Sunshine Coast, 8 March 2023: Sunshine Plaza has announced the six local schools selected to participate in the inaugural Sunshine Arts Fest, after an overwhelming response to the arts and augmented reality (AR) competition which saw 18 high schools from across the region apply.
Caloundra State High School, Pacific Lutheran College, Kawana Waters State College, Montessori International College, St Andrew’s Anglican College and Sunshine Coast Grammar School were the successful schools selected by independent judges.
The submissions included the schools’ interpretation of the competition’s annual theme, Let the Sunshine In, and examples of previous work that would inspire their installations.
Participating schools will benefit from workshops hosted by Sunshine Arts Fest Artist Ambassador, Sarah Sculley, over the coming months before installing their artworks at Sunshine Plaza in June this year.
In July, the overall winner will be selected with the People’s Choice Award being determined based on votes from the public. The winning schools will claim their share in the $5,000 prize pool.
Sunshine Arts Fest was launched this year by Sunshine Plaza to showcase the creativity of local high school students, while also providing the opportunity for members of the public to interact with their artworks using AR on their mobile phones.
Sunshine Plazahas partnered with headspace Maroochydore on this initiative to raise awareness of the importance of youth mental health and wellbeing, donating one dollar* to support local youth art programs, for every online vote received as part of Sunshine Arts Fest.
For more information visit www.sunshineartsfest.com.
Quote attributed to Centre Manager, Michael Manwaring:
“The calibre and number of submissions were exceptionally high demonstrating a real appetite for this type of competition amongst schools in the Sunshine Coast region.
“We know augmented reality will play an important role in shaping the careers of the future and we are therefore excited to not only showcase what the brightest creative minds in our local schools can do, but also to create an opportunity for the broader community to experience this emerging technology for themselves.
“Congratulations to the six successful schools — we look forward to seeing your installations revealed at Sunshine Plaza in June this year, and to those who were unsuccessful, thank you for taking the time to apply and we encourage you to try again in the future.”
Quote attributed to Sunshine Arts Fest Judge, Hayley Jenkin:
“The response to Sunshine Arts Fest has been really positive with many of the applications exceeding the judges’ expectations.
“We encourage students and teachers to make the most of the workshops and to think creatively about the materials they use, to consider recycling and impact on the environment and to ensure the installation does not only look amazing but also uses AR as a tool to tell their story.
“We feel very confident that the six schools selected will deliver a diverse spectrum of engaging installations and look forward to seeing what they create.”
Quote attributed to Ben Hedstrom, Head of Creative Industries, St Andrew’s Anglican College:
“We’re delighted to be selected as participants in Sunshine Arts Fest in 2023. The students are looking forward to the opportunity to work with a professional artist to create artworks that expand their creative thinking, storytelling and visual communication skills using a diverse range of media.
“The virtual reality component of the process will provide insights for students into the value of emerging technologies to create audience engagement and interactive experiences that enrich depth of communication.
“The displays will also highlight our region’s creative spirit and encourage the community to interact with artworks and see first-hand, the value of the creative industries in education.”
ENDS
For more information please contact:
Tamara Lovelace
State Manager – Lendlease External Affairs
0427 226 316 | tamara.lovelace@lendlease.com
Note to editors:
The Australian Government’s Digital Economy Strategy 2030 estimates that 250,000 new jobs will be created by digitisation by 2025. Sunshine Plaza recognises the need to invest in developing the youth talent and skills crucial to meeting the needs of the rapidly growing Sunshine Coast region and preparing students to compete in an ever-evolving digital world.
Australian Government Digital Economy Strategy 2030
*The final donation to headspace is capped at $5,000.
