It can be easy to wander through your day-to-day life without needing to think out of the box – just cruising along and passively taking it all in. Well, the Gold Coast is set to gain a brand-new art pop-up that aims to make attendees think differently about the standard ‘art show’. Mon Abri will be turning art on its head next month at special location in Coolangatta. Here's what you can expect ... more
Ready your glad rags – BLEACH* Festival is back and she's ready to party! This year, the city's pre-eminent multi-day arts and cultural event is celebrating its impressive ten-year milestone with a jam-packed program of art, live music, cabaret, theatre, dance and stories across three main hubs including Burleigh Heads, Southport and Mudgeeraba. As an extra-special treat, there will also be performances in the cultural corridors of HOTA and Dust Temple in Currumbin. This year's festival runs from August 12–22 and whilst we firmly believe the entire festival program is well and truly worthy of the spotlight (you can check that out here), we’ve cherry-picked some of our must-see events for your viewing pleasure. more
If you can believe it, in two short months it will be September. Although this year seems like it is passing by quicker than you can sing Earth, Wind & Fire’s catchy song, that's not necessarily a bad thing, as the arrival of September means the return of our favourite city-wide fiesta – Brisbane Festival! The beloved celebration will set our city alight from September 3–25 with a thrilling three-week program that is shaping up to be the brightest party yet. From an art-filled boat cruising down Brisbane River and dance performances inside a bubble to much-anticipated stage shows and enchanting gardens full of larger-than-life florals, it doesn't get more weird and wonderful than this. more
If you frequently travel along Bundall Road or have caught a glimpse from across the lake, chances are you spied a colourful building coming to life over recent months. That, friends, is the impressive new HOTA Gallery and it officially opens this weekend (Saturday May 8). Here's everything you need to know ... more
While we might be a creative bunch here at The Weekend Edition, our specialty is the written word – impressive painters, we are not. That's nothing a little wine can't fix, however, and heck – a little tiramisu would probably help get the creative juices flowing too! Thankfully, beloved Broadbeach eatery Cucina Vivo is melding all three of these components into one fun-filled session when Cork, Culinary & Colour takes over the restaurant. On Saturday April 10 and Saturday April 24, you can try out your art skills, devour delicious bites and sip on winning drops. Picasso, pizza and pinot – yes, please! more
HOTA has today unveiled the exciting next chapter in the Gold Coast's cultural evolution following the announcement of HOTA Gallery's inaugural exhibition program, which will be officially open to the public from April 2021. The $60.5-million gallery spans six levels and will be the largest public gallery outside of a capital city in Australia and trust us when we say, the opening line-up is seriously impressive so go ahead and book these dates into your calendar for next year. more
HOTA is sending 2020 a live-entertainment lifeline with a cracking line-up of music, ballet, movies, art and more as part of the UPSPRING program. Welcome in the new season and farewell the winter blues with talented local performers and artists. more
In a huge boost for the city's arts and culture industry, Placemakers* Gold Coast – the team behind the iconic BLEACH* Festival – has officially revealed a new and reimagined program for the highly anticipated 2020 version of the annual event. Kicking off on Thursday November 12, BLEACH* will run for 11 action-packed days, with audiences invited to experience the best of the city through one-of-a-kind contemporary art, live music, cabaret, theatre, dance and storytelling, with the magic to unfold across three key precincts – Burleigh Heads, Chevron Island and the Botanic Gardens. more
A wise man (okay, Nelly, it was Nelly) once said 'it's getting hot in here' except this time, you won't be the one taking off all of your clothes. Intrigued? Good! Allow us to elaborate. Local pottery legends Crockd are hosting a cheeky life sculpting event that promises to lure you out of your comfort zone to take part in a collective art experience. It's guaranteed to be a real eye-opener, in more ways than one. more
Due to the new government legislations stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, the entertainment and creative industries have had to adapt and make changes to help them weather the storm. Included in this resilient bunch are some local paint-and-sip studios that have adjusted their usual routines and have moved their classes online. That means you can now create your version of an artistic masterpiece with help from the experts in the comfort of your sweatpants. We've rounded up a few of the studios that are offering live streamed art sessions so instead of trying to teach yourself how to paint during self-isolation, you can consult the experts – wine in hand, of course. Before you break out the pinot, read on ... more
