THE community will be at the heart of this year’s Art Is… festival, with residents and big name performers joining together to bring art to the people.
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Festival director Paul Kooperman said the festival has reinvented itself as a co-creation event with increased community ties.
“The community has always played a big role in everything we’ve done,” he said.
“It’s been an organic evolution…. it’s important to include the community on decision so when the committee makes a decision they know they’re doing it on behalf of the community.
“It’s not an elitist committee making the decision for everyone, everyone gets a say.
“Rather than relying on big acts out of town we also want to focus on what the community locally has to offer and work with our community.”
“We have a lot of events around the idea of co-creation, in one an artist is accepting people’s hard rubbish and creating an incredible sculpture installation.”
Mr Kooperman said the festival would feature names like Jimeoin and Archie Roach.
“I think they’ll appeal to a lot of people and connect a range of different audiences,” he said.
“Artists like that often do regional tours and are interested in getting out and reaching new audiences.
“The theme for the next three tears is Footprints, with a subtitle of Moving Together.
“Given the state of the world everything moving apart in different directions, it’s an appropriate theme.”
The festival will officially launch and unveil 2017 events on Friday.