Ipswich Poetry Feast Usher In The Ipswich Festival

Some From Judith Baker
March Workshop Presenter

Ipswich Festival is gearing up and ready to provide ongoing fun and culture for the months of April /May (see notice board for more details). The month kicks off for me with a Breakfast in the Park at the Walloon Henry Lawson Bicentennial Park.  This lovely, peaceful spot is a very much used picnic and play stop for travellers passing through.

This annual chance to enjoy a breakfast in the open air whilst being treated to performance poets reciting their latest poetry offerings is attended by lovers of the arts and interested travellers alike.   The history connected to the historical poem written by Henry Lawson about the tragic drowning of the Babies of Walloon fascinates visitors.  When I wrote the “Babies of Walloon” book, which was created after Henry’s poem that compelled him to put pen to paper after the drowning, I never envisaged the interest or the emergence of the now international poetry competition, officially given the title of the Ipswich Poetry Feast.  It proved to be the catalyst that put our little of Walloon well and truly on the map.

Councillor David Pahkle took up the challenge and the Poetry Feast culminates in an impressive Annual Awards Night and provides public debating competitions and poetry workshops.  His enthusiastic support attracted the interest and backing of Joy Chambers, herself a published author. 

As a painter and a writer I enjoy working at both ends of the spectrum.  I enjoy writing newsletters which support worthy projects and writing submissions for a variety of Magazines.  As an artist there is an Ipswich Art Exhibition that provides a wonderful diversity of the regions artists works on display for visitors from all over Queensland and beyond during the Festival.

The Artisability team are hoping to hold an exhibition of the works done at the pilot programme by emerging artists after the programme is over.  This would be a wonderful opportunity to showcase the results of this very successful mix of art and sculpture that emerged from hours of hard work put in by all the participants.