SWELL Sculpture Festival: Annual event’s surprise new location revealed

A beloved award-winning Gold Coast sculpture festival is moving to a new location far away from the beach it has called home for decades. FIND OUT WHY

The award-winning SWELL Sculpture festival is headed west to the Gold Coast hinterland where the Hinze Dam will feature for the first time as a major art backdrop.

The 11-day Waterlines event, which will use the dam for land arts, talks, table feasts and bushwalks starts on Friday.

Festival co-founder and artistic director Natasha Edwards views Waterlines progression from the coastal strip as an opportunity to showcase the city’s stunning green behind the gold.

“The Gold Coast Hinterland offers a picturesque backdrop for the presentation of sculptures and cultural experiences, providing an ideal next destination for people to explore and enjoy,” Ms Edwards said.

Hinterland councillor Glenn Tozer on an inspection before the SWELL Sculpture Festival Waterlines exhibition starts.

“The exhibition features world renowned artists Marcus Tatton, Shannon Best and Corrina Bonshek & Collaborators, who are creating monumental land artworks.”

The SWELL Sculpture core ethos is to “connect people, art and place”.

Large land art sculptures have been created in the hinterland using locally sourced materials.

“The presence of water serves as a reminder of our interconnectedness and the daily inspiration drawn from nature,” Ms Edwards said.

“The Hinze Dam provides an unparalleled canvas for sculpture curation, and witnessing this vision come to life fills me with immense joy. The overwhelming support from the community further underscores the significance of this endeavour.”

Council lifestyle, environment, heritage and resilience committee chair Glenn Tozer said two years of work had gone into diversifying a beachside event to embrace the west.

“Our smaller westerly SWELL activities over past years have been really well received,” he said.

The Hinze Dam - backdrop for the SWELL Sculpture Festival Waterlines exhibition.

“We’re excited about expanding programming more permanently and attracting the attention of visitors and locals alike, along with other sponsors to grow Waterlines into a major art and culture event for the hinterland.

“We’re on a mission to create more hinterland eco-tourism experiences and SWELL’s Waterlines is just the start of a bigger campaign to grow and expand low-impact, high-value tourism offerings in and around our world-heritage-listed Gold Coast hinterland.”

Mr Tozer said Waterlines was funded in part by the Division 9 Local Area Works budget.

Hinterland-based councillor Glenn Tozer (far right) checking the SWELL Sculpture festival Waterlines art works.

SWELL Sculpture executive director Dee Steinfort said a program highlight was a Nature Spirit Soundscape which involved guided kayak experience on the dam with a tailored soundtrack, composed by the highly regarded Corrina Bonshek & Collaborators.

Other events included a “silent disco” at the Hinze Dam parkland, and the Feast in the Forest at the Bower Estate, in the Numinbah Valley.

Seqwater spokesman Lisa Welsh said: “Hinze Dam is the main drinking water supply for the Gold Coast region and a popular recreation spot enjoyed by the community.

“Seqwater welcomes the opportunity to engage with the public about the importance of water and its value in our community, and we are excited to welcome guests to the dam as we join SWELL in a celebration of nature and culture.”

For more details on events and bookings go to www.swellsculpture.com.au.

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Originally published as SWELL Sculpture Festival: Annual event’s surprise new location revealed