2015 Strand Ephemera Exhibition Summary

The North’s Sculpture Festival

Proudly Supported by Glencore Exhibition Summary

PUBLISHER Gallery Services

Gallery Services, Townsville City Council

PO Box 1268

Townsville Queensland, 4810 Australia

ptrg@townsville.qld.gov.au

©Gallery Services, Townsville City Council and the authors 2015

ORGANISED BY Gallery Services

Shane Fitzgerald Manager Gallery Services

Eric Nash Curator

Erwin Cruz Exhibitions and Collection Coordinator

Michael Pope Education and Programs Coordinator

Rob Donaldson Digital Media and Exhibition Design Coordinator

Jo Stacey Team Leader Administration Gallery Services

Holly Grech-Fitzgerald Collections Management Officer

Carly Sheil Digital Media and Exhibition Design Officer

Andrea Schutz Digital Media and Exhibition Design Fellow

Sarah Welch Public Art Officer

Leonardo Valero Exhibitions Officer

Rurik Henry Exhibitions Officer

Petra Pattinson Education and Programs Officer

Jess Cuddihy Education and Programs Assistant

Wendy Bainbridge Administration Officer

Danielle Berry Arts Officer

Damian Cumner Gallery Assistant

Jillian Macfie Gallery Assistant

Sarah Reddington Gallery Assistant

Denise Weightman Gallery Assistant

Kelly Bianchi Gallery Assistant

SPONSORS AND SUPPORTERS

CONTACT

Perc Tucker Regional Gallery

Cnr. Denham and Flinders St Townsville QLD 4810

Mon - Fri: 10am - 5pm

Sat - Sun: 10am - 2pm

Pinnacles Gallery

Riverway Arts Centre

20 Village Boulevard

Thuringowa Central QLD 4817

Tues - Sun: 10am - 5pm

(07) 4727 9011

ptrg@townsville.qld.gov.au

www.townsville.qld.gov.au

@TCC_PercTucker

PercTuckerTCC

(07) 4773 8871

pinnacles@townsville.qld.gov.au

www.townsville.qld.gov.au

@TCC_Pinnacles

PinnaclesTCC

PUBLISHED ON THE OCCASION OF

31 July - 9 August 2015

ON THE BEACH-TOWNSVILLE

IMAGE:

Photograph:

Shimmer

OVERVIEW

2015 was the eighth Strand Ephemera; an event that began in 2001 and then became a biennial exhibition from that time. The event has grown over the years to be loved not only locally, but to be an outdoor sculpture exhibition of state and national significance.

The impetus for Strand Ephemera was twofold. Firstly, the exhibition was to provide Townsville City Council, developers, and the broader Townsville public with possibilities in the public art arena. Permanent public art pieces in Townsville up to this point had not engendered broad public support. A temporary exhibition was seen to have greater potential to present ideas and concepts for public feedback.

Strand Ephemera presents a spectrum of work from the popular to the conceptually demanding. Townsville City Council has previously selected a number of works from the exhibition for permanent display and the exhibition has provided a reference for developing public art in Townsville. Such permanent works include Bruce Anderson’s Landboat and Gavin Ryan’s Lyin’ Fish.

The second impetus was to provide opportunities for regionally-based artists. The Queensland Government had announced a 2% for public art program creating massive funding opportunities, with regionally-based artists expressing interest in improving their competitiveness.

Strand Ephemera provided the opportunity for these artists to hone their skills and compare and contrast their work within a national context at a local venue. The focus on works being “ephemeral” encouraged artists to use inexpensive materials, for a “short-lived” exhibition of around 10 days.

The exhibition has attracted national and international entries, but it continues to provide the possibility for regional participants to prepare and present works in the public arena.

A number of local artists have developed their public art profile and been commissioned as a result of their involvement in the exhibition. Townsvillebased artists have also noted that the networking and skills development as a result of the exhibition and its programs have proved worthwhile. A Public Art Symposium is also staged as part of the event, and this is the opportunity to discuss current trends and ideas in public art with relevant speakers sourced.

Numerous models were investigated in developing this exhibition, including Sculpture by the Sea and the Mildura Palimpsest. The exhibition has also been informed by the Sydney Biennale and the Munster Sculpture Triennial, and continues to evolve.

The exhibition has grown from within the community, with the support of a range of collaborating partners, and consistently offers developmental opportunities for the artists and public who participate.

IMAGE: Emma Anna

IMAG_NE 420 x 115 x 60cm

Reclaimed timber, acrylic, aerated concrete

Photograph: Holly Grech-Fitzgerald

STRAND EPHEMERA 2015

From the outset, Gallery Services, Townsville City Council set out to deliver the biggest and best Strand Ephemera in history, and reward the community for their support and enthusiasm over the many years the event has been staged. Upon the conclusion of the North’s Sculpture Festival, which was again proudly supported by Glencore, it can safely be said that this objective was achieved.

138,452 visitors flocked to The Strand to view the artworks and performances, and take part in workshops and events. This set a new attendance record for the festival, and more than doubled the 2013 attendance figures. A mammoth 290 programs were delivered by Gallery staff, artists and volunteers during the 10 day event for the community and school groups.

Strand Ephemera ran from 31 July to 9 August 2015, but was two years in the making. The exhibition showcased 31 stunning artworks; 28 of which competed for the major $10,000 Award for Artistic Excellence. Three additional artworks were invited as non-competitive entries purely for the visiting public’s enjoyment, and were warmly received.

Following a review of the 2013 festival, improvements were made in all areas; artists were provided with an increased artist fee to assist them in pushing the boundaries of their practices.

Strand Ephemera was brought forward in the calendar, which capitalised on the most ideal winter weather and aligned it with the Australian Festival of Chamber Music, meaning arts and culture were well and truly in the limelight in north Queensland through these two iconic events.

