Castlemaine State Festival will launch with a performance by more than 200 artists at the Goods Shed this Friday.
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The Future of Things Past will feature acrobats, dancers, clowns and beatboxers and brass bands.
“We are the next stop for Australia’s regional creative industry and the world is travelling to us,” Castlemaine State Festival director Martin Paten said.
“The journey is the theme for this year’s festival, reflecting the local and international works offered and the ongoing cultural evolution of this remarkable community.
“What an incredibly engulfing experience for a regional community, their young people and artists from around the globe, claiming their own journey – defying the technological world that demands them to view and consume.”
Future Of Things Past creative producer Sam Thomas said Castlemaine was changing course to embrace a new industry.
“Here we are, connected to the rest of the world. Castlemaine is undergoing an artistic and economic transformation from loss of opportunity in industry, and now is laying the foundation for a strong creative industry with schools, artists and the festival,” Thomas, who is also a performer, said.
The Future of Things Past draws on Castlemaine’s history and looks forward to a future to match the aspirations of the town’s young people, Thomas said.
Friday night’s performers – many of them from Castlemaine – will give a taste of the 10 days to come.
International artists will perform at the Castlemaine Goods Shed as part of Circocentric, the festival’s physical theatre and circus program.
“Like circus folk, the festival is the destination where artists work together, support each other, and take risks together,” Thomas said.
“In circus, there are no losers. It’s all of us defying gravity.”
Castlemaine State Festival runs from Friday, March 17 to Sunday, March 26.
The Future of Things Past is a free event starting at 7.30pm on Friday at the Castlemaine Goods Shed on Kennedy Street.
The 10 day festival includes theatre, film, literature, circus and children’s events, both free and ticketed.
For more information and a full program of events visit www.castlemainefestival.com.au.
Jessica Black
Ballarat journalist.
Ballarat journalist.
