m a r s

Potential Revolutionary

Cultural offerings in Toowoomba are no longer restricted to reworked theatrical classics, Thursday night shopping and mid-week CBD dining. 2011 saw a solidification of our cultural scene with regular attendance at each of the town’s four independent artist run initiatives, open mic nights and alternative cultural events.
Even the Mayor Peter Taylor got his paint on in November’s Celebrity Art Battles, as run by the MARS initiative above Metro Café and Events.
Toowoomba is coming of age. And the cultural movers and shakers on the hill are planning big things. Soon.
There’s talk of a pending TARI Fest.
That is, there is so much support, movement, inspiration and action on the independent art scene of Toowoomba that cities and other regional areas are looking to us for insight. They want to know the insides of this shift.
TARI Fest - Toowoomba Artist Run Initiative Festival. A festival of all the creative wonder that regulars on the local cultural scene dive into twice monthly in the least. From Skype-assisted international artist talks in a back alley corner of the CBD to cutting edge physical performances at art openings and boxed windows… Toowoomba’s shifting.
Like a big beautiful scholar, all brained up thanks to 17 high schools, a University and TAFE, finding her feet and wanting to dance.
This is what’s waiting for Toowoomba. The town’s cultural identity is getting brave. And the space this provides those with venues, artists, musicians, talents, wants, urges, concepts, free nights is a crucial element in its continued evolution. What this means for residents is: a chance to play.
Go. There is quality offerings in your town. One such example is the pending development in the former Boogie Shack. 17 creatives across 10 artistic disciplines: exhibiting, performing and also teaching, sharing. That’s circus, dance, theatre, short film, visual arts, sustainable horticulture. It’ll be  right there, in the middle of Toowoomba next month. Go.