Strand Ephemera 2015 incorporated a new residency component. Zhi Qi Luo, a master artist from Townsville’s sister city - Foshan, China - created work for this year’s show, marking a significant milestone in the relationship between our cities, and heralding what we hope will be the first of many more cultural exchanges in years to come.

Of course, the festival also incorporated artworks by some of the world’s leading Sand Sculptors (Jino Van Bruinessen, Peter Redmond, the Amazin’ Walter) and 3D Pavement Artists (Jenny McCracken and Rudy Kistler) in what was undoubtedly the most popular element of the festival. Each artist produced a finished work to be marvelled at, however the community got just as much joy from watching the artists work, with many stopping by each day to talk with the artists and check progress.

POLYTOXIC delivered three nights of dance and projection magic on the Rock Pool. Their landmark piece Trade Winds attracted 2400 viewers in total, and sparked new enthusiasm for how we can reimagine our public spaces such as the Rock Pool through art.

This year’s Public Art Symposium provided access to leaders in diverse fields; the perspective of artsworkers, the artist, and the architect/planners. The wilson/ryan/grose lawyer’s People’s Choice Award and the Photographic Competition again attracted large quanitites of entries.

Of course, none of these elements of the festival would be possible without the support of the community, the festival’s sponsors and supporters, the participating artists, and our tireless volunteers, and we are thankful to all for their contributions.

IMAGE: MJ Ryan Bennett A New Face 400 x 350 x 50 cm

Aluminum, steel, plastic, concrete

ARTISTS AND ARTWORKS

This year’s Strand Ephemera featured 31 artworks, with over 75 artists, assistants, participants, and volunteers contributing to the realisation of these works.

Of the 31 artworks, 28 were competitive entries, with the remaining included as non-competitive curated works. Participating artists hailed from three states in Australia, and three countries, including numerous Townsville and north Queensland residents showcasing their talents.

While all of the works were visually impressive, many also touched on issues as diverse as the environment and conservation, immigration and culture, and the human condition.

Participating artists and artwork titles are listed below, and detail images of the works are included overleaf in order of these listed artists:

Aaron Ashley Night as Day, Day as Night

Andrew Rankin

The Tree of Light

Alison McDonald Shimmer

Antone Bruinsma

The Three Graces

Cameron Rushton

Whale Shark

Carla Gottgens

Oceania Boanica

Community Rehab North Queensland

Beach Shack

Daniel Templeman

Four Rings

Elizabeth Poole

String Things

Elizabeth West Belief

Erica Gray Venomous Blue

Emma Anna

IMAG_NE

Gabi and Michael Sturman

Now You See Me...

Hugh Martin

Mantis Rhapsody

Jan Hynes

Memorial to Centennial Conflict

Joy Heylen

Juhé Wie

The Silver Dragon

The Ship We Are Sailing Together

Julie Bentley

Decoys

Karen Walters

The Canopy of Golden Pods

Kaya Sulc The Burden

Lance Seadon

Boat People

Lesley Kane, Jenni Hanna and Neil Brookes

Wave Harp

Marion Gaemers and Lynnette Griffiths Catch

Mimi Dennett-Fountain

Land Sew

MJ Ryan Bennett A New Face

P.A.C.E. Pimlico Art Cooperative Endeavour S.O.S.

Pamela Lee Brenner and Johannes Muljana Bubble (Fountain of Zero)

Sue Tilley Blue Wanderer

Tanya Coventry with Bowen State High School students

Colour in the Ocean

The Strand Ephemera School Project with Artist/Facilitator Ben Trupperbäumer

The Grand Winter Tour to Anywhere

Zhi Qi Luo

Seven Coloured Swallows

IMAGE:

Ramie fabric, acrylic panel, timber

Photograph: Holly Grech-Fitzgerald

SAND SCULPTORS

For the first time in the event’s history, Strand Ephemera included a sand sculpting component in 2015. This additional feature to the exhibition proved to be astonishingly popular with visitors of all ages.

This component saw Gallery Services bring three of the world’s leading sand sculptors to Townsville, each to deliver a single major work and to deliver workshops throughout the event.

Visiting all the way from the South Padre Island in Texas, USA, Amazin’ Walter is one of the world’s most experienced sand sculptors having first started sculpting with sand in the 1980s. Over time Walter’s castles have become increasingly extravagant, and his expertise was on show in Townsville with many amazed by his level of detail and gravity-defying arches.

Leading Australian sand sculptors Peter Redmond, and Jino van Bruinessen, the 2015 Sand Sculpting Champion, also visited Townsville. Peter and Jino are both part of the Sand Sculpting Australia team, managed by Sandstorm Events.

With a background in Graphic Design and Illustration, Peter Redmond started carving in sand as a ‘junior’ at Sand Sculpting Australia’s 2006 event at Rye. He learned quickly and used the experience as a springboard into other sand projects.

Since this formative experience, Peter has worked steadily around Australia as part of the Sand Sculpting Australia team, creating unique works at festivals, events, shopping centres and smaller corporate jobs. His work in Strand Ephemera depicted dinosaurs on a cloudy mountain, at the base of which sat our modern day dinosaur, the crocodile, in reference to The Strand’s rumoured visitor.

Jino came to Australia over 30 years ago from the Netherlands, and presently lives in the Blue Mountains. He has worked in the Film and Television/Entertainment industry for over 19 years, starting out as a prop maker and sculptor/ scenic artist, and progressively becoming more involved in concept and design.

A one-off sand sculpture in 1992 led to a series of annual events, and Jino has now been working on the Sand Sculpting Australia team for over 11 years. Earlier in 2015, Jino was awarded the 2015 Sand Sculpting Champion title on the Surfers Paradise Foreshore. His work at Strand Ephemera made reference to the nearby Great Barrier Reef, with its beautiful coral forms and reef creatures.

