TELLING A DIFFERENT STORY

The Museum of Brisbane will come alive this summer in a kaleidoscope of creativity in a collaborative exhibition with Brisbane-based not-for-profit organisation Gallery of Children’s Art (GoCA) called What is Different?.

An interactive exhibition that celebrates creativity in the face of crisis, What is Different? Will showcase a collection of children’s artwork and ideas in response to the global pandemic.

From kindergartens to primary schools, GoCA prompted students to reflect and respond to their changing global, local and personal situations through art, in order to help them to express their ideas and emotions.

The exhibition features rainbow-coloured artworks featuring germs, playgrounds and pets, amongst portraits of families who have been cooped up together in their houses and others who have been divided by the lockdown.

Imbued with humour and heart, this exhibition invites visitors to view this crisis through a new lens.

Museum of Brisbane is located on Level 3, Brisbane City Hall. What is Different? Runs until January 31 and entry is free, with timed tickets available from the Museum of Brisbane’s website.

IN-TENTS ACROBATICS

If you’re keen to catch some impressive feats from everyone from aerial performers to jugglers and St Nick himself, head along to Sunshine Coast Stadium, where Circus Rio will be performing their new show until January 18.

The Christmas and New Year Spectacular, presented by Circus Rio, features a fresh cast and a brand-new show, which will bring a unique team of internationally acclaimed performers together on the Sunshine Coast.

A big top will be transformed into a Christmas Wonderland featuring a. cast of characters including aerial angels, skilful jugglers, acrobatic elves, a not-so-jolly green character and Santa Claus will also be coming to town for the show.

Circus Rio is suitable for all the family and also features stunts and sketches by jugglers, aerialists, acrobatics, clowning, illusion and FMX riders – with a finale somersault stunt 15m above the stage.

Circus Rio is fully certified and COVID safe, although capacity has been reduced.  Visit the Circus Rio website for more information or to purchase tickets. http://circusrio.com/

FESTIVE FLICKS UNDER THE STARS

’Tis the season to catch some of your favourite festive films for free on the big screen, with City of Gold Coast presenting a special edition of its Movies Under the Stars – Summer Series program until Christmas Eve.

The Christmas spirit will be alive and well on the sands of Surfers Paradise beach, with a different Christmas movie showing each night.  Tonight, Aardman Animation’s 2011 feature film Arthur Christmas will be showing, with The Grinch showing tomorrow night and Polar Express on Christmas Eve.

So gather your family and friends together and feel the sand between your toes and the sea breeze in the air as you catch some classics on the silver screen.

Entry is free but due to ongoing COVID restrictions the event is ticketed, with tickets available from Eventbrite.

The community event is also taking place in Broadbeach and Southport throughout the summer.  Check the Facebook Event page Facebook event page for updates.  For more information and if weather is uncertain, phone 07 5581 7016.

BOONAH’S ART AND SOUL

Boonah’s cityscape has come to life with a series of new public artworks and storyboards on display capturing the unique stories, history and character of the region.

Part of the Boonah Town Centre Revitalisation Project, Scenic Rim Mayor Greg Christensen said it was intended to reinvigorate the space with art and history and create a sense of space for the local community.

“It was important to collaborate with the local community to find out the stories that were important to them that could be brought to life through the project,” Chistensen said.

“Water and the natural environment are running themes for the community and these are reflected in the new public artworks.

“Council worked with local historians, writers, museums, Indigenous elders, artists and environmental groups to gather stories, and create artworks and history storyboards that run across Railway street, Park Street, Church Street and High street.”

Seven public artworks have been commissioned, including intricate bronze artworks of native wildlife, seating designs inspired by local flora, and whimsical chook-themed creations using a mix of discarded farm and domestic objects.

Christensen said local heritage and storytelling featured prominently in the new town centre, with interpretive signage and history plaques installed along High Street as part of the development of a new heritage-focused Scenic Rim story trail.

Boonah is just over an hour’s drive from Brisbane.  For more information, visit scenicrim.qld.gov.au/

HISTORY COMES ALIVE

As part of the Queensland State Archives Touring Exhibition, “Copper and HILDA” will be on display within Bundaberg’s Hinkler Hall of Aviation Exhibition Hall until January 21.

Inspired by the classic arcade game Frogger, Copper offers a novel twist where the boundary between play and history vanishes. Designed for kids and grown-ups who never grew up, it offers 80 randomly generated missions set within old architectural drawings.

HILDA, which stands for Historical Image Library Discovery Assistant, is a futuristic machine that scans 100 years of Queensland’s past. Visitors choose from six special discs to access more than 200 images and two hours of footage. Using a heads-up display, explore how Queenslanders have lived across the decades, navigate historical imagery and take a journey of Queensland film footage from the 1920s through to the perms and polo shirts of the 1980s.

For more information, visit What’s On Bundaberg