This year’s Milbi Festival will see a creative collective of artists and arts events take over the Bundaberg CBD as part of The Gathering.
The Gathering will be on the first weekend of the festival, from 28-29 October, and offers a range of free programs for festival goers to enjoy.
Council’s Arts, Culture and Events portfolio spokesperson Councillor John Learmonth said The Gathering was a showcase of the great depth of creativity in the region.
“The Gathering is a chance for the community to soak in the creativity of the region, and to appreciate the close ties between art, culture and the environment,” Cr Learmonth said.
“As part of The Gathering, Milbi Festival goers will have the opportunity to hear great music, to participate in art making activities and to meet wonderful local and national contemporary artists.
“Arts is one of the three pillars of the Milbi Festival, and it’s fantastic to be able to see so much creative talent in the CBD during the festival.”
Weaving Garden
When:
Saturday 28 October, 9.30 am to 1.30 pm
Where: Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery Park, Barolin Street
Join local artisans in the Gallery Park next to Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery for a drop-in weaving session open to all age groups and levels of experience.
This laid-back session is a great opportunity to learn from expert weavers and fibre artists and to connect with likeminded creatives in the community.
Materials will be provided for participants to try their hand at weaving their own creations.
Sound Square
When: Saturday 28 October, 10 am to 3 pm
Where: Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery, Barolin Street
Sound Square is a pop-up performance stage for talented local musicians and performers to entertain the audience against the backdrop of the Simon DeGroot mural.
Visitors can soak up the atmosphere and relax with friends while enjoying something to eat from the onsite food truck.
5 Under 25, Meet the Artists
When: Saturday 28 October, 10 am to 2.30 pm
Where: Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery Park, Barolin Street
Festival goers will have the opportunity to participate in hands-on art activities while getting to know some of the region’s brightest emerging artists.
Elise Dorfler, Noah Foley, Kelsi Bielefeld, Samantha Matthews and Lili Jacobsen will demonstrate their diverse art practices while chatting with the community and leading art-making activities suitable for all ages.
This will be a unique opportunity to meet and talk with young artists as they develop their creative practice.
Artist Talks – Ivy Minniecon, Gordon Hookey, Angelina Hurley
When: Saturday 28 October, 10 am to 2 pm
Where: Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery, Barolin Street
Join Gallery Director Rebecca McDuff as she talks with artist Ivy Minniecon at 10 am and with nationally acclaimed First Nations artist Gordon Hookey at 11.30 am.
In her exhibition manjalba ngulkurrijin minday, currently on display in The Vault at Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery, Ivy uses her practice of weaving and printmaking to explore her connections to country and to the art of Ron Hurley.
Recognised as one of the most inspiring and significant political artists of his generation, Gordon Hookey will speak in an exclusive one-off artist talk, offering the community a special opportunity to learn more about his practice and contemporary Indigenous art.
At 1 pm, curator Angelina Hurley will share family stories of her father, artist Ron Hurley, and will discuss the importance of his work being shown on country in Wajgan’s Return, now showing in Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery’s main exhibition space.
Ron was a Gooreng Gooreng Mununjali man and was regarded as a leading contemporary artist.
Exhibitions Wajgan’s Return, manjulba ngulkurrijin minday and Sacrifice by William Debois, will run daily, 9.30 am to 5 pm, at Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery throughout the Milbi Festival.
Living Anthology
When: Sunday 29 October, 10 am to 11.30 am and 12.30 pm to 2 pm
Where: Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery Park, Barolin Street (booking essential)
The Living Anthology is a unique, conversation-style storytelling experience, where festival goers can loan a person instead of a book.
Five people with captivating stories will be available for loan across two sessions, with attendees selecting two ‘titles’ on arrival.
The Living Anthology, presented in conjunction with Bundaberg Regional Libraires and Bundaberg Regional Galleries, offers participants the chance of an enlightening conversation and a one-off personal experience.
Lunchtime Chill
When: Sunday 29 October, 12 pm to 1 pm
Where: Bundaberg Regional Art Gallery Park, Barolin Street
Festival goers can enjoy live didgeridoo playing and the meditative sounds of crystal singing bowls while enjoying a break in Gallery Park.
Pack a picnic and chill out to the peaceful music.
Hatch Art Trail
When: Daily, 10 am to 11 am
Where: Mon Repos Turtle Centre, 141 Mon Repos Road, Mon Repos
The Hatch Art Trail will also be on every day of the festival, with twenty artistically created Milbi eggs hidden around the Turtle Centre for visitors to find and enjoy.
A trail map will be available during the festival to help festival goers find all the eggs, and they can vote for their favourite egg design for the chance to win a prize.
Hatch Art Trail, created by Wide Bay Kids, is a free, fun and inclusive event for everyone of all ages to enjoy.
Milbi Festival is Bundaberg Regional Council’s newest major destination event that celebrates arts, culture and the environment, and marks the opening of the turtle nesting season.
The festival runs from 27 October to 5 November, with a range of events on throughout the 10 days.
For more information, check out the full program online.
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i have this article from way back where a tony blackman said milbi was a fresh water turtle.