The Amazin’ Walter, Jino van Bruinessen and Peter Redmond played a major role in the delivery of daily workshops for school students. In total Strand Ephemera saw the delivery of 77 school workshops for 1154 students.

Over the final three days of the festival, Jino van Bruinessen and Peter Redmond also collaborated on a separate, smaller work to the great delight of viewers who enjoyed watching the process of the sand sculptors working.

IMAGE: The Amazin’ Walter

Photo of the artist and his finished work by Laurie Gaudi, entry in the Strand Ephemera 2015

Photographic Competition

Photograph: Laurie Gaudi

IMAGE OPPOSITE:

Jino Van Bruinessen

Photo of completed work by Ani Christiani, entry in the Strand Ephemera 2015

Photographic Competition

Photograph: Ani Christiani

IMAGE ABOVE: Peter Redmond

Photo of completed work by Jana Wieland, entry in the Strand Ephemera 2015

Photographic Competition

Photograph: Jana Wieland

IMAGE RIGHT:

Jino Van Bruinessen and Peter Redmond

Photo of completed work by Wade Howlett, entry in the Strand Ephemera 2015

Photographic Competition

Photograph: Wade Howlett

3D PAVEMENT ARTISTS

Two of Australia’s best 3D Pavement Artists delighted crowds in Townsville for Strand Ephemera; producing three stunning works and engaging with visitors through workshops and during the creation process.

The visiting artists, Rudy Kistler and Jenny McCracken (fresh from taking out the World Street Painting Festival in the Netherlands), are managed by ZEST Events International, an Australian company that launched in 1998, working with artists to engage audiences and create memorable experiences through art.

The ZEST team of artists and entertainers specialise in 3D Pavement Art, live art performances, murals, art workshops, conference and event activities, commissioned art, art management and consulting.

The artists delivered daily workshops for the 1154 students who visited the exhbition, as well as

providing free weekend workshops for the general public. These workshops also provided Gallery Services with a far more engaging vehicle to conduct some community consultation about the event, and the arts in Townsville more broadly.

Fittingly, Strand Ephemera was closed with an open air screening of the film CHALK: An Australian Perpective, with thanks to the LensCap Crew for facilitating this. Having first aired on Foxtel’s Studio Channel in August 2014, the documentary follows Australia’s Champion Pavement Artists Jenny McCracken and Anton Pulvirenti. The film takes viewers with the artists to the piazza of Grazie di Curtatone in Italy to compete at the Incontro Nazionale dei Madonnari.

CHALK: An Australian Perpective explores how this once dying art form has evolved and exploded in popularity around the world. The film also introduces audiences to Master Artist Kurt Wenner, the inventor of 3D Pavement Art.

IMAGE:

Rudy Kistler and Andi Mether deliver a free weekend workshop

IMAGE: Visitors to Strand Ephemera leap from the couch in Jenny McCracken’s Toxic Television work

IMAGE: The Artists’ Toolkit

IMAGE - TOP: Jenny McCracken poses with her second completed Strand Ephemera artwork, Bridge Over Troubled Waters - Townsville

IMAGE - BOTTOM: Jenny McCracken puts the finishing touches on her Strand Ephemera artwork, Toxic Television

IMAGE: Rudy Kistler poses with his completed Strand Ephemera artwork

POLYTOXIC

A dynamic performance element was included in Strand Ephemera 2015 by way of Polytoxic’s landmark production, Trade Winds.

Trade Winds is a unique site-specific performance installation featuring Polytoxic’s trademark physicality and striking visuals. Performed atop the water, this work re-imagines voyages, meetings and exchanges seen on the trade routes of the Pacific Ocean in a breathtakingly beautiful festival experience for all ages.

Trade Winds is the result of a collaboration between the innovative dance-theatre company Polytoxic, one of Australia’s most exciting contemporary Pacific visual artists, Samuel Tupou, and talented animator Pete Foley.

Polytoxic is based in Brisbane, Australia, and creates work inspired by the traditions of the Pacific, the guts of physical performance and the crimes of pop-culture. Trade Winds was co-conceived and choreographed by Polytoxic Co-Directors Lisa Fa’alafi and Leah Shelton.

Samuel Tupou is one of Australia’s most exciting contemporary Pacific visual artists whose artwork sets traditional Tongan Tapa patterns against the stylised images and wildly artificial colours of western pop culture.

Pete Foley is an animator, illustrator and motion designer, whose distinct point of view holds references to Art Deco, minimalism, mythology and video game culture.

Trade Winds is co-produced by Metro Arts and Polytoxic. Trade Winds has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council for the Arts, its arts funding and advisory body.

In total, 7 performances were staged as part of Strand Ephemera; a surprise preview as part of the official festival launch on Saturday 1 August, and 6.30pm and 7.30pm sessions each night from Sunday 2 until Monday 4 August. An impressive 2400 guests turned out to take in the performance.

For many, Trade Winds provided the festival highlight, and marked Strand Ephemera’s continued evolution from strictly an outdoor art exhibition, to a truly holistic festival.

For others, the ingenuity of the performance on the Rock Pool provided inspiration for the transformation of our public spaces, and for the possibilities of performance art in Townsville.

IMAGE: Polytoxic

Trade Winds

PUBLIC PROGRAM

The public program for Strand Ephemera featured a variety of activities programmed across the ten-day festival. These activities included drop-in workshops, artist talks, a Public Art Symposium and guided tours, LensCap Crew’s The Identity of Townsville vox-popping and film screenings, dazzling performances by Polytoxic, and La Luna Youth Arts’ Magical Travel Box

In total, 78 programs were delivered to a staggering 13,826 participants. All of the programs were provided free for members of the public.

