Rockdale City Council launched the Rockdale Arts Festival in a burst of colour at the inaugural creARTivity event held at Arncliffe Park, Arncliffe on Sunday 11 March.
The Community joined Council for a day of creativity, fun and art in an event driven by the needs and wants of the local community. CreARTivity reached out in a spirit of collaboration across the many diverse cultures in the city.
Council thanked the newly established Arncliffe Community Centre and local churches for their support of creARTivity.
The scissors, crayons, paints and craft came out to play for kids to join in and make their own artworks and musical instruments from recycled material. Council’s nursery provided free planting activities enabling families to take nature’s artworks home, and they tested their skills in the Circus Playground and in the YMCA Arncliffe’s sport and gymnastic activities.
Art under the trees inspired children and adults alike with sculptures and paintings provided by Salmagundi Studios, and the St George Art Society which brought together a collection of art showcasing the range of talented artists living in the community.
Community craft groups provided local residents with a wealth of opportunity for future involvement in art and craft. Participants from the St George Potters group provided a hands on display of pottery craft alongside participants from the Sans Souci Library Knitters Group who meet regularly to create knitted items for charity.
Councillor Michael Nagi was delighted with the community response to creARTivity. “Events like creARTivity are important in that they bring people of all culturally diverse backgrounds together for the good of our City,” he said.
Shopfront, the contemporary arts centre in Carlton enagaged young people with workshop programs providing access to skills related to performance, production, visual and digital art.
Council’s Library and Town Centres Teams were on hand to inform and involve children and adults in future aspects of the Rockdale Arts Festival.
The Rockdale Arts Festival also hosts the Outdoor Gallery Art Exhibition featuring a range of sculpture pieces displayed in Cook Park on the foreshore of Lady Robinsons Beach between 14–29 April
The Hon, Councillor Shaoquett Moselamane officially opened creARTivity and the Rockdale Arts Festival with the assistance of Councillor Shane O’Brien. “I am inspired by what I see here today, art has the ability to transform the City of Rockdale. The Rockdale Arts Festival events add to the quality of life of those in our City,” Councillor Moselmane said.
