Thousands
of young people from primary and intermediate schools around the Wellington
region will perform in massed choirs at the Michael Fowler Centre, accompanied
by Wellington’s Sinfonietta Orchestra, Chilton Amadeus Orchestra, and the
professional musicians that make up the Artsplash Festival Band.
Year
7 and 8 students will also present wearable art creations and a wide variety of
dance routines, while the Renouf Foyer of the Michael Fowler Centre will play
host to thousands of pieces of visual art.
From
humble beginnings, as a one-day visual art exhibition beneath the Oriental
Parade Band Rotunda, the iconic festival has grown into a five-day series of 10
performances and exhibitions and has become a significant event on Wellington
City Council’s annual calendar. With Artsplash almost 30 years old, many
parents who were involved in earlier shows, are now in the audience watching
their children take part.
According
to Councillor Ray Ahipene-Mercer, Portfolio Leader for the Arts, it’s vital for
the Council to support art at all levels.
“Being
part of Artsplash is the first opportunity many children have to be involved in
the arts, and nothing can replicate that feeling of being on stage for the
first time, singing in a choir with hundreds of other children, or seeing your
artwork displayed in a gallery setting,” he says.
“It’s
also a fantastic way to get a broad cross section of the community enjoying
performances in one of the city’s best venues. Over the course of Artsplash
around 18,000 friends and family come along and support the performers – they
are people from all walks of life, from all around the region, getting together
and celebrating culture.”
Artsplash
is made possible through the generous support of the Wellington Decorative Arts
Society, Lion Foundation and Multimedia Systems Ltd.