The Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) celebrates 15 years of programming for children when the regional touring program 'Kids on Tour' visits 69 galleries, libraries, community centres and Indigenous communities across Queensland during April.
QAGOMA Director Chris Saines said the touring program of hands-on and multimedia activities, proudly supported by the Tim Fairfax Family Foundation, was developed in collaboration with international artist Cai Guo-Qiang, whose exhibition 'Falling Back to Earth' is currently showing at the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) in Brisbane.
'Cai Guo-Qiang was one of the first artists the Gallery collaborated with to develop projects for children, so it is fitting this tour celebrates the anniversary,' Mr Saines said.
Arts Minister Ian Walker said QAGOMA's long-standing commitment to regional touring helped the Newman Government deliver its Arts for all Queenslanders strategy by
making outstanding exhibitions accessible throughout regional Queensland.
'The 'Kids on Tour' program brings free innovative artist-developed activities from the Gallery's renowned Children's Art Centre to families across the state, including those in remote and rural communities,' Mr Walker said.
Mr Saines said 'Kids on Tour' reinterprets Cai's popular Bridge Crossing activity from the Kids' APT program at the 'Third Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art' in 1999, in which children use bamboo and masking tape to create their own small bridges inspired by the artist's work.
'It also features activities from Let's Create an Exhibition with a Boy Named Cai, currently showing at the Children's Art Centre at GOMA, inviting children to participate in Cai's working methods and create their own miniature exhibitions,' he said.
'Using templates of trees, animals and boats, visitors can make their own small-scale art installations, and create spectacular multimedia 'gunpowder drawings'.
'A short animated film about the art and globe-trotting adventures of Cai Guo-Qiang will also be shown at each venue.'
The QAGOMA Children's Art Centre is sponsored by Santos GLNG.
'As a proud Australian company, Santos has a strong track record of investing the benefits of a world-class gas industry back into community events,' Santos Vice President Queensland Trevor Brown said.
'We're delighted to support the 'Kids on Tour' program, which will bring cutting edge art activities to children throughout Queensland.
'Helping to bring this interactive art project to regional Queensland is just one example of how Santos GLNG is delivering benefits for communities across the state,' Mr Brown said.
Dates and times for 'Kids on Tour' vary for each venue. Please visit the website for a list of participating venues and contact local venues for further details.
'Kids on Tour' is held in conjunction with 'Cai Guo-Qiang: Falling Back to Earth' and the interactive artist project Let's Create an Exhibition with a Boy Named Cai, both at the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA), Brisbane, until 11 May 2014. |
