By Cameron Cook
Summer time is coming up in the west, so it’s time to bring out that sense of adventure and head out for a great night with friends and family. One event that is coming up and a first in the west is to explore and discover Footscray at night.
One Night in Footscray is an initiative from Footscray University Town – a partnership between Maribyrnong City Council and Victoria University (VU). It’s a chance for everyone to explore what Footscray offers the community from a range of activities including roving performers, live music, DJ’s, kids’ activities, gallery exhibitions, an artist market and participatory art installations will all come out to play under the stars in this free program open to people of all ages.
Designed as a self-guided twilight journey through central Footscray, audiences and participants will be able to view and engage in a wide variety of high-quality art experiences across different mediums and unexpected locations – all on ONE night.
VU’s Footscray University Town creative producer, Bec Carey-Grieve said that the free event will bring together the creative communities of Footscray. “It’s an opportunity for residents and visitors to explore and discover Footscray and to celebrate local talent.” Ms Carey- Grieve added “We hope this event will encourage journeys through central Footscray and its creative spaces, highlighting the work of local arts and makers. It’s also a great way to create new opportunities to engage with art in public spaces.”
Mayor of City of Maribyrnong, Cr Catherine Cumming, said: “The west – in particular Footscray – is home to a strong and increasingly creative community.
Through the Footscray University Town partnership with VU we are proud to support events such as this that foster the arts, contributing to the cultural and civic richness of our City.”
One Night in Footscray will feature outstanding local creative talent.
Some highlights of the night include a pop up dance floor; Heather Horrocks’ piece TIME OUT will comment on two public art pieces in central Footscray; Larissa MacFarlane’s Disability Pride will bring together some of Melbourne’s best known disability activists with local community, for a live and collaborative paste up; and Tracodero Art space will present an evening of exhibitions and performances specifically commissioned for One Night in Footscray. VU at MetroWest will host a number of works from students from Victoria Polytechnic Creative Arts, including a pop up recording studio, augmented reality and the Victoria Polytechnic 2017 Graduate Exhibition.
One Night in Footscray will launch Maribyrnong City Council’s Open Studios in the West festival which takes place between Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 November 2017.
Now in its 10th year, the Open Studios in the West festival explores art behind the scenes and provides an unparalleled opportunity to visit the creative hubs of local artists, performers, collectives and designers, as well as a number of permanent gallery spaces.
One Night in Footscray will be on Friday 24 November from 5pm Till Late all across Footscray. For more information visit www.onenightinfootscray.com
