Toowoomba’s CBD to shine during festival

TOOWOOMBA’S Bell St Mall will be seen in a new light during the LIT Festival Stories in Light later this month.

Installation artist Jesse Wright and movement artist Connor Quill will transform the mall into a space of light and sculpture to firstly welcome then intrigue visitors to the mall during the two nights of the festival on September 28 and 29.

“Bringing the community out at night into a lane way where they might not normally walk at night is very exciting,”

Mr Wright said.

“A lot of people probably know this place as it is during the day but they won’t know it at night.”

Three spaces of focus have been selected for the light displays during LIT — the Bell St Mall, Grand Central Shopping Centre and Queens Park.

Tweed Heads-based artist Craig Walsh is well known for his projected art on buildings, trees and other spaces around the world.

He will provide projected monuments of individuals on trees selected in Queens Park during the festival.

Mr Walsh was in Toowoomba yesterday for the “mini launch” of the festival and to view and select particular trees.

Festival director Ben Tupas said the event would also have a trickle down economic effect for cafes and restaurants in the CBD as crowds wandered through the lane ways to view the art works.

Photo: Bev Lacey LET THERE BE LIGHT: Guest artists for Toowoomba’s inaugural LIT Festival (from left) Jesse Wright, Connor Quill and Craig Walsh get the feel of the Bell St Mall during a mini-launch of the festival which is to be held on September 28 and 29.