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The Festivals and Conferences news page covers events with a mixture of art forms. For music festivals, see the Performance news page. For writers festivals, see the Language and Literature news page. See also Film and Digital Media festivals.
Image courtesy of the Alice Springs Beanie Festival.
Festival 26 - 29 June 2009, exhibition 26 June - mid August 2009
The Alice Springs Beanie Festival is a community-based event that aims to develop Aboriginal women's textiles, promote women's culture and the beanie as a regional art form, as well as promote handmade textile arts. Each year over 500 entries are received for the Beanie Competition. They come from all corners of the globe including from workshops conducted in remote Central Australian Indigenous communities. This is a marvellous showcase of people's amazing talents, passions and eccentricities with countless hours going into each beanie. Some beanies are for sale and some will be chosen by the Beanie Festival Committee to join the travelling exhibition that can be seen at various venues around Australia. Araluen Arts Centre.
14–16 August 2009
The Cooktown Art Festival presents the work of the local painters, sculptors, wood carvers, potters, photographers and other artists. Local musicians and poets will also perform and a poet's breakfast will be held for the general public. Various locations.
5 September 2009
Reggaetown is a multicultural one day event showcasing established and emerging Island Roots music artists and styles from Jamaica, Africa, the Pacific Islands and Australia & the Torres Straits. Reggaetown celebrates the tropical lifestyle and surroundings of Queensland with a blend of traditional and contemporary cultural performances, markets, workshops and films. Tjapukai.
1–6 September 2009
Spring Migration is an annual Gay & Lesbian event offering program for all people to enjoy, regardless of their sexuality. The festival will feature live music, Unite the Clans dance party, DJs, fashion shows, wine tours and the Who's yer daddy Sunday market. Yackandandah.
12 September – 3 October 2009
Brisbane Festival is one of Australia's leading international arts festivals. The festival will features international and Australian artists and productions, free world-class events, emerging fringe theatre, and fireworks. Conversation and debate will fill the theatres, parks and suburban streets for Brisbane Festival 2009. The festival combines with the former annual Riverfestival to make it one of the most inclusive and diverse arts festivals in Australia. Various locations.
2 - 11 October 2009
ARTfest 2009 is a celebration of all things community and reflects the appreciation of our own creative, inspiring, beautiful and healthy culture. The festival includes visual arts, literature, music, film and youth events. Various locations.
24–25 October 2009
Kurrajong Scarecrow Festival will provide entertainment for the whole family including Koomurri Aboriginal Performers, buskers, scarecrow cup race, dog fancy dress competition, children's activities and Don's backyard's television presenter, Don Burke, will promote his latest book. Memorial Park, Old Bells of Line Road.
23–25 October 2009
Kangaroo Valley Folk Festival has an array of Australian and international folk performers. The program includes musicians, buskers, dancers, poets, workshops, folk dances, blackboard venues and special school concerts. Various locations.
For more festivals see our Australian story on Festivals.
18-20 November 2009
ARTSpeak 2009 will bring together more than 200 arts participants and practitioners from across Queensland and will be a valuable opportunity to explore new ideas and partnerships to ensure all Queenslanders have access to arts and culture. The four ARTSpeak themes will be: encouraging community participation and engagement through arts and culture; building strong communities; supporting vibrant regional arts and cultural practice; and activating creative spaces.
There are currently no call for entries listed.
16 June 2009
Nearly 30 regional and community festivals around Australia will share in more than $350,000 under the latest round of Festivals Australia funding announced by Arts Minister, Peter Garrett. Festivals Australia is an Australian Government program which funds Australian regional and community festivals to present quality cultural projects.
For more information see our Australian story on Festivals.
To contact us with your news and events, please email the News Editor, NewsEditor at culture dot gov dot au, including the URL of your website.
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