OUR biggest community event of the year, the Spark Festival, will light up Ipswich throughout July and it starts this weekend.
With a budget of almost $500,000 it promises to be bigger and better than last year’s event.
SPARK is now one of council’s signature festivals and has grown in recent years to be a highlight on the calendar, joining the likes of Planes, Trains and Autos, the Festival of Horsepower and Galvanized as must-see events in Southeast Queensland.
Cr Nicole Jonic said while there was plenty to see and do during the day, there were also outstanding events at night.
“We’re really spoiled this year with Spark After Dark, as well as Pixel, deLight, Follow the Light and Inhabited Ipswich,” Cr Jonic said.
“Light, projection and contemporary art installations will activate vacant shop fronts and non-traditional art spaces for Inhabited Ipswich, while Pixel will transform 1 Nicholas Street with incredible animations.
“We haven’t even mentioned Undergrowth, from artist Tim Glorious, that creates abstract, surreal and playful worlds in d’Arcy Doyle Place. There’s just a myriad of things to see.”
One returning event will be deLight, which this year sees 143 Brisbane Street and St Paul’s Church transformed into a visual spectacle that profiles local artists and architecture.
Eulalia Martin is a Bunuba woman from the Kimberley, Western Australia, and currently lives in Ipswich.
She will have her artwork projected this year and said the inspiration for her art was her grandmother, who was a member of The Stolen Generations.
“This year’s NAIDOC theme is ‘For our Elders’ and I hope my artwork is a gentle voice for her, reminding us of all of the importance of elders and of being good examples ourselves.”
SPARK IPSWICH 2023:
IGNITE: July 6
Celebrate the opening of SPARK Ipswich 2023 with a ceremony that honours the stories, culture and art of our First Nation people.
SPARK ON TOUR: July 6-9
SPARK hits the road with Nadia Sunde’s Twinkle and The Moon – an interactive children’s theatre experience for two to seven-year-old children.
SPARK AFTER DARK: July 6-16
Explore Ipswich’s cultural heart with music, projection, live performance, comedy and dance.
INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT: July 6-16
The Creators of Ipswich Summit and Ipswich Has Comic Talent are key opportunities for our local artists to shine!
IMMERSE: July 7, 8, 9, 15 and 16
An immersive playground of family-friendly arts workshops and performances, with a special SPARK Edition of the much-loved Handmade Expo Markets.
BRIGHTDAZE: July 8
This new, all-ages music festival will be headlined by chart-topping hip-hop superstar Allday.
WOMI: July 9
Ipswich’s signature world music event returns to Springfield Central with music, workshops, food and crafts from across the globe.
LITTLE DAY OUT: July 16
Ipswich’s signature children’s contemporary music and arts festival is little by name but BIG on fun.
COMMON PEOPLE DANCE EISTEDDFOD: July 16
The mighty dance battle between Ipswich suburban gladiators and other frenemy teams from across Brisbane.