While HOTA – the Gold Coast's own Home of the Arts – may be temporarily closed, the team is still working tirelessly to help the city's arts industry and creative communities navigate their way through these challenging times. This week, HOTA CEO Criena Gehrke announced Rage Against The V(irus) Artist Fund – an initiative designed to turn downtime into a spark for innovation, using digital technology as the medium. more
UPDATE March 23, 2020: As of Monday March 23, Museum of Brisbane is temporarily closed. Follow MoB feed or the MoB Facebook page for updates and exciting content to enjoy from home. The MoB Shop remains open for all postal orders. Look, no one is in denial at this point — the world is a strange place at the moment. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought almost everything in our usual routine to a halt, shutting down some of our favourite places to go and forcing a lot of us into self-distance mode or even self isolation. In this time more than ever, we long for distraction in the form entertainment and Brisbane's vibrant arts and culture scene is still here to help. Whether you want a dose of modern history, contemporary art or a mix of both, there's still a bunch of places open around Brisbane for you to explore. For those who can't make it out of the house (and boredom is slowly taking… more
The 13th annual Byron Bay International Film Festival (BBFF) is back this October, bringing with it a mammoth showcase of 125 films, shorts and documentaries. The popular ten-day festival, which runs from October 18–27, will roll out a spectacular program of film-centric events across various venues in Byron Shire and the Tweed. more
When summer rolls around, an air of excitement always hits. There's a little extra spring in your step and the cheer stretches from ear to ear – and it's all in anticipation of the year's end and being able to spend time with family and friends. From December 1–15, HOTA is capturing the thrill of spending summer 'at home' on the Gold Coast by hosting one of the biggest event series' the arts and culture precinct has ever seen. Staying put this summer? You'll be glad you did. more
We all have great plans to get our creative pants on and do things like paint, knit and try macrame – but how often do you actually follow through and do it? If you're yearning to stop, slow down and learn a new craft, then get along to the all-new 'Sunday Crafternoons' at Robina Town Centre, led by the talented folk at Miami's The Craft Parlour. more
Gold Coast, your July is about to get a whole lot sweeter! Sugar Republic, the famous pop-up Insta-museum concept that has taken Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane by storm, is landing on the Gold Coast from June 30 to July 28. Prepare your News Feed for a sweets-inspired kaleidoscope of candy-licious colour! more
It's been boggling minds, capturing imaginations and jazzing up Instagram feeds down in Melbourne, and now immersive 'trick-art' gallery ArtVo has arrived on the Gold Coast! Featuring a kaleidoscope of optical illusions that extend from the ceiling to the floor, this unique visual playground is now open at Robina Town Centre – and it's set to turn the traditional art gallery on its head. more
Bleach* Festival is back again with a thrilling site-specific contemporary arts and culture program, featuring everything from incredible art installations to breathtaking live productions and goosebump-worthy music performances. From April 17–28, the Gold Coast will be fully immersed in all-things Bleach*, and while the entire festival program is worthy of the spotlight, we’ve picked out our top five events not to miss. From huge choral ensembles through to live theatre performances witnessed from the comfort of your own car, take a look below to see our favourites for this year’s festival. more
From April 17 to May 12, the city will be graced with the presence of The Spiegeltent Gold Coast – a spectacular entertainment venue that will be erected in the heart of Broadbeach, playing host to a star-studded program of performances. Renowned production house Strut & Fret (the insanely talented team who brought us Blanc de Blanc) has just dropped the line-up of acts, featuring some of the biggest names in music, cabaret, comedy and theatre. Here's what you need to know. more
Giving us something truly awesome to look forward to, the crew behind Bleach* Festival have unveiled a 2019 program that promises to be the premier arts and cultural event’s most captivating yet. The eighth annual festival runs from April 17–28 and celebrates the Gold Coast's unique culture with a schedule that spans large-scale opera, award-winning dance, eye-popping cabaret, free live music, a thought provoking political swimming carnival and a thrilling drive-in with a difference – and it doesn't stop there! more
