SWELL Festival 2020 launches pop-up preview of exhibits across Gold Coast

Rain, hail, shine or even a global pandemic won’t be stopping one of the city’s biggest outdoor art festivals from going ahead. SEE A SNEAK PEEK OF ONE OF THE ARTWORKS ON DISPLAY.

RAIN, hail or even a global pandemic won’t be stopping one of the city’s biggest outdoor art festivals from going ahead.

This year’s Swell Festival 2020 will resume despite coronavirus restrictions and Queensland’s borders being closed.

Satellite Swell festivals – at Mudgeeraba, Helensvale, Chevron Island and at small gallery exhibits across the city – open on Tuesday, giving art lovers a taste of what’s to come before 40 instalments are set up across 1km of sand at Currumbin Beach.

Luther Cora’s ‘Mullet Season’ will be featured at SWELL Festival northerlySWELL at Helensvale Library and Cultural Centre. Picture: Supplied

“This year we’ve expanded and there are lots of new vantage points so the communities can enjoy the art while social distancing,” festival artistic director and curator Natasha Edwards said.

“We’re thrilled to be reaching a broader audience. At each site we are creating something slightly different to what we are doing at Currumbin.”

The 10-day festival at Currumbin Beach, held from September 11 to 20, typically sees 250,000 people attend.

Luther Cora’s ‘Mullet Season’. Picture: Supplied

Those numbers are expected to be down due to the borders being closed and outdoor restrictions being limited to gatherings of 10.

Fifty instalments were expected to be on display on Currumbin Beach but roughly 10 pieces were unable to be delivered due to the border closures.

Tourism Minister Kate Jones was predicting the event to “pump thousands back into the local businesses, support local jobs and help to rebuild our economy”.

Luther Cora’s ‘Mullet Season’ up close. Picture: Supplied

WHERE TO FIND THE EXHIBITIONS

WesterlySWELL: an inaugural outdoor exhibition with five artworks created by artists from Queensland and SA displayed in the Mudgeeraba Village Green. Runs September 1-20. Open daily.

NortherlySWELL: Feel the movement in artist Luther Cora’s piece, Mullet Season, at Helensvale Library and Cultural Centre. Runs September 1-20. Open on weekdays.

EasterlySWELL: Christopher Trotter retrospective, Korman Family Park, Chevron Island. Runs September 11-20. Open daily.

SWELL Smalls Gallery exhibit: More than 30 smaller sculptures, accompanied by a program of live events including visual arts and literary masterclasses, live music, spoken word experiences and creative culinary adventures. Runs September 5-20. Open daily.

SWELL Sculpture Festival: Showcasing 40 large-scale sculptures along the 1km stretch of Currumbin Beach. Runs September 11-20. Open daily.