The Bugle is a proud supporter of the KISS Arts Festival, which just keeps getting better and better each year. This year, there are a number of ways for you to participate, apart from just coming along to be entertained. Local creative artists are organising projects for the Kiama community to be involved with during the Festival, and there are ways you can help them in the lead up. The Festival is on 29 and 30 April, at Kiama Harbour. See www.kissartsfestival.com.au

Oh, and don’t forget there is a Raft Race to enter.

Weaving Kiama’s story through UNITY

Gerringong artist Penny Sadubin is bringing UNITY to this year’s Festival.

UNITY is an interactive public art project, conceived by American artist Nancy Tessler Belmont and launched in June 2016.

Since then UNITY has become a global movement, being recreated all over the US, in Canada, Scotland and at two other locations in Australia.

It celebrates a community’s uniqueness and strengthens ties. The project is based around community-specific labels (called signifiers) and explores how those labels create interconnectedness.

“The signifiers are placed at each of the 32 poles so that participants can weave their own ‘journey’ between the posts that they respond to,” explains Penny. To ensure that UNITY Kiama has relevance to our community, she is asking the community to help write the ‘signifier’ statements that encompass all aspects of life.

The resulting spider’s web of connections will be multi-coloured, using crowd sourced wool.

“UNITY will invite the public to be active participants in its creation.”

The project will be sited adjacent to the AIR KISS Tent.

How you can help UNITY

• Donate left over wool to the project
  Collection points until 21 April are: Kiama Library, Council Administration building, Kiama Leisure Centre, Gerringong Town Hall and Jamberoo School of Arts. For collection of larger quantities, contact psadubin@gmail.com
• Help define what makes Kiama special
  Give your input on the 32 signifiers need for the project. Go to http://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Z9BDW5J or email Penny
• Help on the day
  Volunteers are needed to assist the public on the two weekend days of the festival event. Shifts will be for 2 hours.
• Attend an info session Thurs 13 April, 10.30am Kiama Community College or 6.30pm, Little Blowhole Art Bar

Get creative in the AIR KISS Tent

New to KISS Arts in 2017, the AIR (Artists in Residence) KISS Tent will shelter two free workshops under its roof.

“In the Some Like It Hot costume studio, you can bring out your inner Orry-Kelly,” says the Tent’s initiator, artist Paula Gowans.

“Orry-Kelly is Kiama’s own Academy Award-winning costume designer, responsible for some of the most memorable movie costumes ever. Here is your chance to make ‘seaside escapade’-themed show costumes – think bathing beauties, mermaids, pirates, sailors, fish mongers, and even fish.”

“Artist and Circus WOW performer Libby Bloxham will show you how.

“Materials will be provided and you can capture the many moods of your handiwork at the AIR KISS photo booth.”

There will be a costume parade at the close of the Festival and special prizes for special creations.

At the other end of the AIR KISS Tent, the Sketch-o-Rama Studio where you can draw your favourite KISS Arts performers who will model, answer your questions, and otherwise engage your graphic imagination.

“You don’t need to know how to draw,” says Paula. “There will be local artists present to coach and encourage you.

“This is a rare opportunity to try your hand at sketching people, some possibly scantily clad, in a distinctive setting,” says Paula.

“Materials will be provided but feel free to bring your own.”

How you can help the AIR KISS Tent

Paula is looking for:

• more artist volunteers to draw and to coach the drawing. Different styles and approaches welcome.
• A volunteer handyman to help move gear to and from the site and help make our built props and stage area safe.
• We would like to borrow clothing mannequins (men, women, children) and some seaside theme props for the models and their stage area. A beach chair or two and umbrella would be nice.

Please email paulagowans@gmail.com or call 0412503881.

Help make lanterns

Kiama Library has teamed up with the KISS Arts Festival to run a session for kids to make floating paper lanterns.

Children’s Services Officer Elizabeth Skorulis says the floating lanterns workshops, inspired by the Loi Krathong festival celebrated in Thailand each year, are proving incredibly popular.

“We’ll have local artists helping the kids make their own lanterns to take home,” she says.

“They can also help make larger lotus-shaped lanterns from recycled paper and newspaper, which will be floated on Kiama Harbour during the Festival.”

Details: The lantern-making workshops are free and are being held at the Library on Friday 21 April from 10.30am and at noon. They are suitable for children aged 6 to 16.

Another lantern-making workshop will be held at the Kiama Farmers Market on 19 April.

 

 

 

 

Save

Save