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.