Arts

Exciting New Arts Push For The Port Festival

Port Adelaide will literally be taking art to the streets for two exciting days this October.

Artist Markets will snake through Divett Street, McLaren Parade and the Black Diamond Square Precinct during the biennial Port Festival, with both days ending in spectacular fashion as huge animated projections are thrown up on buildings along Lipson Street.

“Art has always been an important part of the festival and this exciting new addition will ensure the artistic and cultural presence is bigger, more diverse and more accessible than ever before,” said festival organiser Jodi Pfitzner.

“There will be traditional art and cutting edge art – everything from painting to jewellery, ceramics and new media.

“There’s an open invitation to anyone with ideas that excite, engage and invoke curiosity to put their work on show. Potential exhibitors – who pay a modest and subsidised fee – only need to fit into a family festival format and have registered by August 22.

“With so much happening over two days and nights, and so many local artists involved, we’re expecting to generate a really stimulating atmosphere. That’s what festivals are all about,” Ms Pfitzner said.

Alongside the Artist Markets will be a series of special exhibitions, most featuring the work of local artists. There also will be opportunities for the public to get involved at workshops run by the Port Adelaide Artists Forum and the Port Community Arts Centre, amongst others.

The festival will take place on the weekend of October 8 and 9.The full arts and cultural program will be announced later this month.

Cindi Drennan, who specialises in architectural story telling, will provide the dramatic conclusion to each day with The Port Inhabited. Her giant animations will use historic buildings as night time canvases for telling some of the Port’s significant stories.

“It’s a really exciting initiative, and I am thrilled to be part of this” Cindi said. “It will build on the successful Hart’s Mill Inhabited that was so popular in 2009 and captures the spirit of the Port in a unique way.

“My projections in public spaces at night tell stories on a giant scale. People are truly immersed in the stories, which change before their very eyes”.

Complementing the expanded arts and cultural program will be the inaugural Complete Seafood Experience, which will provide a unique insight into the people, organisations and infrastructure that make up the local seafood community.

The experience will unfold on the river walk near the lighthouse, against the backdrop of the pride of the local fishing fleet, large and small.

The Port Festival is an initiative of the City of Port Adelaide Enfield.

“This event is very much about the Port, yet it embraces people of like mind from all parts of the city and State,” said the Mayor of Port Adelaide Enfield, Gary Johanson.

“The council is delighted to be playing a significant role once again and to be funding a number of projects and collaborative ventures that will put community-produced arts and cultural content at the forefront of the two days of activities.”

Further information and applications to take place in the Artist Markets are available from www.portfestival.com.au or by telephoning the Port Festival office on 84056569.

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