Ten days of Art is... festivities on the way

Organisers of a festival using art as a vehicle for community connection and growth will kick off festivities in Horsham on Friday night.

This year’s Art is… festival features the theme, Footprint: Moving Together, will run for 10 days.

Art is… has a claim as Australia’s premiere co-created arts festival and provides opportunities for artists, partners, organisations, groups and individuals to influence the planning, delivery, growth and governance of the festival.

This year’s events include performances, interactive activities, photo musters, exhibitions and Rotary Club of Horsham East’s 40th Wimmera art fair. Festival director Paul Kooperman said the 2017 program was diverse and engaging and had resulted in significant community interest in the lead-up to the festival.

“I’d like to thank our awesome committee and team for their time, passion and support to co-create an experience that will leave participants, attendees and partners feeling like they were part of something special, something they had built and contributed to themselves, taking away a collective sense of achievement, pride, belonging, connection and fulfilment,” he said.

The Art is… committee will host an official opening on Friday from 5.30pm to 6.30pm. “It will leave enough time to enjoy a great dinner in Horsham CBD before attending our opening show, A Coal Miner’s Daughter at the town hall or partying like an artist at Art After Dark at Horsham Regional Art Gallery,” Mr Kooperman said.

Well-known Australian singer-songwriter Archie Roach will be the star attraction of this year’s festival. Roach will perform in Horsham Town Hall’s theatre on June 10 from 8pm. He will be accompanied by singer-songwriter Alice Skye and Wotjobaluk dancers.

Irish-australian comedian Jimeoin will perform his Renonsense Man show in the theatre on Sunday at 8pm.

This year’s major community project is called Move On. As part of the project, a team of professional artists has led a series of workshops, working with diverse community groups including groups working through the Centre for Participation and Haven and Dimboola grade five and six students.

The project will culminate in a mechanical, moving masterpiece at Horsham Town Hall on June 10 from 1pm to 3pm.

People can visit www.artiswimmera.com for a copy of the full program.