Colour, form, music and sound. These terms epitomised the BEAMS arts festival. Four years since its inception in Chippendale, the theme of this year’s festival was Phenomena; and it truly was a phenomenal experience. The Chippendale Creative Precinct (CCP) has reinvigorated the once overlooked suburb, transforming it into a community hub and pioneering creative collaboration. Emerging as a destination of the arts, the CCP has established a multitude of initiatives and scattered around side streets and laneways, the festival featured a kaleidoscope of art installations, sculpture, light, animation, live dance and theatre.
I was taken aback by the vibrancy of the community and creative energy that pervaded through the streets of Chippendale.
Personal highlights included an interactive workshop whereby I had the opportunity to build a miniature birds nest, a collaborative story mural of illustrative text and neon-lit life drawings.
A tapestry of communities and stories, I weaved through the minds of Sydney’s most forward-thinking talent, including an intertwined tunnel of recycled t-shirt yarn and glistening lights by Melissa Carey and an interactive installation by Place Associates.
Wedged between historic terrace houses, white-clothed tables lined Little Queen Street like a medieval banquet, encouraging communal dining and socialising. There was even a paleo-friendly menu by 80raw/20paleo to my (culinary) delight!
A celebration of community and the arts in the creative renaissance of Chippendale, the BEAMS art festival continues to transcend the last, into a spirited and audacious highlight of the Sydney event calendar.
Signing off, Rachel.
