In 2020-2021, Regional Arts Victoria partnered with Victoria Together to commission eight regional arts festivals across the state to create or adapt work from their events into a digital format hosted by Victoria Together. The result was a dynamic and diverse exploration of regional communities, culture, history, and entertainment.
View the festival’s digital content and learn more about the arts communities who participate below.
ART IS …Festival
Art is…Festival is Australia’s premier co-created arts festival. Organised around an annual theme that brings a wide and varied program together, the annual event is an iconic, inclusive arts festival based in the rural city of Horsham, in the heart of the Wimmera. In 2020 due to the COVID pandemic the festival pivoted to a digital format and took the title Art is…Still Happening and in 2021 it returned as Art is…Unexpected.
Bruthen Blues and Arts Festival
The Bruthen Arts and Events Council has a long history celebrating blues music, community, the arts and showcases the diversity of the Bruthen Community. With a mix of local and regional acts plus well known Australian and International musicians, the Bruthen Blues and Arts Festival brings direct economic and social benefits to this small rural community and towns in the surrounding district.
Lake Bolac Eel Festival
The Lake Bolac Eel Festival began in 2005 and aims to highlight cultural and environmental issues through art, music, forums, dance and other activities. The videos created by the festival focus on the Djabwurrung River Time and Healing Walks projects and gives viewers insights into the creation and ongoing development of the Lake Bolac Eel Festival as key players talk about its beginnings and goals.
View more videos below.
Lorne Sculpture Biennale
The Lorne Sculpture Biennale is a vibrant festival celebrating the best of Australian and international sculpture. It is a free public event held every two years where the stunning Lorne foreshore becomes the picturesque pedestal for sculptures and the venue for a vibrant program of events. In 2021 the event explored the intersection of nature, history and social connection to Lorne and the Great Ocean Road through the theme, ‘A sense of place’.
Mildura Writers Festival
Held in July, the Mildura Writers Festival presents four days of words, food and wine featuring Australian and international writers. The Mildura Writers Festival produced a short filmic representation of Les Murray’s ‘Oasis City’, a poem about the city of Mildura and its surroundings, with visuals that creatively suggest images within the poem.
Port Fairy Winter Weekends
Port Fairy Winter Weekends celebrates stories of community, food, arts and environment. As a festival designed to connect people with people and people with place or ideas, Port Fairy Winter Weekends created this impactful video as an example of the storytelling included in the program every June and July.
Shepparton Festival
The Shepparton Festival is an inclusive and multi-disciplinary regional arts program that covers everything from fine art, sculpture, dance, film, writing, music, multi-cultural events and celebrations. Now in its 25th year, the festival unites the Goulburn Valley’s diverse community to celebrate culture, history, art and the region’s strengths.
With the help of a handful of the region’s creatives, the stories of the Shepparton Festival were told by local creatives.
Wall to Wall Festival
Established in 2015, Wall to Wall Festival provides the regional north-east township of Benalla, and its visitors, the chance to see the latest street art offering, painted live during a weekend of creative experiences.
The Wall to Wall Festival Virtual Tour provides visitors with a taste of the street-art experience in Benalla. A selection of artists were featured in the tour including Adnate, Callum Preston, Claire Foxton, Danielle Weber, DVate, ELLE, George Rose, Loretta Lizzo and more.
View all the Virtual Tours below.
About this project
This series was originally created by Regional Arts Victoria and funded by Victoria Together. Victoria Together was an online platform which existed to promote digital content from government departments, grassroots organisations, and community groups around Victoria. It was established in May 2020 and closed in June 2022. To find out more about Victoria Together, please visit https://www.vic.gov.au/victoria-together.
