September 30, 2014
Nanango’s annual Mardi Gras will be held on Saturday, October 4, but for several days either side of it – and on the big day itself – the town will also get to enjoy an arts festival.
The Heritage Nanango Art Fest has been organised by the Nanango Art Society and is sponsored by the Heritage Nanango Community Bank.
The Art Fest will run at the Nanango Cultural Centre, the Winds of Change Art Gallery and nearby Pioneer Park from Tuesday, September 30 through to Monday, October 6.
It will offer visitors an art and sculpture exhibition in the Nanango Cultural Centre; mural painting, body painting and children’s activities in Pioneer Park; and several hands-on art workshops in pastels, life drawing and miniature sculptures.
The centerpiece of the Festival is Nanango’s annual Mural Painting Competition, which will run in Pioneer Park from Tuesday, September 30 through until Saturday, October 4.
Six artists are competing in this year’s competition, each one painting a brand new mural of their own design on an individually-assigned billboard specially mounted in Pioneer Park for the purpose.
The artists each have four and a half days to create a masterpiece.
But brushes stop at 1:00pm on Saturday and the winners will be announced at 2:00pm, after which the results of their efforts will remain on public display for the coming twelve months.
While the competition is in progress, visitors are very welcome to come along to the park between 8:00am and 3:00pm to view each of the artists in action. And for $5, they can also try their hand at creating their own mural.
There’ll also be body art painting available in the park – also for $5 – and a range of children’s activities from 10:00am to about 2:00pm each day, including painting and sculpture at $1 per game.
In the Cultural Centre, the festival will be unveiling its 2014 Art and Sculpture Exhibition with a gala opening night at 6:00pm on Thursday, October 2. Admission to the opening night is $5 and everyone is welcome.
The exhibition will remain on display between 9:00am and 3:00pm on Saturday and Sunday, October 4-5, when admission to view it is free,
For those with a more decided artistic bent, this year’s Art Fest will also be offering three art workshops: a Life Drawing Workshop led by South Burnett artist Garry Eyre on Wednesday, October 1; a pastel workshop by award-winning Nanango pastellist Karol Oakley on Thursday, October 2; and a two-day miniature sculpture workshop on Sunday and Monday, October 5-6.
All three workshops are $45 each; all will run at the Nanango Cultural Centre from 10:00am to 3:00pm; and all include lunch.
Bookings can be made at the Winds Of Change Gallery in George Street, Nanango or by phoning the Gallery on 0409-060-315.
