Next month (7-17 July), SPARK Ipswich returns to ignite the city and celebrate the people, places and culture of the region.
Music, theatre, visual art, cabaret, circus and comedy are showcased throughout Ipswich's signature 11-day arts festival.Festival favourites Waghorn To West – Ipswich's multi-venue indie live music crawl; Little Day Out – Ipswich's signature children's contemporary music and arts event; and SPARK on Tour taking the festival to small halls across the region, are back with all new line-ups.
And when the sun goes down, SPARK AFTER DARK comes to life with large scale projection works, light activations and a festival hub filled with ceremony, music, street theatre and local artisans.
Here, SPARK Ipswich Lead Producers – Red Chair's Angie Dunbavan and Andrew Veivers – highlight five of the unmissable SPARK AFTER DARK events.
1: deLight
Angie: St Mary's Church is one of those iconic Ipswich heritage buildings that can be seen from all over the city. Wherever you go in town, St Mary's appears somewhere in view!deLight is a takeover of St Mary's to create an exhibition, through large-scale projection, showcasing an all-star line-up of Ipswich's finest visual artists – painters, photographers, animators and filmmakers. Each night features a different local artist, so it's constantly changing and evolving.
Andrew: Not only will the artwork be mapped to the face and spires of St Mary's but projection genius James Muller (EarthBase Productions) animates the images to create a virtual visual feast.
Mapping contemporary work to such a historic building has a powerful and captivating impact. It brings new meaning to the art and challenges our thoughts about heritage and culture.
2: pixel
Angie: Who knows why council decided to design the face of their new administration building with programable video-based technology but we're so glad they did. I've spent hours trying to get my head around the potential of the technology – the need to work with negative space, colour and scale. It's geek-meets-art and I love it.Andrew: We've partnered with the very clever Design and Interactive Technologies team at the University of Southern Queensland to stretch the potential of the building's technology. Each night of the festival, pixel explores the human-machine connection. It's going to be epic.
3: luminate
Andrew: luminate is our new festival hub, located in Timothy Molony Park, and is the best vantage point for both deLight and pixel. Every night there will be a main-stage programme of musicians: from indie, soul, rock, country, to classical, jazz, folk, world, pop, dance and big bands – there's something for everyone.Angie: I wanted to programme a 100 per cent local line-up for luminate. Ipswich is full of amazing talent, and we want to celebrate them. Don't miss Bullhorn on opening night.
4: Kylie Hill
Angie: I can't tell you how much I adore Kylie Hill and everything she does. A living local legend and one of four First Nation artists featured at deLight, Kylie's a proud Kalkadoon and Waanyi woman who has called Ipswich home for over 35 years.As down to earth as they come, Kylie is an internationally acclaimed artist who is constantly giving back to her community. She's an inspiration for our next generation of First Nation artists.
Andrew: Expect to see Kylie everywhere during SPARK Ipswich! She's an unstoppable force and if you run into her at deLight just assume you will have your photo taken with her.
5: Nunukul Yuggera Aboriginal Dance Company
Andrew: Working with traditional owners and First Nation artists for many, many years through the Woodford Folk Festival and other regional festivals and events, the importance of First Nation recognition, celebration and ceremony is core to everything we do. Opening SPARK Ipswich with First Nation ceremony is an absolute highlight of the festival for me this year.Angie: We're working with the incredible Nunukul Yuggera Aboriginal Dance Company to create an Opening Ceremony that honours First Nation stories, art and culture.
Based in Ipswich, Nunukul Yuggera Aboriginal Dance Company have travelled the world and performed alongside some of the world's greatest performers and cultural ambassadors. We're so lucky to have them here in Ipswich.
SPARK Ipswich takes place throughout Ipswich 7-17 July.
