Art draws attention
FROM its birth just months after the region was devastated by Cyclone Yasi there has been no turning back for the Mission Arts hub.
The Mission Beach creative hub will mark five years of operation with the opening of its annual exhibition tomorrow night.
Mission Beach Community Arts Association president Sally Moroney said the show would feature the “amazing array of talent” from local artists.
“Our anniversary exhibition is always a surprise. We get a mixture of artists, some quite experienced, and a mixture of painting techniques and sculptures,” she said.
“It’s just artists putting their best foot forward.”
Ms Moroney said Mission Beach had always been a haven for the arts since creatives from “down south” travelled to warmer climes to be inspired by the natural beauty and serenity of the area.
So it was only natural a formal arts hub would emerge.
“This started with a small group of Mission Beach artists who didn’t have a home, or a good workshop space or anywhere to show their work,” Ms Moroney said.
“We were lucky to get some money from the government stimulus package after the global financial crisis, and it’s become a great centre for writers, dancers, musicians and historians.”
Ms Moroney said she was initially sceptical visitors would make their way to a site in such an “out of the way” place.
“Mission Beach is a very spread out place with no strong community centre and in many ways we’ve fulfilled that,” she said.
“We’ve got things connected to the arts that people can come to, like computer groups and community meetings.
“There’s really no stopping us. We always try to extend ourselves in different ways. I can’t see us doing anything but getting bigger and better.”
Members hope to source enough funding to build a performance space in the future.
Ms Moroney entered a sculpture out of rope and rubbish, and a painting inspired by the flotsam found on the region’s foreshore into the annual exhibition.
The Mission Arts 5th Anniversary show is on from 6.30pm at the corner of TullyMission Beach Rd and Seaview St, Mission Beach.
Entry costs $15 or $10 for Mission Arts members and includes a drink and finger food.
Tickets are available at the door. The show runs until September 28. More information at missionarts.com.au