Ipswich will welcome a new event in 2021 with Ipswich City Council partnering with the popular Anywhere Festival.
Anywhere Festival gives audiences a chance to discover performances anywhere but traditional theatre spaces.
It is held over 18 days across Brisbane, Sunshine Coast and now Ipswich.
Mayor Teresa Harding welcomed the Anywhere Festival, and thanked the organisers for considering the benefits of holding the event in Ipswich.
“Anywhere Festival takes audiences on a journey of discovery, allowing them to experience comedy in backyards, dance in hedge mazes, circus in driveways and anywhere you least expect,” Mayor Harding said.
“The events provide exciting entertainment for locals as well as economic benefits to the city by drawing in visitors to Ipswich.”
The city’s arts community are also set to benefit through the delivery of a series of workshops for producers and performance makers in the region, providing guidance on producing and presenting performances in non-traditional spaces.
“At council’s recent Creators of Ipswich Summit we heard loud and clear that our city’s arts community is seeking opportunities, and Anywhere Festival is a wonderful chance to connect with fellow creators,” Mayor Harding said.
The Ipswich program will be developed by local producer Timothy Wynn who will work closely with local performance makers who will be encouraged to submit an Expression of Interest by 20 December to take part in the festival.
Poets, comedians, musicians, theatre groups, circus performers, dancers or venues and producers with an event they want to pitch to Anywhere Festival are encouraged to apply.
Artists can also tour their work in other regions during the festival.
Anywhere Festival director Paul Osuch said any style of performance that can be performed anywhere would be considered.
“Performance makers can express their interest to be part of another show or an idea they’d like to present to an already realised show concept ready to go,” he said.
“Anywhere Festival is here to help performers take creative risks without the financial risks and with all the support they need.”
More information about the festival and how to lodge an Expression of Interest is available at https://anywhere.is/
The Ipswich program of Anywhere Festival is co-funded by Ipswich City Council and the Regional Arts Development Fund.
The Regional Arts Development Fund is a partnership between the Queensland Government and Ipswich City Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland.