Source: NewcastleTheHerald
The annual This Is Not Art Festival was launched last night, with a smorgasbord of creative events spread across 22 venues in the city today and over the weekend.
This Is Not Art is expected to play a key part in a blockbuster weekend in the Hunter expected to net between $10 million and $12 million for the region’s economy.
Festival co-ordinator Sarah Thrift said the four-day festival would have a digital bent this year as part of a push to expand the event’s focus.
‘‘It’s not just for the arts, it’s for the business sector to come along as well,’’ Ms Thrift said.
‘‘This year we’ve tapped into the fact the creative and business sectors need to start talking more.’’
Among the attractions will be three large, luminescent mobile sculptures mounted on bicycle taxis called the Angler Fish.
Group D Creative Collective principal Cassie Stronach said her creations were designed for the Vivid Festival in Sydney earlier this year.
‘We spent three months designing and building them,’’ Ms Stronach said.
This weekend’s appearance, commissioned by the Hunter Development Corporation, is the first outside that festival.
They will be based in the Honeysuckle area. Newcastle City Council major tourism event developer Mark Stratford said This Is Not Art had an appeal that drew visitors internationally.
‘‘It’s becoming quite a lucrative festival,’’ he said.
‘‘It’s a bit of a strange beast because it rebirths itself every year but this year I think will be above previous attendance.’’
Mr Stratford said the festival was also a key component of Newcastle being named a World Festival and Events City by the International Festivals and Events Association.
The title recognises the Hunter’s ability to host major events as well as its strong annual calendar of attractions.
Several hotels and hostels have been booked out.
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