Mandurah’s first Prototype Festival will begin this weekend, bringing a range of new ideas to reinvigorate the city centre.
Funded by the City of Mandurah, Shape Mandurah and Spaced Out Placemakers put a call-out to local creatives to come up with ways to activate sites including Mandjar Square, Smart Street Mall, and Tuckey Lane.
“It’s really starting to come together,” Shape Mandurah director David Snyder said.
“Each project brings something different to the city centre… it’s to trial out new ideas on a temporary basis, and see what people like, and see if we can put together a long-term strategy that implement some of the ideas, a permanent installation.”
The successful applicants were granted $1000 each to bring their projects to life.
Mandjar Square will feature works by artist Helen Coleman, who is encouraging local children to come help build a giant cubby-house out of cardboard for The Big Cubby House; Scopic, a giant kaleidoscope that looks out to the estuary, created by Angela Allen, Jess Hart and Carmen Sayer; Where have all the fish gone? a sculpture by Ricky Gibson of a ‘salty sea dog’; and Daisy Chain, an interactive installation by John Draper.
In Smart Street Mall Ryan Fussell’s piece Tree Charms nature installation will be on display alongside Sherri Smith’s The Crab Walk, a history tour of the foreshore.
In Tuckey Lane Tahnee Kelland’s works – The Swing mural and The Bright Brick Road – will be on show alongside Candice di Prinzio’s prototype, Community Cupboard, which encourages locals to store and swap books with each other.
Punters are encouraged to vote for their favorite piece, as the winning ‘prototype’ will be given $4000 in prize money, and be considered for a more long-term setup in the city centre.
Votes can be cast at Mandurah Performing Arts Centre, San Churro’s near Tuckey Lane, on Shape Mandurah’s Facebook page, or on Instagram.
The Prototype festival will run from Saturday January 28 to Sunday February 5.
