Cairns printmakers ink new funding for festival

10 May 2018

The diverse world of printmaking will be in the spotlight in Cairns this year after a biennial festival received Queensland Government funding.

Member for Cairns Michael Healy said InkMasters had been awarded $36,843 from the Queensland Arts Showcase Program to support InkFest 2018.

“Inkfest 2018, taking place in Cairns, Cardwell and Wujal Wujal, celebrates all aspects of print and printmaking offering activities for artists of all cultural backgrounds and skill levels,” Mr Healy said.

“These funds will be used to support InkFest’s program of 25 events, including the community engagement event BIG PRINT, as well as the international juried Inkmasters Print Exhibition in July, featuring local, national and international artists.”

Minister for the Arts Leeanne Enoch said the latest round of Queensland Arts Showcase Program would support 10 new projects across the state with funding of $313,495.

“QASP investment is about ensuring Queensland creativity and talent can reach its maximum potential and deliver arts of all kinds to communities across the state. So far, QASP funding has helped to bring more than 230 arts and cultural projects to life since 2015,” Minister Enoch said.

“The latest round of ten projects will see arts, music and cultural festivals in Burketown, Brisbane, Emerald, Cairns, Cardwell, Emerald, Mt Tamborine, Noosaville and Wujul Wujal and a statewide music mentoring program for emerging female contemporary music artists.

“The 2018 Big Sky Girls mentoring program follows on from the success of the inaugural 2017 program with established Queensland female songwriters providing mentoring to emerging artists in Brisbane, Cairns, Mt Isa, Roma and Longreach,” Ms Enoch said.

“The 4MBS Festival of Great Classics 2018 will deliver five months of music and theatre performed exclusively by Queensland artists to audiences in Brisbane, Mt Tamborine and Noosaville.

“Goodidja Productions will work with the Mt Isa community to present the Gulf Country Frontier Days Festival in 2018 featuring the National Indigenous Rodeo Championships and a song and dance spectacular featuring First Nations cultural experiences.

“The Central Highlands Festival of Bands in Emerald will engage professional musicians to work with local musicians to present a community concert.”

Minister Enoch said QASP funding would support new theatre work for Brisbane’s Blue Roo Theatre Company, Brisbane Powerhouse, Museum of Brisbane and Toowoomba’s Empire Theatre’s 2018 Homegrown Independents Program.

QASP has invested a total of $7,582,536 in more than 230 arts projects since September 2015, creating quality arts experiences, cultural tourism opportunities and employment across the state.

For more information about QASP visit www.arts.qld.gov.au.