A VERY SUMMERRY CHRISTMAS IN CAIRNS

Media opportunity:     CHRISTMAS IN THE CITY BEGINS WITH A SPRAY CAN

SCHOOL STUDENTS CREATE SUMMER XMAS COLLECTION OF FESTIVE BANNERS TO DECORATE CBD

11 students (Year 10-12) participating in Education Queensland and TAFE’s Smart Art Starts 2009 program will unveil 10 banners (double sided) featuring their own interpretation of Christmas using aerosol art as taught by artist-in-residence, Daniel Wallwork. The banners, which were given a new lease of life from those originally produced to promote Festival Cairns, will be hung vertically from street lights throughout Cairns CBD as part of Cairns Regional Council’s 2009 SumMERRY Christmas in Cairns.

When:                          Thursday, 26 November 09 from 10.30am to 11.30am

Where:                         S Block, TNQ TAFE campus, Gatton Street, Manunda

Information:                 Graeme Nielsen, Marketing Manager, TNQ TAFE M: 0439 791 594

Media Contact:           Pip Miller PR M: 0419 681 543 or pip@pipmillerpr.com.au

This Christmas, Cairns Regional Council is decking the CBD with a distinctly Australian flavour; bringing Cairns’ city heart alive with colour, lighting, lanterns, music, movies, fun and a very large Aussie Christmas tree.

According to Cairns Regional Council’s inner-city facilities marketing and promotions manager, Simone Roseler, this year a concerted effort is being made to recognise Christmas. 

“In a welcome departure from traditional plastic baubles and tinsel, a campaign engaging  local artists is well underway creating meaningful decorations and activities that the community can relate to and appreciate.

“Even our Santa will break from the norm – as he rides through the city heart on a unicycle. Add to that, our ukulele choir, locally made decorations, lanterns and a long list of activities – that in combination will light up the Esplanade and City Place for the entire month of December,” she said.

 A Summerry Christmas will begin with the hanging of Christmas banners recycled from those originally used to promote Festival Cairns.  Created by 11, Year 10 to 12 school students using aerosol art, the banners feature personal interpretations of Christmas in an impressive collection of 20 artworks.

According to TNQ TAFE’s institute director, Jo Pyne and art teacher Inge Cooper, the banners were produced by students participating in a dynamic new program launched earlier this year in conjunction with Education Queensland. 

Entitled, Smart Art Starts 2009, the program is all about using art as a tool to re-engage senior school students back into the education system by providing artists-in-residence workshops. There is also a focus to providing pathways to TNQ TAFE and /or further education.

This Thursday our third intake of students will complete the Smart Art Starts eight week program when they display their Christmas banners featuring the technique of aerosol art as taught by local artist-in-residence, Daniel Wallwork.

Ends

Contact:

Cairns Regional Council, Inner City Facilities, Marketing and Promotions

Simone Roseler

P: 07 4044 3715 | F: 07 4044 3759 Mob: 0418 699 028

E: s.roseler@cairns.qld.gov.au

Publicity

Pip Miller PR

Telephone: 0419 681543

Email: pip@pipmillerpr.com.au