City of Mandurah limbering up for Stretch Arts Festival

CITY of Mandurah is gearing up for the 16th Stretch Arts Festival on May 6 and 7, one of the most colourful and creative festivals of the year.

With a packed program and attractions for all ages, Stretch is Mandurah’s premier arts festival.

Festival Square presented by Act-Belong-Commit, will come alive with free events, performances, workshops, high quality arts and cultural experiences and learning opportunities.

A highlight is The Big Draw, a fun, colourful and energetic event that has been held across the UK and in 26 other countries.

This year, Mandurah offers more than 10 free Big Draw activities stationed around Festival Square with the involvement of local business.

The theme is Create like the Greats, combining arts and education to deliver drop-in activities based on the artistic styling of great artists and historical arts movements such as impressionism, postimpressionism, cubism and pop art.

The Youth Area will be located near Contemporary Art Spaces Mandurah, and feature a pop-up skate park, urban art workshops, DJs and a dance floor and a chill-out zone.

A huge range of arts and crafts includes Mandurah Woodturners Association Mandurah Arts and Crafts group and Mandurah Men’s Shed. Festival-goers will be spoilt for choice with activities including painting a car, tie-dye T-shirts, an environmental zone, roving entertainment, food vans, acrobats and entertainment stages.

The main stage will be buzzing with comedy acts, live music, a Yaburgurt public artwork panel discussion, Mandurah Concert Band and a morning yoga session.

Yaburgurt installation artist Peter Farmer will also be launching his new fashion range.

The range, Six Seasons, pushes the boundaries of storytelling, music and fashion and is a collaboration between some of WA’s best Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal creatives.

There will also be a special performance by the Riptide Youth Performance Company titled Walk with Me.