TOP WA ARTISTS STRETCH THEIR MINDS IN MANDURAH

This year’s Stretch Festival takes place from May 2-4 at a variety of venues in Mandurah, but principally the eastern foreshore, Mandjar Square and the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre.

About 25 projects have been growing in the community for the past four months with workshops, classes and rehearsals taking place in preparation for the Stretch.  These include the Yarning Circle and a special youth dance production.

Mandurah Mayor Paddi Creevey said over the years the community had come to expect the unexpected of the Stretch Festival.

“The festival’s theme for 2008 is ‘Reflections’ which will explore the strong connections we have to our waterways and to convey this connection in unusual but innovative ways,” Mayor Creevey said.

“We are also fortunate to have on board a team of WA’s finest artists from the worlds of theatre, visual arts, dance, photography and sculpture, who relished the invitation to develop their own individual projects, while ultimately coming together as a creative team to present ‘Reflections’ during Stretch.

“Eleven principal artists will use the natural and man-made elements in and around Mandjar Bay and foreshore as the context and framework for presentations of their work during the festival.  I look forward to their creative productions and inspirational displays – it really will be a feast for the senses.”

Funding was received from the Federal Department for the Arts through the Festivals Australia funding program and from Community Arts Network WA for an innovative project to be presented in and around Mandjar Bay.  

RELEASE ENDS

14 March 2008