The Arts on the Plains Festival is set to return in 2024 following its overwhelming endorsement at a recent community meeting following a successful inaugural event in 2023.
The theme for the 2024 festival is “celebrating creativity and community” with the aim to showcase the diversity of creative pursuits throughout the plains area, centred around Gawler.
The festival is run in parallel with the statewide SALA Festival and brings together various community art groups and artists under the local festival banner.
Festival facilitator, Local Member of Parliament, Mr Tony Piccolo said the festival is about building upon the existing creative efforts and bringing them together to increase participation and audiences.
“The festival will work with other community-based events and artists to bring new audiences to them,” said Mr Piccolo.
“We will showcase the broad design and artistic endeavours in the region and attract visitors to the town.”
“There is an arts tourism component to the festival. The arts are part of the economic wellbeing of the town.”
The festival is planned to run from Sunday 11th August to Sunday 8th September, with a special 4-day event occurring from 30th August to the 2nd of September.
The festival will open and close in conjunction with the Gawler Makers Market.
Mr Piccolo said the Gawler Markers Market focusses on artisans from a range of backgrounds, producing a range of products, so it seemed logical to involve them in the event.
“We are also hopeful the festival will encourage more young people to become involved in the creative industries and perhaps pursue them as a career.”
The 4-day event may encourage more schools to be involved in the festival,” said Mr Piccolo.
The 2023 event was sponsored by the Gawler Business Development Group (GBDG) and supported by the Town of Gawler, with marketing and promotional support provided by Mr Piccolo and the Gawler Community Gallery.
Mr Piccolo said the festival is looking for some additional sponsors, including a naming rights sponsor for the 2024 festival, as it will be bigger and better than in 2023.”
Mr Piccolo stressed that the festival is open to all to participate in, including local businesses, churches, schools, and groups involved in the performing arts.
“Any creative pursuit is worthy of consideration for inclusion in the festival,” state Mr Piccolo.
The 2023 festival involved more than 23 individual activities, locations, and events across the region and the plan for 2024 is to attract 40 different events and sites.
Mr Piccolo said any person or business that was interested in knowing more or how they could be involved, should contact his electorate office on 85 222878 or via email at light@parliament.sa.gov.au