A vibrant light show at Beachport has recently shared the national award for Best Regional Event at the 2020 Australian Event Awards.
The joint-winning regional event, produced and directed by Illuminart, was Travelling Light, an epic month-long tour of regional communities in South Australia, illuminating landmarks with projected art and stories created collaboratively with regional artists and local residents.
Wattle Range Council co-hosted the Travelling Light event held in Beachport in August of last year.
The projections were presented onto the Beachport Old Wool and Grain Store National Trust Museum façade in Railway Terrace.
As an historic building associated with shipping and coastal trade, it was a perfect canvas for the animations and artwork themed on Port to Port.
The spectacular Travelling Light displayed vibrant, colourful moving image and art on to silos, town halls, two ships, a lighthouse, wharf buildings and a museum, bringing a crowd together at each place to enjoy the free spectacle.
The winter event was a huge hit, with each town managing their own event and building on the enthusiasm to have local charities and community groups involved.
For most towns, it was the first time such a large projected display had ever been seen and tantalised the community with appreciation of local art and heritage and inspirations from the wonder of light.
The animations made around the State included segments created by local artist and collaborator, Caroline Hammat from Millicent, who has supported the project to come to her local area and helped the illuminart team to develop stories about the Limestone Coast.
Over 300 people came out to attend the Beachport event on the chilly spring evening. They were well-equipped for the 90-minute performance as they had rugs, coats and beanies.
Ms Hammat said she was pleased to be involved with the Illuminart show at Beachport. “I attended the projections in both Beachport and Mount Gambier, the unique structures in each location gave quite a different outcome,” Ms Hammat said.
“People seemed to really enjoy the stories being told and the community atmosphere surrounding the events. “My role in the production was a small part of a large collaborative effort which included a large number of people from across the state.
“Over a couple of years I attended Leading Light workshops, worked on other projection projects and was mentored in video editing and storytelling skills.
“It was a great opportunity to gain insight into architectural projection and projection mapping from some of Australia’s most experienced in the field.
Importantly the project also led to professional connections and friendships being formed.
“In future, I hope the impetus created by Illuminart and Travelling Light will continue locally across Millicent and district.
“I’d love to see a mobile projection unit available locally for communities to project their own created content for others.
“It’s important for communities to tell their stories and projections are a powerful way to do this.”
Travelling Light was the final stage of an epic five year project Port to Port that worked with communities to develop digital art and storytelling through large scale projection and events throughout regional South Australia.
It brought together a host of regional councils, businesses and groups to partner and co-host the event, providing momentum and an extraordinary platform for local artists, schools, historians, citizen scientists and creatives to explore the power of projection art across the state.
