Mona Foma aims to bring north and south together for ‘interesting’ festival

Mona Foma is set to spread its tentacles across Launceston as it prepares to bring hundreds of artists to the city for next year’s event. SEE THE KEY LOCATIONS

Mona co-chief executive Mark Wilsdon, left, Mona Foma curator Brian Ritchie and Bass MP Sarah Courtney at the launch of the Mona Foma program for 2020. Picture: PATRICK GEE

MONA Foma has launched a monumental and “unprecedented” festival program with more that 400 artists set to inhabit 25 venues throughout the summer festival.

Performances from Paul Kelly, Amanda Palmer and Flying Lotus 3D will be among the music highlights of the January 2020 event.

FULL MONA FOMA PROGRAM REVEALED

The festival has also expanded to many of the city’s key venues including using the Cataract Gorge for what festival curator Brian Ritchie said would be the biggest theatre production in Australia.

Ritchie announced the full program today at one of the festival’s venues, the city’s 1960s-built Elphin Sports Centre.

Half of mainland performance art group Double Double performed at the launch of the Mona Foma 2020 program. Picture: PATRICK GEE

He was joined by Mona co-chief executive Mark Wilsdon and Bass MP Sarah Courtney.

Ritchie launched the program saying the festival aimed to bring the north and the south of the state together.

“We think there’s nothing better to do that than art, music, food, fun and we’re doing all of that with Mona Foma 2020,” he said.

“We have over 400 artists and a very significant percentage of those artists are Tasmanian artists, in some cases collaborating with international or mainland artists.”

The 2020 festival program will see events held in Royal Park, QVMAG Inveresk, Albert Hall, Elphin Sports Centre, Princess Theatre, Trevallyn Nature Reserve and other venues.

“We’re spreading the activities throughout Launceston, not only to make things interesting, not only to make things interesting for the locals, but so that the people that come from the mainland or international, can see what a great city we have to do a festival in.

“We want to involve ourselves with the city and take on some of the places that are taken for granted and make people see them from a different perspective.”

Mona Foma curator Brian Ritchie at the launch of the Mona Foma festival program for 2020. Picture: PATRICK GEE

Mr Wilsdon said 46,000 people attended the festival in Launceston last year – 35.5 per cent of those were from interstate, 35 per cent were from southern Tasmania and the rest were from northern Tasmania.

“We’re looking for Launceston people as well to come out and get among it and enjoy the celebrations,” Mr Wilsdon said.

The 2020 event will be the second of three to receive $1.75 million from the State Government as part of its $6 million Northern Arts and Events Strategy.

Ms Courtney said Mona Foma’s artistic integrity brought tourists and visitors to the state and excited locals.

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“We want to see more people from across Tasmania and indeed across Australia coming and visiting places like Launceston,” she said.

“This is an exciting event, it’s great to be able to see that this year we’re seeing events decentralised.”

Hobart band Native Cats played at the launch of the Mona Foma festival program. Picture: PATRICK GEE

Mona Foma, from January 11-20, features music, visual art, special projects and dance works. There is a strong thread of electronic music acts and also shows about dying languages (Jeremy Dutcher from Canada and Ripple Effect from Arnhem Land) in this year’s program.

Family-friendly acts include the King Ubu play at the Gorge and Daedalum Luminarium, an inflatable maze made up of 17 domes in Royal Park with music created by Midnight Oil’s Jim Moginie.

All tickets will be on sale from 10am on Monday, October 21 at monafoma.net.au