By JOLENE OGLE
THE much-loved Noosa Long Weekend festival has received a boost, thanks to almost $30,000 in funding from the State Government’s Art’s Funding program.
Member for Noosa Glen Elmes announced the funding and said the $29,595 grant will be invested in the Long Weekend Artways installation.
“The renowned and highly respected 13 day arts and cultural festival is designed to be affordable and available to the whole community, and is deserving of government investment,” he said
“The festival provides inspiration and opportunities for local artists, attracts local interstate and international participants and audiences; helps to strengthen the economy and boosts the much-loved arts and culture sector.”
The festival was formed in 2002 by David Williamson, one of Australia’s foremost playwrights and his wife and author Kristin Williamson together with a number of other arts supporters here in Noosa.
Festival president Johanne Wright said she was “over the moon” that four local artists have been supported by the grant from Arts Queensland.
“This visual feast called the Noosa Long Weekend ArtWays is our first step to creating exciting, interactive and socially aware artworks and to firmly establishing the visual arts as a regular art form featured in the Noosa Long Weekend festival program,” she said.
Artist Mic Black, plus three women, Yanni Van Zil; Pam Walpole and Jan Dunlop, who collaborated last year under the name of Artists3 to transform The J theatre with their amazing art works have come together again to create a variety of art installations at the J, the Noosa Arts Theatre and the Noosa Gallery.
“Yanni and Pam have made a fantastic Fantasea marine creature for the J and colourful moving shapes that dance and guide gracefully in an underwater carnival spirit,” Ms Wright said.
“To reinforce their environmental message – all these sculptures are from recycled plastic – the very material that pollutes our oceans. A colour mural continues the underwater theme.”
Ms Wright said the ArtWays project was a very welcome and valuable addition to the Noosa Long Weekend program that runs for 13 days from 15 to 24 July. For program information, visit www.noosalongweekend.com or call 5474 2544.
