As the Bundaberg region celebrates the beginning of the turtle season this weekend, the Palaszczuk Government has thrown its support behind some of the arts and cultural activities at the Milbi Festival.
In the region today for the opening of the new Mon Repos Turtle Centre, Minister for Environment and the Great Barrier Reef and Minister for the Arts Leeanne Enoch said the Palaszczuk Government was supporting two cultural projects at this year's Milbi Festival.
"Two diverse arts and cultural projects have received a total of $41,500 through the Palaszczuk Government's Queensland Arts Showcase Program (QASP)," Ms Enoch said.
"Acclaimed Queensland music group Topology received $30,000 to deliver creative workshops as the artist-in-residence at the Milbi Festival, while artist Paul Perry received $11,500 for his collaboration with the Bundaberg community to create a mosaic mural," Minister Enoch said.
"This weekend is the inaugural Milbi Festival, a brand-new event, to mark the beginning of the turtle season.
"Topology has been the artist-in-residence for the duration of the festival, hosting composition and song writing workshops and also leading one-day bootcamps with community performances in Childers, Gin Gin, Woodgate, Burnett Heads, Waterloo, and a final community concert in Bundaberg.
"We're also pleased to provide funding to Paul Perry, who has been working with community members in a series of workshops to create the new public artwork, Milbi Magic: Archie's Beach Community Mosaics, to tell a local story.
"The public artwork will comprise a 33 square metre mosaic mural that will be enjoyed not only as part of the Bargara Art Trail during the Milbi Festival but also for many years to come," she said.
Topology Creative and Education Director Christa Powell said the funding will supported their regional work, which was a collaboration between Topology, Bundaberg Regional Council, local schools, composers and the Bundaberg Sinfonietta.
"Over 300 students actively participated in the workshops in preparation for the final performance at the closing of the Milbi Festival in Bundaberg tonight at the Moncrieff Entertainment Centre," Ms Powell said.
"Funding from Arts Queensland has enabled additional artists and technical staff to be engaged and therefore increased the number of professional artists involved in the delivery of the workshops and performances."
Artist Paul Perry said their project was about connection to community.
"It's about connecting with each other, connecting with country and connecting with the environment, and the legacy artwork - made by the community, for the community - will be something we're all proud of," Mr Perry said.
Ms Enoch said these two Bundaberg projects are among the fifteen projects State-wide that are sharing in more than $620,000.
The Queensland Arts Showcase Program has invested more than $12.94 million to support over 380 arts and cultural projects across the state since September 2015.
