Performances, in-the-world happenings, readings and more: showcasing Surf Coast’s creative talent.
Portal will play host to a number of ongoing ‘in-the-world’ community artistic events and initiatives, designed to motivate all Surf Coast residents to get creative and showcase the central role creativity plays in developing identity, belonging and a sense of wellbeing.
These ‘in-the-world’ participatory events will sit alongside a schedule of live events such as musical, theatre and dance performances, poetry readings and more.
FEATURED
Torquay Cowrie Market goes online! Support Local. Launching Sunday 20 September
Sadly, due to the Victorian Covid-19 pandemic restrictions, the physical version of Torquay Cowrie Market’s new season cannot commence in September 2020 as hoped.
But don’t despair!
Torquay Cowrie Market Online has been created to showcase our fabulous stallholders and performers. It’s certainly not the same as hanging out under the trees with a gentle sea breeze and local tunes, but you will find links to their online shops, websites and social media so you can continue supporting them during these difficult times. Each stallholder has their own online shopping method, and there are plenty of things to buy – from clothes, gifts, food and art to music and merchandise.
The website will launch on Sunday 20 September through our Facebook page, and we’ll share part of it through Instagram as well. Links and videos will be scheduled throughout the day, so stay tuned, or enjoy perusing later.
Shop: www.torquaycowriemarket.com
Follow: @torquaycowriemarket
The Torquay Cowrie Market is traditionally held along the foreshore on the third Sunday of the month, from September through to April each year. The market specialises in quality local art, craft, jewellery, fashion, vintage goods, plants, gifts and produce. All items for sale are environmentally friendly, handmade, homegrown or designed by the stallholder. There’s also a fabulous kids caravan offering creative activities, an extensive range of exceptionally yummy food and two stages featuring local music and entertainment. You might even encounter a special pop up activity or performance! We look forward to returning to the foreshore as soon as it is safe. Meanwhile, make sure you follow us for updates and special posts.
Surf Coast 2021 Calendar Comp - vote for the cover NOW!
2020 is the year things are being done differently and that includes the calendar going online as well as the judging of the People’s Choice Cover.
This year we want you to select the Cover from the entire field of entries. Judges will then select the 12 other images for the calendar from the remaining artworks.
All 13 winners will be announced on Wednesday 4th November – so watch this space!
See the full exhibition and vote for your favourite by clicking on the gorgeous image above by local artist Kerry Lomas.
Image: Kerry Lomas: 'In my garden', embroidered cloth.
We want to hear your proposal for PORTAL
Over September, PORTAL will be re-setting and rejeuvenating. We'll be back again in the last weekend of September, but we want to hear your ideas, proposals, creative interventions and stories - we're looking for a variety of offerings and we want to help you get your creations out there.
Click on the image above to submit your expression of interest.
Hoodie Boogie: song and choreography for the whole family
ONLINE Wild Moves for All to connect with your bodies and be grounded in the Root chakra while harnessing the energy of the sun, moon and stars just like a Hooded Plover would experience nesting on our beaches. In this dance you will learn how to share our beaches with our feathered friends and still walk your own fur-babies with your human ones.
Join in via Zoom on Monday nights starting at 5.30pm for July and August. Click on the image above to book through Wild Moves International.
Wayapawarr Watnanda Marangee – We All Come Together in a Meeting
Wayapawarr Watnanda Marangee aims to connect us all beyond the physical through the art of weaving circles traditionally known as ‘meeting places’.Join a weaving circle and be inspired by some wonderful First Nations weavers and use your creative license to exhibit your own works in public spaces. Over time and space woven circles will grow across the Shire, state, nation and beyond, to form a network of meeting places and connections via the hashtag #wayapawarr.
To book in for a weaving circle, click here.
Driveway Mandala
With the weather now brightening, we're inviting Surf Coast Shire residents to take to their driveways and get creative! Get crafty and brighten up the neighbourhood with your Driveway Creations. And don't forget to tag us in your social posts #SurfCoastBinArt #DrivewayCreations
Weaver Birds online exhibition
Each year during the Surf Coast Arts Trail, the Aireys Inlet weaving group, Weaver Birds come together to exhibit their works. This year, they'll be showing and selling their wares in an online exhibition via Instagram and Facebook. Click on the image above to view from 1 July.
Driveway Creations –
Wheelie Bin Art
Wheelie Bin Art
Brighten up your street and cheer up your local garbo with a creative wheelie bin design. Click on the image above for details, some ideas and guidelines.
We've opened this up until the end of September, so get creative!
LIVE EVENTS
PAST EVENTS
Friday Nights in the FREEZA
Working with local musician Rach Brennan, a group of nine students from both Torquay and Lorne met online every week during lockdown to engage in a range of songwriting workshops that will develop into the creation of a CD under the name of Coastal Productions.
Following isolation the group will turn their focus to recording their music before performing and distributing it throughout the community.
In the brief hiatus between lockdowns, our performers were able top perform live via Instagram in on two Friday nights in July and August. Image: Jasmin Adria
Sunday Sessions in July and August
Throughout July and August, PORTAL hosted a number of panel discussions and intimate chats with local artists and creatives. The topics included important First Nations influences, the past and future of theatre and the performing arts on the Surf Coast, the history of the Surf Coast Arts Trail and future possibilities for art and community collaboration in the arts in our region. Go to our Stories page to watch the discussions if you missed them, or see them again if you came along first time!
Celebrating music and the performing arts
Over the weekend of Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 August PORTAL played host to a variety of performances from some of the best and brightest musicians, playwrights, performers and entertainers. Musical from Form One Lane and TradJam of the Ironbark, a fun and interactive performance from the Crazy Koala Kids Show and performances by Torquay Theatre Troupe can all still be seen via our Facebook page. Click on the image above to go have a look!
Krazy Koala Kids Show!
Many Surf Coast kids between 1 and 5 years joined the ever-popular Nicholas Ridiculous and all the Teddies for a very special Teddy Bears picnic on the morning of 15 August. This interactive show included plenty of Music, dancing, bubbles and even some teddy bear stunts. You can still see the show via our Facebook page - link through the image above.
A Sense of Place: Commecting community to place through arts and creativity
Join Surf Coast Arts Inc.'s Helen Gibbins in conversation with Jacqui Dreessens and Wendy Grose about creating original site specific community theatre, music and dance in the beautiful environs of the Surf Coast. Book in to participate in the discussion via Zoom on Sunday 4 October at 11am by clicking on the image above.
Short and Sweet Conversations: inspiration behind children's tales
'Short and sweet conversations' is a series of conversations between local children's book auuthors Kaye Baillie, Renee Treml and Stef Gemmill. Originally premiered via Facebook Live throughout August, you can still see the conversations at our Facebook page. Click on the image above the find them.
Mattering Moonahs 2020
Mattering Moonahs is a durational artwork by artist Pattie Beerens. The work is an ephemeral work located in the landscape of the Moonah Woodland, Point Roadknight from 27 July to 31 August. Created from natural materials, Pattie explores material thinking as an ethos toward a more sustainable relationship with the environment.
Contact the artist via Instagram @pattiebeerens for details.
Click on the image above for more information.
Image: Tom Radtke