The much-anticipated Sunshine Coast festival of arts and culture Horizon unveiled its 2022 program on the sandy banks of the Maroochy River last night (June 16).
Supporting a stellar line-up, Horizon Festival is back – live and up close and personal from Friday, August 26 to Sunday, September 4.
Impacted by Covid in 2020 and 2021, this year the Festival boasts an impressive line-up of local acts and nationally recognised artists who will perform in one of Australia's most stunning destinations.
The 10 days and nights include music, visual art, performance, dance, family entertainment, spoken word, comedy and workshops.
Sunshine Coast Council Mayor Mark Jamieson said he was delighted to welcome Horizon Festival 2022 in its much-loved live format, after the past two years of hybrid versions of the event.
"Horizon is an exciting celebration of the arts and a great example of Sunshine Coast Council and our community working together to create a festival that pushes boundaries and surprises and delights all in attendance," Mayor Jamieson said.
"Our region's arts and cultural sector is thriving and the Festival's incredible program is a testament to the world-class talent and creativity that is developed and nurtured on the Sunshine Coast."
Horizon Festival Director Hannah Clissold said the themes of People, Arts, Culture and Place were at the heart of this year's program.
"It has been a strange two years and we are delighted to unveil a program that invites everyone to come together, in person, and experience the beauty, wonder and talent that abounds on the Sunshine Coast," Ms Clissold said.
"This year is about reconnection; about revisiting the region and experiencing it anew, discovering – or rediscovering – a favourite artist or event and reinvigorating the Sunshine Coast's vibrant arts and cultural scene.
"Horizon Festival is committed to investing in local artists and presenting an inclusive and accessible program that welcomes visitors of all ages as well as centring Kabi Kabi and Jinibara artists at the heart of the festival."
The Wonderland Spiegeltent sits centre stage at the Festival's Cotton Tree Park hub and features 10 days and nights of programming, from family shows to late-night cabarets and concerts with acts including Kate Ceberano, Steven Oliver and Justine Clarke.
Every morning, the Wonderland Spiegeltent will be commandeered by kids and their keepers with the space thoughtfully curated for the Coast's little artists and explorers.
The sun rises and sets on Horizon Festival with two ceremonies paying respect to the land's First Nations traditional custodians, the Kabi Kabi and Jinibara peoples.
The Opening Ceremony at Cotton Tree Park celebrates the region's oldest living culture through songs, language, ceremony, art, dance and music.
The program ends with the signature event Dawn Awakening, a multi-arts celebration of remembrance, dreaming and ritual, directed by Lyndon Davis and held at Stumers Creek, Coolum.
Sunshine Coast Council Arts Portfolio Councillor Rick Baberowski said the 2022 program's visual arts component emphasised the Kabi Kabi and Jinibara people, while incorporating the region's stunning natural environment and provided a spotlight on the leading work of local artists.
"Our program welcomes renowned national acts to the Sunshine Coast and pays homage to the fantastic musicians and artists who live and perform locally," Cr Baberowski said.
"We feel incredibly proud to be able to support and grow our local talent pool and help artists develop original work that grabs the attention of locals and visitors."
Horizon Festival's music program is a celebration of culture and place with First Nations musicians performing intimate shows in unique locations including Dicky Beach, Eumundi, Maleny and Baroon Pocket Dam.
An entertaining performance program includes the Australian festival premiere of Looks Like A Tourist, a large-scale choreographic work with a cheeky perspective on place and tourism.
The spotlight shines on Cotton Tree Bay and Kings Beach Ocean Pool when they stage The Sinkers, a part-comedy, part-amateur synchronised swimming routine, and on The Old Lock Up at Maroochydore when it transforms into an immersive lab and pharmacy for Medicament For Your Predicament.
For program information and bookings, festival updates and behind the scenes info, visit horizonfestival.com.au
