Brisbane Festival lights up the city

Queensland’s growing reputation as a vibrant and dynamic arts hub is being cemented, with the Brisbane Festival showcasing the city as a premier arts and cultural destination.

Arts Minister Ros Bates said the event attracted thousands of people to the city, by offering a rare opportunity to see the work of artists from our own backyard and around the world.

“Brisbane will host more than 700 performers from across the globe during the festival’s innovative three week program,” Ms Bates said.

“The 2012 calendar of events includes the ever popular Sunsuper Riverfire and the Santos GLNG City of Lights.

“There’s also a packed program of dance, music, theatre, opera and cabaret that is sure to bring our great city to its feet.”

Minister Bates said the festival highlighted the Newman Government’s commitment to delivering arts to all Queenslanders.

“We’ve invested $5.29 million in the Brisbane Festival through Arts Queensland,” she said.

“The Queensland Government knows the importance of arts and culture in making cities great places to live and visit and our target is to double overnight visitor expenditure in Queensland by 2020.

“A city that has a great cultural presence has so much more to offer its visitors and the festival season in Brisbane is second to none.

“In conjunction with the Brisbane Festival, we also have the Brisbane Writers Festival, the Portraits of Spain: Masterpieces of the Prado exhibition and the Mummy: Secrets of the Tomb at the Queensland Museum.”

Visit www.brisbanefestival.com.au for more information.

[ENDS] 8 September 2012

Media Contact: Ken Vernon: 0431 027 017