A Bundaberg CBD landmark is set to be awash with light and colour for collaborative community art project that brings together stop-motion animation, digital art and large-scale projection.
‘Illuminated Stories’ by multidisciplinary artist Donna Maree Robinson will light up the Bundaberg Post Office clock tower nightly from Monday 26 October to Tuesday 3 November.
The artwork was created with the input of community members and local artists who attended a workshop with Donna to explore stop-motion animation techniques.
Donna said she then combined the participants’ individual creations into a large moving-image artwork that would be projected onto the face of the clock tower.
“The projected artwork has developed through a genuinely collaborative process,” Donna said.
“What emerged was a wonderfully diverse collection of short animations, each reflecting the personality and imagination of the person who created it.
“Rather than trying to make all of the animations look the same, I want to celebrate their differences and create a visual thread that allows them to flow from one story and idea into another.
“For me, that is what makes the project exciting, the clock tower becomes a kind of illuminated canvas for many different voices from the community.”
Projections will run nightly from Monday 26 October to Tuesday 3 November, between 6.30 pm and 10.30 pm.
The project has been supported by Bundaberg Regional Council with a grant for $11,500 through the Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF).
The project also aligns with Council’s Safe Space, Thriving Places initiative aimed at creating a vibrant, welcoming and connected city centre.
Donna said she was excited by the opportunity to work in the Bundaberg Region and with the community.
“Bundaberg has such a distinctive identity, its architecture, landscape, river, agriculture, history and community all provide an incredibly rich environment for creative work,” she said.
“The workshop allowed people to contribute their own ideas and stories, so the final projection has a genuine connection to the people who live here.
“The Post Office clock tower is also a wonderful site for projection.
“It is an immediately recognisable part of Bundaberg, and there is something quite magical about temporarily transforming a familiar piece of architecture through animation and light.”
Donna said she loved the fleeting nature of the temporary artwork.
“Projection is particularly exciting because it can transform architecture without permanently changing it,” she said.
“For a short period of time, a building, street or public space can become something unexpected.
“Public art has the ability to reach people who might never deliberately walk into a gallery.
“It places creativity directly into everyday life and can completely change the way we experience a familiar place.
“Ultimately, public art can create moments of wonder in ordinary places and sometimes those temporary moments are the ones people remember.”
Community members are invited to meet the artist and workshop participants at the official launch of the project on Wednesday 28 October at 6.30 pm at Bundaberg Post Office.
Illuminated Stories: Community Animation and Projection in Bundaberg
Where: Bundaberg Post Office clock tower, at the corner of Bourbong Street and Barolin Street, Bundaberg
When: nightly from Monday 26 October to Tuesday 3 November
Time: 6.30 – 10.30 pm
Launch event: Wednesday 28 October at 6.30 pm at Bundaberg Post Office
About RADF
RADF is a partnership between the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland and Bundaberg Regional Council to promote local arts and culture in regional Queensland.
Minister for Education and the Arts John-Paul Langbroek said the Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF) supports delivery of Queensland’s Time to Shine, a 10-year strategy for arts and culture and its priority to strengthen Queenslanders’ access to enriching arts and cultural experiences.
“The Crisafulli Government’s multi-year RADF investment provides greater funding certainty for 59 regional councils, streamlined program management and red tape reduction, while boosting the state’s vibrant arts and cultural scene,” Minister Langbroek said.
“Each year, RADF programs reach more than one million people across Queensland, securing local arts experiences and cultural tourism opportunities in regional areas, as well as supporting local artists in the lead up to Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“For 34 years, Arts Queensland has partnered with regional councils to co-invest in local arts initiatives that generate jobs, community engagement and help boost local economies.
“The Crisafulli Government will continue to support these vital collaborations.”
RADF community funding round 2 is now open for projects and activities commencing after 1 March 2027, with applications due by 31 December.
Applications for Quick Response Grants of up to $2,000 are open year-round.
