Festival elevates Sunshine Coast to international arts spotlight

A fresh wave of wearable art talent, including last year’s Supreme Winner Isabelle Cameron, is set to transform Venue 114 on Friday 9 to Saturday 10 August when they unveil their latest genre-bending creations, reminiscent of Met Gala and Paris Fashion Week runways.

The fashion-forward festival continues to draw international entries, with this year’s finalists coming from Japan, New Zealand, Romania, Singapore and the United States of America as well as Queensland, and other parts of Australia.

Australian Wearable Art Festival co-founder Helen Perry said, the local event, which held its first show in Eumundi in 2019, has gone from strength to strength in recent years and brings the growing worldwide enthusiasm for wearable art to a home base in Australia.

“The Sunshine Coast is becoming synonymous with the Australian wearable art scene and, truly, it is so exciting to have the Festival return to Bokarina in just a few short weeks,” Ms Perry said.

“Across the world and here in Australia we are seeing wearable art continue to gain followers – an exhibition like QAGOMA's current 'Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses' is testament to that and wearable art is, hands-down, emerging as a standalone art form in its own right.

“Creating an internationally-spanning industry platform that connects emerging artists and designers into Australian fashion, art, music and entertainment industries is no small feat – especially in the current economic environment.

“The Sunshine Coast community – from our sponsors believing in the vision and getting behind the Festival, to volunteers at the show and, of course, people buying tickets and coming along – everyone has wholeheartedly thrown their support around us.”

With many finalists applying their finishing touches, there will be 38 new pieces unveiled across the Festival’s four categories: recycled ‘Trashion’; foraged organics in ‘Sustainable Nature’; ‘Floriana’ inspired by floral elements; and silhouettes framed in ‘Avant-Garde.’

“The possibilities of where wearable art can take artists are limitless and the Australian Wearable Art Festival exists to nurture emerging talent and empower designers to commercialise their craft by creating a unique collective platform,” Ms Perry said.

“Alongside our fabulous judging panel with Julia Rose, an esteemed floral wearable artist, and Jacinta Giles, a QAGOMA curator, we cannot wait to welcome back audiences and unveil a fresh wave of wearable art creativity to them on August 9 and 10.”

Australian Wearable Art Festival will host three shows from Friday 9 August to Saturday 10 August 2024.

Designer perspective

Brisbane-based artist and last year’s Australian Wearable Art Festival Supreme Winner Isabelle Cameron – whose outstanding crochet piece “Dear Babushka”, inspired by her Ukrainian heritage, took home three prizes in 2023 – will again return as a finalist in this year’s Festival with her piece “Stardust”.

“This year’s entry “Stardust” has been such a joy to make,” Ms Cameron said.

“I am making the garment of my dreams. It’s challenging and I am learning a lot. I joke to my family that the two years of being a finalist has put me through wearable art school!

“I applied to the Australian Wearable Art Festival last year with absolutely no expectations of even getting into the show. It was my debut in the art world and honestly, I was just wanting to get my garment functional on the runway.

“When I took out Supreme Winner it was truly the universe pointing me down a highway I didn’t even know was open to me.

“How it has impacted me the most is it has allowed me to dream and feel like I have a place in the world. Since my wins at the Festival, I’ve been published multiple times and been on television sharing the joy my art brings me and others and I am truly grateful.

“It’s been the most amazing platform to grow my art and begin to find myself as an artist.”

Ms Cameron said at this year’s Festival she is most looking forward to witnessing the debut of the 38 wearable art pieces created by her fellow finalists on the Festival’s iconic 27-metre runway.

“It is so inspiring to see other artists’ work and be along for the journey with them for the two days of the festival,” Ms Cameron said.

“The arts event industry is so important because, at its core, it’s storytelling. Sharing stories through art and being a part of that in person brings people together.

“I believe moving forward the arts event industry will be pivotal to help people find connection and joy in a world that doesn’t always feel joyful.”

With over 70% of tickets now sold, Ms Cameron had clear advice for those who have not yet purchased their tickets: “Don’t sleep on it!”

“Australian Wearable Art Festival is a growing event and how lucky are we to see it flourish!” Ms Cameron said.

“It is such a beautiful moment in Australian art.

“The finalists will inspire you, make you smile and for a few hours take you out of your everyday life and take you to some pretty magical places!”

Australian Wearable Art Festival is supported by the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland. Sunshine Coast Council is the official destination partner for the Festival. The Festival would also not be possible without key partners including Visit Sunshine Coast, Argon Law, Hello Sunshine and In Noosa Magazines, My Weekly Preview, Fresh PR & Marketing, Horse & Water and Converge Marketing.