Queensland recognised as street art capital
Suellen Hinde - Queensland Editor |
Stunning street art in Queensland has featured at this year’s Australian Street Art Awards, with the state taking out more top gongs than any other region.
Heading the list was the 2021 SWELL Sculpture Festival on the Gold Coast, a sculpture festival that showcased 50 epic, quirky and mind-twisting creations of leading sculptors on the sands of Currumbin Beach. It also took out the Best Street Art Festival or Event category.
The Australian Street Art Awards encourage Australians to explore the world-class street and public art that is accessible all year round and found in every corner of the country.
“These pieces are contributing significantly to making Australia a more vibrant, creative and interesting country – somewhere visitors want to explore more keenly,” Judges said.
Another Gold category went to Fifth Lane Street Art in Mackay for the Best Street Art Laneway. Fifth Lane Street Arts Project is the culmination of 16 local artists and five visiting artist’s work in an outdoor gallery that has something for everyone.
Australian lovers of art are high value visitors. They stay 42.8 per cent longer and spend 55.9 per cent more when travelling than domestic tourists overall, according to the Australia Council for the Arts’ Domestic Art Tourism: Connecting the Country Report.
“Until these Awards were launched three years ago there had never been a way of rewarding and supporting the places that created these art-related experiences for travellers”. Awards Director, Liz Rivers said.
“Public art has now come into its own with people journeying hundreds or sometimes thousands of kilometres to experience a silo art trail or see a sculpture in an extraordinary landscape, such as the desert. Free outdoor activities have also gained favour over the past two years, making road trips to see outdoor murals, sculptures, monuments and mega pieces like silo art the perfect holiday thrill.”
The Museum of Underwater Art in Townsville took out silver in the Best Sculpture Park or Trail and the Dinosaur Canyon Experience Tour AOD in Winton took out silver for the Best Street Art Tour.
2021 Bronze Winners included Pelicans on Patrol in Yeppoon for Best Landmark Sculpture;
Australian Age of Dinosaurs, Winton QLD won bronze for Best Landmark Sculpture and
The Maryborough Mural Trail in Maryborough won bronze in the Best Landmark Sculpture.
Pelicans on Patrol in Yeppoon
