PUBLIC2016: Festival of urban art and ideas

Published by
Andrew McDonald
February 25, 2016

Mark April 1-10 down in the diary to view spectacular new murals by international and Australian artists, plus WA’s first ever prototyping festival, and the launch of Perth’s newest creative hub.

Pulling an estimated attendance of 45,000-50,000, and coverage in national and international publications including The Australian, Monocle and Elle Decor Italia, FORM’s PUBLIC2015 sparked conversations and deepened Western Australia’s cultural identity through a state-wide street art project and city-making symposium.

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This celebration of urban art and creative ideas returns in PUBLIC2016 with FORM’s diverse program of pop-up installations, temporary artworks, murals, community gatherings, creative workshops and art exhibitions.

Platform – WA’s first ever prototyping festival of place-making interventions designed by and for citizens – will launch in Claremont in April. “The festival is modelled on San Francisco’s Market Street Festival, which last year challenged creative San Franciscans to come up with and install temporary ideas to enliven a long (but stagnant) thoroughfare in the city,” says Lynda Dorrington, FORM’s Executive Director.

An opportunity not just for local artists but for creatives of all kinds, Platform is for makers, builders, creators, dreamers, thinkers, producers and designers of all sorts. Targeting the Bayview Terrace area in Claremont, FORM is inviting creatives to reimagine our public spaces and activities by creating temporary installations or activation prototypes that inspire investigation, connection, stimulation and delight.

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“We want passers-by to be enchanted, intrigued, entertained and enlightened,” says Lynda. “Most of all, we want people to feel compelled to linger and spend time enjoying the experience of interacting with other people in the streets of the city.”

FORM will also be launching The Goods Shed in Claremont, offering a hub for art and ideas through a shared space for different creatives and the community. “Here we’ll stage year-round programs of events, artist and speaker residencies, and exhibitions,” Lynda said.

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PUBLIC Campus (at Curtin University) will continue the street art element of the festival, bringing important international and Australian urban artists to work on the university’s buildings.

For more information on the range of events in April, visit PUBLIC2016.

FORM
form.net.au