You may have walked down your Ipswich street a hundred times before but this month you may be in for a surprise, the unexpected joy of stumbling across something you never expected to see as the Anywhere Festival kicks off.
This festival tips traditional art and performance on its head. The idea is for people to discover performances anywhere but traditional theatre spaces, such as businesses, laneways and backyards for free or at a low cost.
Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding said Anywhere Festival is set to bring the best of Ipswich to centre-stage.
“Our 7,500 heritage sites, weaved in amongst modern buildings, diverse streetscapes and parks make Ipswich the ideal venue for the Anywhere Festival,” Mayor Harding said.
“This unique cultural experience takes performances out of the theatre and onto the streets, showcasing the colour and vibrancy that makes our city one of the most liveable in Queensland.
“I would like to thank Paul Osuch and the team at Anywhere, Arts Queensland and the State Government for collaborating with Council to bring the 2021 event to our city.”
The Ipswich Program, largely focussed in the Top of Town precinct, features 14 productions and 26 performances across three weeks.
Poets, comedians, musicians, theatre groups, circus performers, dancers and storytellers will take over Top of Town, Ipswich Central and local nooks and crannies with some performance also streaming online.
The Ipswich program of Anywhere Festival is co-funded by Ipswich City Council and the Regional Arts Development Fund. The Regional Arts Development Fund is a partnership between the Queensland Government and Ipswich City Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland.
The Anywhere Festival will be on in Ipswich and across Brisbane and Moreton Bay until 23 May.
The Ipswich Anywhere Festival program is available here or to download the full Anywhere Festival program click here.
