South Australia’s first augmented reality mural in Kingston has been named as one of the best public art experiences in the nation.
‘Wind Dance’ by artist Sarah Boese, brought to life through the EyeJack App, has been short-listed for the 2021 Australian Street Art Awards’ best external mural gong.
The Australian Street Art Awards, established in 2018, recognise destinations like Kingston that are using outdoor art to attract visitors, boost their economy and engage their community.
Awards director Liz Rivers was thrilled Kingston’s artwork had been short-listed.
“The awards inform travellers about the magnificent array of publicly-accessible art that can be found in every corner of the country and the communities that have invested in these attractions because they’re keen to welcome visitors,” she said.
“Smart communities promote their street and outdoor art as a unique landmark – an attraction that visitors can see in only one place – and that makes their destination immediately identifiable, highly attractive and a drawcard for art-loving tourists.
“Investing in outdoor art as a visitor attraction is also clever economics, as the art is typically less expensive to create than more traditional tourism attractions and the pay-off is handsome.”
Ms Rivers said arts tourists from within Australia were high value visitors – they stayed 42.8% longer and spent 55.9% more when travelling than domestic tourists overall, according to an Australia Council for the Arts’ Domestic Art Tourism: Connecting the Country Report.
“Being short-listed in the awards further cements the Limestone Coast’s reputation as an aspirational destination for everyone who loves to discover visually stunning experiences,” Ms Rivers said.
“With rigorous judging by tourism leaders, plus second-tier auditing and due diligence, the ‘Wind Dance’ finalist success has the credence of the tourism sector.”
Ms Rivers said the Kingston District Council turned ashes into art with the design and installation of the ground-breaking augmented reality mural.
“Wind Dance, which was commissioned by the council in the wake of a devastating bushfire that tore through the community in late 2019, not only commemorates that incident but also captures the personality of Kingston with themes that acknowledge nature, Aboriginal culture and coastal lifestyle,” she said.
“The artwork has also created incredible economic reward through increased visitation, generating tourism dollars for a community that so warmly wrapped its arms around its own citizens to help after the bushfire.”
The winners in all 11 Australian Street Art Awards categories will be announced as part of an online celebration on March 4.
