photographer Yanni Van Zijil will document the artists’ process as they create the work on location.

View: See these artists’ Love Notes to the Landscape, available for viewing on www.horizonfestival.com.au/event/love-note-to-the-landscape and social platforms @horizonartfest.

Advance sneak peak of two August programs:

We’re so excited about these events, we couldn’t wait until August to tell you about them:

FIELD TRIP: Sunday, August 8, 8.45am – 5.30pm

Presented in partnership with USC, Arts Front and Australian Network for Art & Technology, Field Trip is an online national research symposium featuring creative practice at the intersection of art, science, technology and the environment. The symposium will traverse the continent exploring the ethics of interdisciplinary art and the role of creativity in reimagining the future. The event features some of Australia’s leading artists and includes keynote presentations, panels, interactive artworks and participatory experiences that explore the possibilities of presenting ecologically engaged creative work in virtual environments. The Field Trip line-up will be announced mid-July.

Free Registration: artsfront.com/event/42651-field-trip-symposium

EUMUNDI SCHOOL OF ROCK – DRIVE-IN CONCERT: Saturday, August 29, 5.30pm

Now in its 5th year, Eumundi School of Rock is excited to present this electrifying drive-in concert, jam packed with performances from their 23 young rockers from the class of 2020, the 2019 show band and the Imperial Superband. Students will also be joined by the Mega Teacher band staring five-time ARIA Award winning local songstress Katie Noonan with the wonderful songsmith Jack Carty.

Get tickets: Available now at www.horizonfestival.com.au/school-of-rock

The full program for next month will be revealed on August 1.

If you’re a local artist and would like to get involved, expressions of interest are now open for the August round of Homegrown. Visit www.horizonfestival.com.au for details.