The MilBi Magic community mosaic at Archies Beach has continued to dazzle by winning bronze in the recent Australian Street Art Awards.
Located in Crawford Park, the communal artwork has been recognised in the new Best Community Art category for any form of permanent artwork worked upon by members of the wider community not typically engaged in public art.
Facilitated by local artist Paul Perry the panel of 33 mosaics took two years, 230 volunteers, 100,000 tiles and more than 6000 hours to create and it was officially unveiled in 2020.
Paul said the award strongly demonstrated what community driven public art could achieve with national and international recognition.
“Naturally, I feel personally very proud that this project has been recognised nationally as the third best Community Art project in Australia,” Paul said.
“But I am even more proud to be sharing this honour and sense of satisfaction with each of the more than 230 participants, artists, mosaicists, volunteers, students and teachers from here in Bundaberg, right around the nation and even overseas, who were involved over the two years it took to create it.
“I also share this achievement with the supporters and funders, and in particular Bundaberg Tourism who established and continue to host the website for MilBi Magic.”
Paul said the recognition and promotion of community art projects helped to spread the word and set the scene for more to be created.
“Community driven public art, like this project, has benefits on so many levels,” Paul said.
“It connects artists, residents and volunteers in enjoyable creative activities with all the associated mental health and wellbeing benefits; it connects locals to their environment in a direct and accessible way; it created an aesthetically pleasing addition to necessary community infrastructure; it attracts visitors and tourists to the area who bring their money to support the local economy [and] it brings a renewed sense of community pride and ownership to the area.”
The Australian Street Art Awards
The Australian Street Art Awards aim to showcase the ultimate Australian destinations where visitors can see world-class street and public art that’s accessible and enjoyable all year round.
The program recognises towns, cities, regions and precincts using one or more of the many forms of outdoor, publicly accessible art to promote their destination and engage with their community.
With the highest number of entries ever received, judges commented that the 2023 entries were also of a very high calibre, demonstrating the nominees' determination to improve their community through the adoption of creative projects.
