Two monumental whale sculptures will float high overhead this May, as the Sunshine Coast embraces 10 days of art, music, performance and more during the region’s leading contemporary arts festival.
The 2025 Horizon Festival will be held 2-11 May, with a bold, collaborative and region-wide program that celebrates art, people and place.
Sunshine Coast Mayor Rosanna Natoli said while the full program was tightly under wraps until the end of February, she was excited to share a few program teasers to get people excited about what’s to come.
“The music program is incredible this year, kicking off with the amazing BARKAA (Malyangapa, Barkindji), who’s performance will conclude the opening night street party in Ocean St,” Mayor Natoli said.
“We’re also delighted to have Patricia Piccinini’s hot air balloon Skywhale family, toured by National Gallery Australia.
“This is just one of the national collaborative projects presented by the festival in partnership with Caloundra Regional Gallery and UniSC.”
Mayor Natoli said there were also many ways locals could get involved in creative activities leading into the festival in May.
“Horizon Festival is calling for performers of all ages, ethnicities, genders and body types to take part in a mesmerising performance that invites up to 100 community members to move together in an act of radical slowness,” Mayor Natoli said.
“The performance, Us And All of This, created by Liesel Zink with sound artist Lawrence English, will momentarily unfold across urban public spaces and will be performed during the festival.
“Our libraries are also working with Horizon, offering a series of free, hands-on art workshops, where our community can embrace creative collaging, interactive electronics, lo-fi prototyping and digital storytelling to create a Radical Hope Machine.
“This exciting opportunity will culminate in an artwork displayed during the festival.
“Horizon is a chance to experience, listen and see our region in a new light, to be immersed, excited and energised by this amazing place we call home.”
Sunshine Coast Council creative director Megan Rowland said the 2025 Horizon program would be unveiled on 27 February and, as always, would invite people to explore the Sunshine Coast from end to end.
“We have curated a festival journey designed to shift perspectives of art experiences in our region,” Megan said.
“We’ll invite audiences to step beyond what they know and immerse themselves in diverse experiences.
“Right now, we’re offering the chance to be bold, to do something different and be part of our shared Horizon journey, with more opportunities to come.”
Visit the Horizon Festival for more information.
The full Horizon Festival program is released on 27 February.
