Placemakers will light up the Gold Coast for Bleach 2021

A spectacular light installation will illuminate the Gold Coast sky later this year, thanks to a $100,000 investment from the Palaszczuk Government.

Minister for the Arts Leeanne Enoch has today announced Placemakers is receiving the funding to help create a light installation on the Gold Coast for this year’s Bleach* Festival, which will be held in August.

“Big City Lights will premiere as part of Bleach* Festival 2021, showcasing new light-based installations and 3D mapped projections across the city,” Minister Enoch said.

“Placemakers will use this funding to help commission 17 new works that will captivate and engage local audiences and visitors to the Gold Coast.”

Minister Enoch said this $100,000 in funding was being provided as part of the Palaszczuk Government’s $22.5 million Arts and Cultural Recovery Package’s Spaces and Places initiative.

“Last year I launched Creative Together 2020-2030: A 10-Year Roadmap for arts, culture and creativity in Queensland, which includes key priorities to strengthen Queensland communities and share our stories and celebrate our storytellers, and this investment will further assist Placemakers to support those priorities.

“The arts are key to delivering the Palaszczuk Government’s plan for economic recovery, each year injecting $8.5 billion into the state’s economy and supporting more than 92,000 jobs for Queenslanders. 

“Since the onset of COVID-19 the Palaszczuk Government has committed to nearly $60 million worth of initiatives to support the arts and cultural sector, which includes the $22.5 million Arts and Cultural Recovery Package,” Ms Enoch said.

Rosie Dennis, CEO of Placemakers Gold Coast and Artistic Director Bleach* Festival said: “We’re thrilled to receive this support for an ambitious, new project in South East Queensland which profiles great artists and great art from the region through a suite of new work commissions connected to place.”

“We’re passionate about creating out-of-the-box cultural experiences that show a different perspective of the Gold Coast,” Ms Dennis said.

Minister Enoch said the Placemakers project joined a list of other art and cultural initiatives that the Palaszczuk Government had funded through the Arts and Cultural Recovery Package.

“It’s vital we support the arts and cultural sector as our state recovers from the pandemic,” Ms Enoch said.

“Projects we have funded right across Queensland help tell unique stories and demonstrate the wide variety of arts and culture experiences around our state. They also provide ongoing benefits to the artists, arts workers and the communities.”

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