Days away from kicking off new Regional Arts Forum

Creatives from across Southern Queensland are being urged to get in quick and secure their place at the Western Downs’ inaugural Arts on Top Regional Arts Forum.

The Western Downs Regional Council initiative will kick off on Thursday 13 May and will be held for three days, celebrating and exploring the role of arts in regional communities across Queensland.

Council Spokesperson for Community and Cultural Development Councillor Kaye Maguire said the forum was shaping up to be a huge event for the region, with tickets selling fast across all sessions.

“This forum is an event-first for the Western Downs and is about celebrating arts and culture across regional communities like ours, so it’s exciting to see many people already marking it in their calendars and purchasing tickets,” Cr Maguire said.

“The program is unique in the way that it is made up of both industry leaders and regional creatives, offering diverse perspectives across the different topics.

“There are still some day tickets available for those interested in attending the presentations and workshops which explore the various aspects of building strong arts communities and offer new opportunities to get involved in community initiatives.

“There are also several development opportunities taking place over the forum, however tickets are limited so we suggest getting in quick before they sell out.

“These include masterclasses and workshops covering an array of areas from painting, screen printing and astrophotography through to social media and marketing.

“Arts On Top will also give special focus to the sacred heritage of the Bunya Mountains and its traditional owners, with a series of cultural tours and workshops also on offer as part of the program.”

Arts on Top is being delivered in partnership with Arts Queensland, South West Queensland Regional Arts Services Network, and the University of Southern Queensland.

The Regional Arts Development Fund is a partnership between the Queensland Government and Western Downs Regional Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland.

Arts on Top kicks off on Thursday 13 March 2021 running through to Saturday 15 May 2021.

For more information and to book tickets visit www.westerndownsarts.com.au/arts-on-top-forum