Arts Council Toowoomba (ACT) is excited to be part of the 60th Anniversary of the Carnival of Flowers and is working hard to ensure that Avant Garden 2009 will once again showcase the region as a vital and creative centre for the arts and engage the community and artists during Toowoomba’s Carnival of Flowers.
To foster artistic diversity and encourage creative expression in all its forms, avant garden 2009 has grown to include new types of artists, to display the full spectrum of creativity that is blooming throughout Toowoomba and the Darling Downs.
Avant Garden 2009 will run in three sections, firstly to showcase what is already known and loved, Arts Council in conjunction with the Toowoomba Chronicle will run a people’s choice award competition from the previous ephemeral public art exhibitions called “Bring Back the Favourites”.
Secondly, Artists in Gardens will be a new feature in 2009 with artists working in parks and gardens, interacting with the visitors to the festival. Works on paper and canvas will be produced on site through out Queens Park and the Botanic Gardens, giving the public the opportunity to witness artists in action. These works created will be available for purchase from the artists through out the week of carnival.
And thirdly, Performance Ephemera will bring the ‘live’ to Avant Garden for the first time in 2009. With the theme Celebration, we are calling for submissions from local small performing troupes, individuals and senior high school dance and drama students to create a vibrant street theatre setting for the two weekends of Carnival of Flowers.
These works and their creation will be overseen by an Artistic Director who will be working with these groups. Through funding from Festivals Australia, Arts Council Toowoomba is in the privileged position to ensure that the role of Artistic Director and all performers involved in Performance Ephemera will receive appropriate payments for their creative work.
We are seeking submissions for interested artists for the Artists in Gardens and Performance Ephemea. For further information please visit our website: www.actmba.org.au
Avant Garden 2009 has been made possible through the generous support of the Toowoomba Regional Council, The Toowoomba Chronicle and funding from Festivals Australia.
Submitted by Lara Nunn, VP, ACT
