Get involved in LIT
PUBLIC arts event LIT Festival: Stories in Light is set to delight residents across Toowoomba from this weekend.
Festival organisers have outlined six ways residents can be a part of the nine-day festival experience, which begins tomorrow.
In 2020, the festival will focus on the theme of Influx, to explore how our region’s people, places and environment respond to change – now, then and into the future.
Check out rabbits
Explore the major rabbit installation called Intrude by artist Amanda Parer.
This work reflects the region’s agricultural past, and the challenges the city now faces as it grows.
It also considers how the city confronts global issues like climate change, sustainability and habitat destruction in our own backyard.
Parer’s work is made up of a series of illuminated inflatables that will attract significant attention at Grand Central Civic Square in the CBD: The Rabbits Are Coming.
The installation will be open throughout the festival.
Watch the Reel LIT series
DEVELOPED during a fourday video production masterclass with Melbourne’s Yandall Walton in December 2019, artists will present light projections and site-specific light art inspired by stories from the Toowoomba region at Bell Street Mall. Assisted by the Queensland State Archives, four Toowoomba-based artists including Skye Thompson, Michael Develos, Blake Hohenhaus and Ben Tupas will exhibit stories inspired by materials from their collection.
Community art workshops
TOOWOOMBA artist Alex Stalling held a number of workshops for residents to explore the theme: Toowoomba 2120, where participants imagine what our city will look like in 100 years’ time. This project will step back into the past, and create an installation that crowd sources our collective hopes, dreams and fears for the future. Festival goers can engage with the main installation.
See street performers
STREET performers allows residents to immerse themselves in the festival offerings and feel a part of the local performance.
They will present an ensemble of larger than life characters and short works to entertain, excite and provoke – using a historical research process as a catalyst. Street performers will act as wayfinders and guides for the audience as they journey through the CBD.
They will also interact with the installations and public space. The performers will be live on the opening weekend March 13-14.
Explore what Influx means
TEACHERS and educational groups are encouraged to download the series of resources available on the festival website to incorporate the Influx theme into the curriculum in the lead up to the festival, to encourage students to get immersed in the event. This was produced in response to post-festival requests to share knowledge regarding the inaugural event. Curriculum connections to learning areas such as Liveability (Geography), Event Management (Essential English) and Local Arts Community (General English) are available.
Listen to the ideas program
LIT Festival will again host an artist talk to allow the audience of artists and the general community to watch, listen to and discuss themes raised in the curated artistic program. This will take place on March 13 at CUA Community Hub from 7.30pm. Director Ben Tupas will also be joining a panel to inform the Toowoomba Regional Council’s public art policies. This What Is Public Art forum will be held on March 21 from 2-3.30pm at the Cobb and Co Museum. LIT Festival: Stories in Light runs from March 13-21.