The drop-in workshops were designed and led by participating Strand Ephemera artists. The sand and chalk artists provided weekend community workshops in addition to the high levels of school engagement, while Lesley Kane (working with recycled materials), Erica Gray (finger puppets), Jan Hynes (figurative card sculptures), Elizabeth Poole (art techniques using string), MJ Ryan Bennett (curving and sculpting with cane), Gabi Sturman (clay), and Zhi Qi Luo (lantern making) provided ample inspiration through workshops that demonstrated a myriad of techniques. These workshops occurred all along The Strand at locations near the three information desks. The workshops were overseen by staff and volunteers.

Guided tours were again a feature of Strand Ephemera. Several were provided at scheduled times, while groups were welcome to make bookings. The Main Exhibition Tour, featuring talks by most participating artists, attracted the largest audience.

The Public Art Symposium was held at The Brewery Banquet Centre, and featured talks by representatives from FORM, artist Brian Robinson, and Professor Jason Pomeroy.

Seven performances of Trade Winds by Polytoxic attracted impressive numbers of curious visitors; The Pink Piano was in full use by local bands, surprise performances by AFCM guests, and members of the public; and the Townsville Artist Market was moved to The Strand from Riverway to add to the carnival atmosphere.

PUBLIC PROGRAM GUIDE

from The Strand:

IMAGE: Gabi Sturman shares a laugh with participants during her The

of Things Workshop

Identity of Townsville Crew 8pm Gregory Street Headland Crew will interview visitors on The Strand, your Townsville?” with answers screened Open documentaries.

Townsville Artist Market 9am12pm Pier Headland

arts, craft and homemade produce together

music, roaming performers, and circus acts. Art Workshops Saving Club and create pictures on The Strand, and see and

amazing techniques with this year's

Moon Jellyfish Workshop

Lesley Kane

When: Where: Create your own North Queensland stinger using disposable materials. Paint it so it glows in the dark.

Bay PE Performance

Shape

The official launch was held on the first Saturday evening of the event, and featured music by Ben Bennett and a surprise performance by Polytoxic.

The Townsville Artist Market was moved to The Strand to capitalise on high visitation and add to the arts and cultural offerings of the Strand

IMAGE: Pink Ladies performance at The Pink Piano

Photograph: Holly Grech-Fitzgerald

EDUCATION PROGRAM

The involvement of local schools and students is a major focus of every Strand Ephemera. Gallery Services offers all schools within the region the possibility to be involved in workshops and guided tours, and provides both an Activity Booklet and Education Kit that responds to works in the exhibition and links with current syllabus.

In total, 218 programs were delivered specifically for schools as part of Strand Ephemera, involving some 2853 students and teachers. This figure represents official involvement by schools who applied to be a part of the public program only, and doesn’t capture the schools and students who visited the exhibition without informing the Gallery of their visit. Impressively, it also marks a 30.39% increase in school student and teacher particiaption from the 2013 staging of Strand Ephemera

30 minute guided tours of sections of the exhibition were provided by Gallery staff and volunteers, with these programs often coupled with workshops that allowed students to learn skills directly from participating artists.

Workshops included sand sculpting techniques with either The Amazin’ Walter, Jino van Bruinessen, or Peter Redmond; introductory pavement art workshops with Rudy Kistler and Andi Mether, or more advanced work with Jenny McCracken on her major work Bridge Over Troubled WatersTownsville; participatory theatre with Shane Keen and John Bradshaw as part of La Luna Youth Arts’ Magical Travel Box; or one-off workshops with a number of the competing sculptors.

Also contributing to the high levels of school engagement was The Strand Ephemera School Project. This pilot project saw noted North Queensland sculptor Ben Trupperbäumer work with three secondary schools in the Townsville region leading in to Strand Ephemera to develop a collaborative work that would ultimately form part of the exhibition.

In total, 16 schools participated in Strand Ephemera 2015 (3 more than were involved in 2013). Participating schools were:

• Annandale Christian College

• Ayr State School

• Bowen State High School

• C & K Koolkuna

• Charters Towers High School

• Gilroy Santa Maria College

• Holy Spirit Catholic School, Cranbrook

• Northern Beaches State High School

• Shalom Christian College

• Southern Cross Catholic College

• St Anthony’s Catholic College

• St Joseph’s Mundingburra

• St Joseph’s The Strand

• St Patrick’s College

• Townsville South State School

• William Ross State High School

IMAGE: Rudy Kistler works with students from St Anthony’s Catholic College

Below is a breakdown of the significant number of students who benefitted by being involved in Strand Ephemera 2015.

EducationKit

TheNorth’sSculptureFestival ProudlySupportedbyGlencore

31July-9August2015

Activity Book

IMAGE: The Amazin’ Walter works with students from St Anthony’s Catholic College

FRINGE EVENTS

Following the successful instalment of a Fringe Events component in 2013, Strand Ephemera 2015 again coincided with a series of Fringe Events.

Fringe Events are supported by Gallery Services with inclusion in Strand Ephemera publications and cross-promotion throughout the festival.

These events complemented Strand Ephemera’s program, built on public engagement and further developed mutually-supportive arts relationships within the Townsville region. Most significantly, they painted a true picture of the vibrant arts and creative community of Townsville and the host of possibilities for locals and visitors alike.

EVENT DATE

The 25th Anniversary Australian Festival of Chamber Music

For the first time, Strand Ephemera coincided with the Australian Festival of Chamber Music, making north Queensland a beacon for high-class arts and cultural activity in the nation.

The Australian Festival of Chamber Music presented a brilliant 9 day program in Townsville that includes 30 of the world’s finest musicians and over 25 concerts and special events.

Fringe Ephemera at The Village

This satellite exhibition was funded and organised by The Village, and the Queensland Government Department of Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning, with significant logistical support and advice provided by Gallery Services, Townsville City Council.

