Little Artwork Everywhere: Heartwalk 2018
Regional Arts WA
Towering silo-side artworks may be visually stunning but when it comes to truly celebrating your local artists sometimes it’s better to keep things small scale.
The streets of Kalgoorlie-Boulder are set for another splash of colour this year, as Heartwalk returns for 2018 – but it’s not always about thinking bigger, according to Creative Director Paula Fletcher.
Stormie Mills’ artwork at the Goldfields Art Centre for Heartwalk in 2017. Picture by Georgia Foulkes-Taylor.
Paula said after last year’s inaugural Heartwalk they made sure to survey all the local artists for suggestions on things to improve for this year.
“Our biggest change is that we have introduced smaller walls to the mix, which allows us to place local artists on wall murals as well as window murals.
“Installing a mural over a festival period of a week is a feat of endurance for the most seasoned mural artist, so having smaller canvases available means that our local artists will have an achievable goal and enjoyable experience, and be able to create a more permanent work in the CBD.”
Going the extra mile to make art happen in a public way has also created an ongoing demand for mural commissions in Kalgoorlie – leading to even more public art in town.
“The most exciting thing is seeing other initiatives Heartwalk has inspired. It’s been a big part of a groundswell of cultural change in Kalgoorlie, together as a community we are shaping what we want the future to look like.”
Andrew Frazer and Paula Fletcher lay down some paint for the Heartwalk project, supported by Country Arts WA’s Project Fund. Photo by Georgia Foulkes-Taylor.
For anyone looking to create their own artistic movement in town, Paula recommends first thinking about what your vision really is.
“Why do you want to create this mural – or other art piece – what outcomes, change or conversations do you want it to spark?
“If you are clear about your vision or your ‘why’, then people, organisations and resources that align with your own will gravitate toward your project and it will be so much easier to get good work done!”
Heartwalk kicks off from Black Crow Studios at 7pm, 30 April, and wraps up with walking tours and a Shutdown Party (featuring even more local talent) at The Workshop on 5 May. You can check out the full Heartwalk event details here or check out more of the incredible artwork from the 2017
Heartwalk receives funding through the Project Fund, supported by the Regional Arts Fund, an Australian Government initiative supporting the arts in regional and remote Australia. The Australian Government’s Regional Arts Fund is provided through Regional Arts Australia.
