Creative Regions: high quality arts production grown from regional communities

Creative Regions transforms big ideas into high quality arts experiences that add value to regional Queensland.
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Circa Crush Project 2015, photo courtesy of Creative Regions.

Founded on three core values – adaptability, artistic quality and a deep engagement with communities – Creative Regions produces new work in the shape of performances, exhibitions, digital content and hybrid arts experiences connecting communities and industry through the creativity of artists.

Shelley Pisani, Creative Producer at Creative Regions said that the organisation has seven years of experience promoting and producing new work developed from their home in Bundaberg, Queensland and its surrounding regions. 

‘We are regionally based, so we focus on projects that are regionally relevant and  that engage with regional artists, offer employment opportunities and respond to issues in regional communities,’ said Pisani.

Creative Regions produces the Crush Festival every October in partnership with Bundaberg Regional Council. This festival of regional art gives visitors the opportunity to explore different art forms – spanning digital work, street art, film, exhibitions, workshops, ceramics and writing – while stimulating and showcasing high quality, innovative regional arts experiences.

‘This is the seventh year of the Crush Festival.. We develop new projects every year as part of the curated program, and offer skill and development opportunities to artists in our region and beyond. We also pinpoint best practice examples and try to showcase them as part of the festival,’ said Pisani.

This year as part of the curated program, Creative Regions, funded by the Federal Government through Festivals Australia, has partnered with Circa to run a year-long Circa Crush Project which allows circus trainers to collaboratively develop quality new work in workshops for beginners.The newly formed circus troupe will unveil their showcase performance as part of the festival on the 10 and 11 October 2015.

Other initiatives organised by Creative Regions include the Place Activation Project,working with communities to engage people in under utilised spaces through creative interventions as well as Anti-Domestic Violence Campaign, with the premiere of a verbatim play called IT ALL BEGINS WITH LOVE and a new children’s book My Big Bear Story. IT ALL BEGINS WITH LOVE will tour Queensland in October/November this year.

Shelley said that Creative Regions works in a symbiotic relationship with communities, speaking with people to discover the burning issues and the different ways people can work together to bring about positive outcomes.

‘We work very much from the grass roots up, aiming to bring about quality arts experiences for those participating and for audiences,’ said Pisani.

For more information visit Creative Regions