The exhibition ran throughout Strand Ephemera and featured seven works by local and national artists; Lillian Del Papa, Sue Bright, Adriaan Vanderlught, Scotia Monkivitch and Jo Cruikshanks, Ebony Russell, Yifang Lu, and Oonoonba State School students working with artist Ebony Russell. A launch event with live music was also staged.

Friday 31 JulySaturday 8 August 2015

Friday 31 JulySunday 9 August 2015

Light on the Fringe

Umbrella Studio contemporary arts

Light on the Fringe is a collaborative new media project, staged for a second time following the inaugural event in 2013. The event featured multiple digital projections, sounds and moving images illuminating the outside east wall of the Umbrella Studio contemporary arts building. A variety of new media artists including James Cook University students and Umbrella Studio contemporary arts members came together to develop these works. Light on the Fringe was coordinated by Aaron Ashley, visual artist and selected entrant in this year’s Strand Ephemera.

A Permanent Mark: the impact of tattoo culture on contemporary art

Pinnacles Gallery

A Permanent Mark: the impact of tattoo culture on contemporary art explored how two distinct industries - tattooing and contemporary art - are becoming increasingly interconnected.

Country & Western: landscape re-imagined

Perc Tucker Regional Gallery

Country & Western: landscape re-imagined brought into focus the contrasting insights and cultural imperatives, both Indigenous (country) and non-Indigenous (western), that have given shape and substance to our evolving attitudes and perceptions of the national landscape over the past 25 years.

St Patrick’s Pop-Up Ephemera and Lantern Parade

St Patrick’s College celebrated the creative and performing arts in education with the staging of a lantern parade, involving students from St Patrick’s College and St Joseph’s Catholic School, along The Strand to the College. The parade of the students’ creations was followed by a display of student artwork, choir, music and drama performances on The Verandah and front gardens of the College. Approximately 800 guests attended the events.

6 - 9 pm, Friday 7Saturday 8 August 2015

Throughout Strand Ephemera

Throughout Strand Ephemera

Wednesday 5 August 2015

IMAGE: Oonoonba State School students Aidan Randell and Jai Orlicki create work for Fringe Ephemera at The Village

Photograph: Ebony Russell

AWARDS

Strand Ephemera, the North’s Sculpture Festival, was officially launched in spectacular fashion at the Rock Pool on Saturday 1 August, and the moment everyone was waiting for was the announcement of the 2015 winner of the $10,000 Award for Artistic Excellence.

This year’s Strand Ephemera judge was John Walsh, Gallery Manager at the Gold Coast City Gallery. John Walsh has worked in the public gallery sector since the 1980s with his first appointment being at the National Gallery of Australia in the Australian Art Department. Since 1996 he has been Gallery Manager of Gold Coast City Gallery, while he has also held numerous industry related positions including the inaugural Chair of Museum and Gallery Services.

Since 1996 he has have been instrumental in the development of the Evandale Sculpture Walk, taking it from a modest collection of 4 to now boast over 30 outdoor sculptures. With this wealth of knowledge, Walsh still found it extremely difficult to select just one work from a field of so many strong contenders.

“The consistent quality of works in Strand Ephemera made the judging process a challenging but very rewarding experience. I was delighted to encounter such a diverse range of approaches to sculpture from fun frivolous forms to serious political statements – all equally engaging,” Walsh explained.

Ultimately, a winner was chosen, with Greg O’Shea, Manager of Strand Ephemera’s major sponsor Glencore’s Port Operations, announcing Townsville artist Alison McDonald’s artwork Shimmer as the 2015 winner to an excited crowd.

Providing some insight into his selection, Walsh said, “Alison McDonald’s work Shimmer is a simple concept that is realised with poetic elegance. It is an intervention on the site that adds a level of engagement and interaction that is constantly changing according to its surroundings. Wind, light and the colours of the landscape all play a part to produce a sculpture that resonates. Its subtle song is one that suits its ultimate beauty.”

The viewing public also had their say on the best work. In a close result, the family-favourite installation, The Grand Annual Winter Tour to Anywhere, was crowned the winner of the wilson/ryan/grose lawyers’ People’s Choice Award. The Grand Annual Winter Tour to Anywhere took 14% of the 632 votes registered.

The work was created by students and teachers from St Anthony’s Catholic College, Northern Beaches State High School, and St Patrick’s College who worked with artist and facilitator Ben Trupperbäumer, a noted north Queensland sculptor. The whimsical work depicted our highways during the annual winter pilgrimage when caravans dominate transport routes.

IMAGE RIGHT: The Strand Ephemera School Project | Artist/Facilitator: Ben Trupperbäumer The Grand Annual Winter Tour to Anywhere [detail] Sizes variable, Reusable materials including demolition grade timber, plywood, cardboard, PVC pipe and conduit, zip ties, steel

IMAGE: Alison McDonald is presented the Award for Artistic Excellence by judge, John Walsh, after it was announced at the official launch by Greg O’Shea, Manager Glencore Port Operations

IMAGE ABOVE:

Photograph: Andrew Rankin Entry in the Strand Ephemera 2015 Photographic Competition, capturing a detail of Alison McDonald’s Shimmer, winner of the Award for Artistic Excellence

PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITIONS

The Strand Ephemera 2015 Photographic Competition and Instagram Competition ran throughout the 10 day festival, and called for visitors to The Strand to capture their favourite moment for a chance to win some great prizes.

The Photographic Competition was judged by Scott Radford-Chisholm, the Townsville Bulletin’s Chief Photographer. Amongst his many achievements, Scott was a finalist in the Walkley Awards 2004 (Best Daily Life Photo), and has won Best News Photograph (2006) and Best Sports Photograph (2008) at the Queensland Media Awards.

