Integreat Queensland are proud to launch the Flourish Festival 2023, a series of multicultural festivals designed and produced by communities across central Queensland.
To be held as three stand-alone events in Gladstone, Biloela, and Emerald, Integreat Queensland Programs Manager Jaclyn Iwasaka said the Flourish Festivals are all about showcasing the region’s pride and diversity of our multicultural community.
“Our Flourish Festival is about showcasing who we are, where we’ve come from, and what we now share together,” Ms Iwasaka said.
“We believe art and culture are at the heart of diverse communities, and are powerful tools for creating social connections, boosting economic growth, and shaping a strong, healthy region.”
The Flourish Festival is a community-led multicultural arts festival featuring dance, music, fashion, and artistic and visual displays. Over the past few years, Integreat Queensland has held the Flourish Festival in both Gladstone and Biloela. Ms Iwasaka said Integreat Queensland will not only continue on the success of those events but expand the Flourish Festival to the Central Highlands.
“The festival will continue to be a community-led event by helping people integrate and actively participate in a thriving community,” she said.
“We have partnered with local individuals and groups in Gladstone, Biloela, and Emerald to create the Flourish Festivals designed specifically to each region and the community.”
Gladstone Flourish Festival coordinator Kristel Kelly said each event is designed to celebrate multiculturalism through the lens of art.
“The Flourish Festivals are designed to allow the community to show how they flourish in their region through their own creativity,” Ms Kelly said.
“By displaying different facets of the arts including live music, fashion parades, interactive art activities and art exhibitions, we can show how multiculturalism goes throughout the whole community and people lives.”
The dates for the Flourish Festival in each region are:
• Biloela: June 18
• Gladstone July 22
• Emerald: TBC
For more information or if you would like to get involved with the Flourish Festival in your region, phone 4903 1931 or email: admin@integreatqld.org.au
Picture: More than 20 cultures from around the world and who now call central Queensland home celebrated the culture at the Flourish Festival in Biloela in 2022.
