Kaleidoscope illuminates heart of Armidale

A spectacular kaleidoscope of colour will light up Armidale’s central business district when the inaugural Colour New England Street Arts Festival is held on Saturday 6 April.

Illuminate Armidale is a three-hour ‘mini Vivid’ featuring some of the city’s most treasured heritage buildings. Technology, art and heritage will intersect from 7pm to create a luminous show of colour and transform the CBD.

The Colour New England Street Arts Festival will be officially opened at 2pm by well known local artist Angus Nivison, followed by a welcome to country and smoking ceremony.

The Dixieland Jazz Group will then kick off an afternoon of live entertainment, followed by exciting local youth band Earth Device. Punters hungry for rhythm and beats will enjoy NECOM’s percussion group and don’t miss local group Bellydance Earth and Sky round off the live entertainment on the mall stage.

The Illuminate Armidale lights will be switched on at 7pm, before Charlie Chaplin silent movie City Lights features on the mall stage from 7.30pm. City Lights is a beautiful story of a street tramp and his misadventures trying to help a poor, blind flower girl and NECOM Director Russell Bauer will be on piano to provide a live sound track.

Colour New England Street Arts Festival celebrates all things art, culture and heritage, with a day full of creativity. Enjoy international artist Rudy Kistler’s playful 3D chalk artwork and watch CRISP paint a stunning new mural throughout the day.

Observe art and craft demonstrations from 2pm or try your hand at a colour workshop, community mural or create a book cover.

There’s plenty for younger art lovers, with bubble art, face painting, felt art and play dough to keep the little ones entertained.

Work up an appetite and head to one of the food vans in Cinders Lane and grab a burger, pizza, ice cream or coffee to for a sustained push into the night’s entertainment.

Published on 25 Mar 2019