Scott’s discerning eye selected Chasely Johnson’s photograph of Alison McDonald’s award-winning work Shimmer as the best work in the Under 18 category. Radford-Chisholm was particularly impressed with the young photographer’s choice of angle and good use of light in making for the powerful image. Chasely Johnson received $250 prize money.

The 18 and over category was tightly contested, with over 290 entered images by photographers of all levels of experience. Ultimately, the winner was Tracey Harrison-Hill, who took out the $500 prize

money for her image of Emma Anna’s sculpture IMAG_NE. Radford-Chisholm said that the photograph, “encapsulates The strand, the people, and the art. There is thought and imagination in the image.”

The winner of the Instagram Competition, judged by way of popular vote, was Tanya Coventry. Coventry captured a split-image of Colours in the Ocean, a work the photographer actually helped develop with students from Bowen State High School. Of the work, Coventry stated, “Colour in the Ocean should come from fish not pollution. This artwork is symbolic of the 2215 species of the Pacific endangered by the actions of humanity and pollution.”

IMAGES OPPOSITE (L-R):

Chasely Johnson Winner of the Under 18 Category of the Strand Ephemera 2015 Photographic Competition for her

IMAGE ABOVE:

shot of Alison McDonald’s Shimmer

Tanya Coventry Winner of the Instragram Competition for her shot of the work Colour in the Ocean

Tracey Harrison-Hill Winner of the 18+ Category of the Strand Ephemera 2015 Photographic Competition for her shot of Emma Anna’s IMAG_NE

PUBLIC ART SYMPOSIUM

Strand Ephemera once again delivered an insightful Public Art Symposium in 2015, delving deeper into the possibilities, benefits, triumphs and challenges of public art.

Presented at the beautiful Banquet Centre on the first floor of The Brewery, this free event was held as an afternoon ‘Master Class’ as part of the Queensland Creative Industries and Economic Development Forum on Monday 3 August.

The Symposium was followed by a Networking Function hosted by Gallery Services.

About the Speakers FORM

Represented by Kate Parker (Project Manager: Public Art) and Ellie van Rhyn (Creative Consultancy)

Presenting on FORM’s Art in Place program, Kate Parker Ellie van Rhyn shared a range of case studies at the crossroads of art, community and place. FORM is a not-for-profit cultural organisation that works to build a cultural and creative ecology for Western Australia; an ecology that values artistic excellence, improves arts access for all, and encourages the development of resilient and vibrant communities. FORM’s approach is embedded in research and development, and designed to create legacy projects that showcase outcomes across a full visual arts spectrum. FORM’s projects grow from a process of co-creation, whereby they facilitate relationships between artists and communities to enable outcomes that are mutually relevant, authentic, and enduring.

115 forum delegates, artists, and members of the community attended the two events.

The Public Art Symposium featured three presentations by leading minds in public art with backgrounds in event coordination and arts administration, architecture and master planning, and creating amazing artworks for the public realm.

Feedback about the Symposium from those in attendance was overwhelmingly positive, with the audience both entertained and inspired by the possibilities of public art.

Brian Robinson is of the Maluyligal and Wuthathi tribal groups of the Torres Strait and Cape York Peninsula. Born on Waiben (Thursday Island) and now Cairns-based, Brian is known for his printmaking, installation and public sculptures in which he uses a variety of techniques to produce bold, innovative and distinctive works. Robinson’s work has contributed significantly to his home environs of Cairns through a number of major public art installations including his monumental and iconic stainless steel woven sculptures installed on the Cairns Esplanade in 2003.

Professor Jason Pomeroy - Pomeroy Studio

Prof. Jason Pomeroy is an award-winning British registered architect, masterplanner and academic at the forefront of the sustainable built environment agenda. He graduated with distinction from the Canterbury School of Architecture and Cambridge University, and is the Founding Principal of Pomeroy Studio. In addition to leading Pomeroy Studio, he is the author of two books, Skycourt and Skygarden: Greening the Urban Habitat (2014) and Idea House: Future Tropical Living Today (2011), and is a special professor at the University of Nottingham and the Universita IUAV di Venezia.

Brian Robinson

IMAGE ABOVE: Jason Robinson speaks during the panel discussion segment of the Public Art Symposium, flanked by fellow speakers Brian Robinson, and Ellie van Rhyn (FORM)

Photograph: Holly Grech-Fitzgerald

SPONSORS

Strand Ephemera is organised and funded by Gallery Services, Townsville City Council, with the generous support of numerous sponsors, supporters and partners enabling the delivery of specific prizes and components of the exhibition. This additional support has once again enabled Gallery Services to go beyond its base level and provide an exhibition that has delighted the general public and attracted impressive numbers of visitors.

Gallery Services wishes to thank all of the Strand Ephemera sponsors, supporters and partners for their invaluable contributions.

Sponsors, supporters and partners of the 2015 Strand Ephemera were:

Proudly Supported by

People's Choice Award Sponsor

Print Partner

IMAGE: Greg O’Shea, Manager Glencore Port Operations announces the 2015 winner of the Award for Artistic Excellence

VOLUNTEERS

The contribution of volunteers to the running of a major public art event such as Strand Ephemera cannot be understated - without their input, the event simply would not be able to be staged.

Volunteers for this year’s event were drawn from the Gallery’s exisiting volunteers, the broader public who expressed interest in the event, as well as the participating artists and their supporters.

Strand Ephemera utilised 104 volunteers, who completed 336 shifts totalling 900.75 hours of service across all areas of the exhibition, namely:

• Visitor Experience and Administration

• Data Gathering

• Public Programs

• Exhibition Installation, Maintenance and Demount

Volunteers were provided with a Council run WH&S induction prior to commencing their participation, and were provided with correct PPE and appropriate training to ensure their safety during all duties undertaken.

Gallery Services and Townsville City Council extends its immense thanks to all 104 volunteers for their invaluable contribution to a hugely successful community event.

