The Cairns Ukulele Festival is proud to announce an exciting art exhibition to be held at Cairns’ premier art gallery, the Cairns Regional Gallery, as well as a kid’s art workshop.
Art exhibition
Painted ukulele by Beaver Lennon (copyright protected)
For two weeks, a room within the gallery will be totally dedicated to an exhibition featuring decorated ukuleles. The ukuleles will be decorated by local, national and international established and emerging artists, ensuring an eclectic collection! From children’s book illustrators to mosaic to graffitti, this exhibition will cover it all!
The exhibition will benefit two charitable causes, as at the end of the exhibition, the ukuleles will be auctioned off and proceeds will go to the artist’s nominated charity; either the Duchenne Foundation, or the Cairns Ukulele Club’s Music in Communities project.
Formerly Parent Project Australia Inc, the Duchenne Foundation was incorporated 2003 to work together to improve the lives of persons and families affected by Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy. Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is the most common form of muscular dystrophy affecting 1 in 3,500 males. Muscles affected are those around the hips and upper thighs. Weakness gradually progresses to include all skeletal muscles, the muscles of respiration and the heart. To continue research, the Duchenne Foundation works tirelessly on lifting its profile and raising funds.
The second charitable cause is the The Cairns Ukulele Club’s Music in Communities project. Inspired by Australia’s Music Council’s Music. Play For Life programs and Flame Awards, the Cairns Ukulele Club wishes to do its bit by visiting remote communities and conduct music workshops. The workshops are planned for the second half of 2010 and any contribution towards travel expenses is welcomed!
The exhibition will be officially opened on the 26th of June 2009. If you are interested in participating in this exhibition, please contact festival organsiser Gaby Thomasz (see contact page). Ukuleles are supplied free of charge.
The following artists have so far committed to participate:
Shaun Tan
Colin Thompson
Tohby Riddle
Harley Manifold
Julian Meagher
John Phillips
Gary Myers
Michael Jeffery
Michael Salmon
Ron Nyisztor
Beaver Lennon
Max Mannix
Wally Wallwork
Cheryl Howe
Maree Gordon-Cooke
Christine Gallagher
Marvel Varna
Dominic Johns
Kane Maneylaws
Christine Eyres
Roland Nancarrow
Sam Toupou
Simon Poole
Kevin Mayo
David Lovegrove
Lyndell Hayes
Greg Dywer
Jeni Bullock
Maree Nicholson
Thank you for your generousity!
Kid’s workshop
The Cairns Regional Gallery runs holiday workshops for school going children. As part of the Cairns Ukulele Festival and it’s art exhibition, a workshop will be held in the week 28th of June til 2nd of July 2010. Under guidance of a local artists, the children will decorate their own ukuleles which will become part of the exhibition at the end of the workshop. As part of the workshop, the children will also receive a lesson on how to learn to play the ukulele. More information on this workshop will be published in due course.
