City ignites for SPARK Ipswich
03 June 2022
Unmissable multistorey light-based art installations, a unique hands-on kids festival, live music takeovers of CBD venues, a spectacular multicultural event and so much more will ignite the city as SPARK Ipswich returns for eleven days of arts, music and culture - 7 to 17 July 2022.
Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding said SPARK Ipswich will again showcase the city’s creative flair with fresh events, activations and performances reflecting the culture of Ipswich, its people and places.
“The towering spires of St Mary’s Church will again be reimagined to become the heritage-listed sandstone canvas for deLight projections, profiling unique works by eleven local and Indigenous artists as part of NAIDOC Week celebrations,” Mayor Harding said.
“This year’s bigger festival program welcomes several new additions including WOMI, a free one-day World Music Festival in Springfield Central, and the festival’s hub – luminate - where friends and family can gather and enjoy SPARK AFTER DARK in the rejuvenated Ipswich Central.
“A new hub at Timothy Molony Park will combine the best views of deLight at St Mary’s and pixel, the algorithmic light show at council’s Administration Building, with an outdoor stage that will shine a nightly light on local artists, and feature delicious food truck offerings to stave off the cold.
“I am also very excited that Ipswich’s live and loud music crawl Waghorn to West and signature children’s contemporary music and arts festival Little Day Out are back with new big and local acts.”
Now in its second year, SPARK Ipswich will feature multiple venues, art forms and disciplines, with artists and collaborations as diverse as mathematically generated light projections to fantasy art sieges activating spaces across the city, with many events free to attend.
Community, Culture, Arts and Sport Committee Chairperson Councillor Andrew Fechner said this year’s SPARK Festival will build on the success and popularity of the inaugural festival in 2021.
“SPARK Ipswich celebrates the creative and diverse communities that make our city special, and will share our unique stories through incredible art, music and plenty of fun,” Cr Fechner said.
“There are events for everyone, from the enormous light installations of SPARK AFTER DARK in our city centre to Little Day Out at Ripley – Ipswich’s immersive, hands-on festival designed for children, headlined by Queensland music legends Regurgitator’s kids show POGOGO.”
Mayor Harding said Ipswich is a rapidly evolving to become a cultural destination of choice for creatives as well as families wanting to experience world-class events and festivals.
“I encourage everyone across South East Queensland to join us for the eleven days and nights of SPARK Ipswich and discover all that our growing city has on offer,” Mayor Harding said.
SPARK Ipswich 2022 will deliver 15 events over 11 days. The full program and ticketing information are available at SparkIpswich.com.au
SPARK IPSWICH 2022 FESTIVAL SNAPSHOT:
SPARK AFTER DARK: Thursday 7 to Sunday 17 July
Explore the festival’s light-based installations of deLight and pixel nightly from 6pm to 10pm.
LUMINATE: Thursday 7 to Sunday 17 July
Timothy Molony Park
Gather and graze at the new festival hub, featuring live performances in Timothy Molony Park nightly from 6pm to 9pm. Artist line-up includes Nunukul Yuggera Aboriginal Dance Company, Bullhorn, Annie and the Helm, Orpheus Corale, Cambrian Show Choir, Las Chimilitas, Brooke Austen, Kim Wright, Jarrad Wrigley, Taylor Wilton, Ipswich SHS Jazz Band, Ipswich City Big Band and many more.
WAGHORN TO WEST: Saturday 9 July
Circa 160, Goleby’s Basement, Hotel Metropole and Studio 188
Ipswich’s multi-venue indie live music crawl. 16 Queensland artists take over four venues for one epic night of live music. Artist line-up includes Bugs, Lisi, Greta Stanley, Hallie, WIIGZ, Asha Jefferies, Austin McKay, Dennis., Emily Grace Taylor, Flamingo Blonde, Melaleuca, Nicole McKinney, Clayton Francis, DuO, Soviet X-Ray Record Club and T.A.S.
WOMI: Sunday 10 July
Main Street, Orion Springfield Shopping Centre
A one-day world music festival showcasing and celebrating the vibrancy of Ipswich and South East Queensland’s culturally and linguistically diverse community. Line-up includes Matt Hsu’s Obscure Orchestra, Sasta, Estampa, MZAZA, No Way Jose, East of West, Tibet2Timbuk2, Shanasheel Arabic Music Ensemble, Mircha Mangiacotti Quartet and many more.
LITTLE DAY OUT: Sunday 17 July
Ripley Town Centre
Ipswich’s signature children’s contemporary music and arts festival is little by name but BIG on fun. Live acts include feisty trio Babushka before Regurgitator’s POGOGO show headlines the main stage.
SPARK On Tour: Thursday 7 to Sunday 10 July
See what all the buzz is about when SPARK Ipswich hits the road taking A Bee Story to small halls across the region.
Illuminations: Camerata - Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra: Friday 8 July
Ipswich Civic Centre
French chic meets British refinement in a performance of classic works by Elgar, Debussy and Britten.
Monster Siege: Friday 8 To Sunday 10 July
Timothy Molony Park
Sport for the non-sporty and arts for the non-arty. A fictional quest, where kids star as the best versions of themselves. Running daily from 10am to 2pm.
Sound the Horn: Saturday 9 July
Level Up, Connect and Get Noticed! Waghorn to West’s music industry development event, empowering you to ask questions, develop networks and gain access to experienced music industry specialists.
Boyd Meets Girl: Friday 15 July
St Mary’s Church
Australian classical guitarist Rupert Boyd with American cellist Laura Metcalf perform songs of love and despair.
Peter and the Wolf: Saturday 16 July
St Paul’s Anglican Church
Ipswich City Orchestras present this light-hearted symphony telling the irreverent story of a young boy named Peter, who joins a menagerie of animals to outwit a fierce wolf.
The Babushka Book Club: Sunday 17 July
Ipswich Civic Centre
Be entertained by a wickedly funny cabaret as Babushka turns your best loved novels inside-out and colours them various shades of grey.
25 Years Ipswich Art Gallery Foundation: 24 May To 24 July
Ipswich Art Gallery
An exhibition of an eclectic range of artworks - from heritage to contemporary - acquired by the Foundation over its 25-year history.
Spirit Of Place - Here, There and Everywhere: 25 July to 21 August
Ipswich Art Gallery
An exhibition of new work by much loved local indigenous artist, Sally Harrison.
SPARK Ipswich is delivered through the support of the following partners:
Foundation Partner: Ipswich City Council; Major Partners: Ripley Town Centre, Orion Springfield Central and Stockland Providence; Support Partners: Brick Lane Brewing, Brisbane Multicultural Arts Centre (BEMAC), and Quest Springfield Central; Media Partners: Scenestr, Bishopp, 4ZZZ and QMusic; Programming Partners: first5forever, Ipswich Art Gallery, Studio 188, Ipswich Civic Centre, Ipswich Catholic Community, Ipswich City Orchestras, Circa 160, Goleby’s Basement, Hotel Metropole, and Ipswich Libraries.