IMAGE: Gallery Staff and Volunteers assist with the installation of Carla Gottgens’ artwork Oceania Botanica

Photograph: Holly Grech-Fitzgerald

PUBLIC FEEDBACK

Gallery Services undertook the collection of feedback and data throughout Strand Ephemera via a comments section on the wilson/ryan/grose lawyers’ People’s Choice Award voting slips, and via surveying of visitors to the exhibition. In total, 361 responses about the festival were received via these means, of which 355 (98.34%) were positive, while 6 (1.66%) provided constructive criticism or suggestions for improvements.

An engaging public workshop was also held on the last weekend of the festival, facilitated by Rudy Kistler and Andi Mether, asking visitors to respond in chalk on the pavement to the questions:

• In one word, describe Strand Ephemera

• What do you think is needed to grow the arts in Townsville?

Results from the workshop were representative of wide community views, and will be used to inform Gallery Services’ future activities.

A sample of some of the comments received about Strand Ephemera are provided on this spread, along with the Visitor Survey results.

VISITOR COMMENTS

Positive

Negative/Constructive

Negative/Constructive comments suggested increased marketing, longer display period, an annual staging of the event, and to shift the festival period to not coincide with events such as the AFCM

“It is simply fantastic. Such good timing to have it coinciding with the Running Festival and AFCM. Visitors have spoken very highly of it. Townsville is the place to be in July/August!!!”

“WHAT A GREAT DISPLAY FOR ALL AGES” “WE LOVE THE CATALOGUE. TO BE A TREASURED SOUVENIR” “Absolutely fantastic –could be an annual event maybe! Puts T’ville on the map.”

VISITOR

“Every time the Ephemera exceeds the last one. Absolutely spectacular. THANK YOU”

“Very exciting! We need more things like this in Townsville.”

“Loved the interactive nature of this year’s festival! Thanks”

“Wonderful use of The Strand – I came 3 times last time and 5 times this time. Loved performance at Rock Pool”

“Thought provoking, innovative, imaginative – great showcase for artists and community groups thoroughly enjoyed all the displays.”

“MAGNIFICENT DISPLAY – PEOPLE FRIENDLY. WELL DONE TOWNSVILLE”

“For I who never looks at Art. This is a marvellous community event for Townsville”

“Wonderful event and a credit to the Townsville Community”

MEDIA AND MARKETING

An extensive media and marketing strategy was put in place, which resulted in high levels of exposure and positive media coverage for both the event and the participating artists.

The strategy’s objectives were:

• Further develop Strand Ephemera’s reputation as a first class event

• Increase the awareness of Strand Ephemera locally, nationally and internationally

• Increase recognition/awareness of Townsville City Council as the official presenter of the event

• Increase awareness of Gallery Services through marketing the event

• 10,000 + people on top of the average number of people (60,000 in 2013)

Townsville City Council’s marketing was to a broad audience; it was recognised that Strand Ephemera’s target audience is people of all ages with an interest art, outdoor events, and recreational activities. Although some of the marketing efforts focussed nationally and internationally, the majority of activities targeted the local Townsville community. Day visitors from outside the immediate area (i.e. Ingham, Ayr, Charters Towers, Cairns and Mackay) were also a priority.

Complementing the Townsville City Council marketing spend, Strand Ephemera featured as a key event in a state-wide tourism campaign profiling Arts, Culture and Events in Townsville during winter. The campaign was a joint initiative of Townsville City Council, Tourism and Events Queensland, and Townsville Enterprise, and saw the festival reach new markets around Queensland in key publications and locations.

Marketing materials and exhibition collateral developed by Gallery Services to promote the event, and assist visitors in interpreting and enjoying the exhibition, included:

• Television commercial: 15 day schedule, Channel 7, running from 26 July – 9 August

• Commercial running on Townsville Bulletin Square big screen from 30 July – 9 August

• Commercial uploaded to YouTube, including $100 promotional spend

• Townsville City Council website - dedicated webpage and key event graphic links on front page

• NewsXtend online banners throughout July

• Townsville Bulletin website – banner ads running from 31 July – 6 August

• Townsville City Council Events facebook coverage, including $100 promotional spend

• Experience It Live E-Newsletter – August and September editions

• Townsville City Council ‘Messages on Hold’ throughout August

• Spirit (Qantas) in flight magazine editorial

• Experience it Live Quarterly Printed Newsletter – August edition (cover)

• City Update listing, distributed throughout Townsville

• 4TOfm on-site broadcast, Saturday 1 August

• Radio advertisements, 4TOfm

• Artist interviews, ABC Local Radio

• DUO Magazine advertorial, August edition

• Townsville eye (Townsville Bulletin) advertisements - 25 July, 1 August, 8 August

• Flinders Street billboard

• Staff email footers

• Invitiation - print run of 4000

• Flags installed along the length of The Strand

• Publication - print run of 5000

• Artwork labels

• Program of Events - print run of 15000

• Activity Booklet - print run of 5000

• T Shirts - print run of 400

• Airport display: Hugh Martin artwork installation, large ground stickers, drop-down banners, and 4 x event banner bugs at the arrivals baggage collection

• People’s Choice Pads - print run of 45 tear sheet pads (80 forms per pad)

• Castletown Poster

• Customer Service Centre Banner, installed at Townsville City Council Walker Street reception

• Lanyards for Staff, Artists, and Volunteers

• Branded colouring pencils

• Education Booklet - print run of 200

• Public Art Symposium Poster - print run of 500

• Branded Information desk signage x 3

• Facebook - daily artist profiles and regular event reminder posts via Perc Tucker Regional Gallery and Pinnacles Gallery

• Twitter - regular posts via Perc Tucker Regional Gallery and Pinnacles Gallery

• Instagram - regular posts and frequent traffic through use of the hashtag #strandephemera as part of the Instagram Competition

• Digital editions of all festival publications via Issuu

• Dedicated Strand Ephemera enewsdistribution of 2250

• Photographic Competition entry forms - print run of 1000

• Daily advertisements and advertorials in the Townsville Bulletin - 31 July - 9 August

• Advertisement in the Herbert River Express - 25 July

• Advertisement in the Ayr Advocate - 25 July

This broad coverage combined with the high levels of activity through the Townsville City Council official Events facebook account saw extremely positive results for this account. As an indication, the two posts provided below, which were counting down to the event, each reached in excess of 15,000 accounts, had over 1,000 clicks each, and high levels of likes and shares.

The marketing of and public reaction to Strand Ephemera 2015 also resulted in consistent positive media coverage in local and national outlets.

This outcome was also aided by the contibutions of the festival’s Media Sponsors, 7 Local News, Townsville Bulletin, and 4TOfm.

Media coverage for the festival (generated through media releases and media interest, as opposed to the media coverage included in the marketing strategy) included:

• Zhi Qi Luo photo and article, page 9 Townsville Bulletin - Thursday 2 July

• Fringe Ephemera at The Village half page advertisement, Sunday Mail

• Oonoonba State School, Fringe Ephemera at The Village photo and article, Youth in Print (Townsville Bulletin Tuesday liftout) - Tuesday

21 July

• Fringe Ephemera at The Village half page advertisement, page 9 Townsville BulletinSaturday 25 July

• Double page sand sculpture photos and article in Townsville eye (Townsville Bulletin weekend liftout) - Saturday 25 July

• What’s On Planner photo and listing, page 12

Townsville Sun - Tuesday 28 July

• 3D Pavement Art photo and article, page 10

Townsville Bulletin - Wednesday 29 July

• Pricey opinion article, page 2 Townsville Bulletin - Thursday 30 July

• Front page photo and sub-headline, Townsville Bulletin - Friday 31 July

• Weekend Planner event listing, page 23

Townsville Bulletin - Friday 31 July

• Sand art photo and article, page 4 Townsville Bulletin - Friday 31 July

• Editor’s article, page 36 Townsville BulletinFriday 31 July

• Event listing, Pakmag August edition

• Eye Must event listing in Townsville eye (Townsville Bulletin weekend liftout) - Saturday 1 August

• Txt the Editor photo and texts, page 33

Townsville Bulletin - Saturday 1 August

• Social network and on-air promotion of the festival via 106.3fm as a result of breakfast radio announcers’ prank and Gallery response

• seen@ social photos from the official launch, page 10 Townsville Bulletin - Monday 3 August

• Our Fair Share opinion article, page 11

Townsville Bulletin - Tuesday 4 August

• St Pat’s Pop-Up Ephemera photo and article in @school section of Townsville Bulletin, page 18 - Tuesday 4 August

• Photos and students comments/stories in Youth in Print section of Townsville Bulletin, page 20Tuesday 4 August

• Artwork used for front page weather article, Townsville Bulletin - Tuesday 4 August

• Winner announcement photo and article, page 3 Townsville Bulletin - Wednesday 5 August

• Art theft photos and article, page 3 Townsville Bulletin - Wednesday 5 August (Important to note that while this isn’t positive media, it was managed by Townsville City Council, and combined with online pressure resulted in the return of a stolen sculpture)

• Eye Spied social photos from official launch in Townsville eye (Townsville Bulletin weekend liftout) - Saturday 8 August

• Artwork used for front page spelling bee photograph, Townsville Bulletin - Saturday 8 August

• Artwork used for photograph related to spelling bee photograph, page 6 Townsville BulletinSaturday 8 August

• Eye Must event listing in Townsville eye (Townsville Bulletin weekend liftout) - Saturday 8 August

• Stories on Channel 7 Local News and WIN Local News

The following pages highlight the high levels of interest in Strand Ephemera 2015 as evidenced by increased traffic through Perc Tucker Regional Gallery’s social networks; facebook, twitter, instagram, and issuu.

Posts in the lead up to and during Strand Ephemera 2015 reached a far wider audience than prior to and following these brackets. The most popular Strand Ephemera 2015 post on Perc Tucker Regional Gallery’s facebook page reached over 1500 accounts.

It wasn’t only the reach of posts, but actual page visits that increased during this period. As shown above, there were a number of external referrers that pointed interested visitors to Perc Tucker Regional Gallery’s facebook account for further information about the festival.

Strand Ephemera 2015 continued to build recognition outside of local markets, which can be partly attributed to Perc Tucker Regional Gallery’s diverse following.

Exhibition installation & pre-event promotion Festival duration

Perc Tucker Regional Gallery’s twitter activity also clearly illustrates that tweets made regarding Strand Ephemera (using the hashtag #strandephemera) leading into the festival, during the festival, and in the days following its completion have reached wider audiences than regular Gallery activity.

Perc Tucker Regional Gallery’s top five most liked photographs of all time occurred during Strand Ephemera and were directly related to the event.

This correlates with a steep growth in likes for the Gallery’s media posted on Instagram leading in to and during the festival period.

Perc Tucker Regional Gallery’s issuu account featured digital copies of all major Strand Ephemera 2015 publications, including the main exhibition catalogue, Activity Booklet, and Education Kit.

Unsurprisingly, the catalogue is the best performed publication by Perc Tucker Regional Gallery, having been read by over 1200 unique accounts, and making over 1700 impressions. In total, the document has been read for four days (96 hours).

Issuu also indicates the various ways in which audiences are engaging with the festival, and from where. While most are reading the publication on their home desktop computers, others used their mobile or tablet devices, perhaps while visiting the exhibition in preference to picking up a physical copy. The publication has also been read numerous times in the United States, Europe, and the AsiaPacific region.