The City of Cockburn is set to become a partner sponsor of Fremantle Biennale this November.
To the tune of $60,000 from the City’s Cockburn Community Fund, the public art festival will land at Coogee Beach on 19-20 November in the form of a choreographed light show featuring a fleet of more than 160 drones.
The decision forms part of the Council’s 12 August adoption of recommendations from the City’s Grants and Donations Committee.
The City has allocated $1.455m to be distributed as grants donations, sponsorships and subsidies from its Cockburn Community Fund for 2021-22.
Other allocations include $42,463 for Cockburn Community Mens Shed, more than $94,000 each to WA Wildlife (formerly Native ARC) and The Wetlands Centre Cockburn, $31,569 for a two-year partnership with Little Green Steps for sustainability education, and a $500 donation to Beeliar teenager Ella Willans as she takes up a position at the European School of Ballet in Amsterdam.
Fremantle Biennale approached the City for a funding contribution for its headline artwork Moombaki as part of CROSSING21.
The Nyoongar word for ‘where the river meets the sky’, Moombaki is a choreographed drone light show re-creating the first stories of Whadjuk Nyoongar Country for all to experience.
Led by emerging Nyoongar artist Ilona McGuire, a fleet of more than 160 drones equipped with LED lights will take flight over the river and ocean to tell ancient and living stories of place.
The artwork will be presented in Fremantle, Cockburn and Melville from Friday 5 November to Sunday 21 November 2021.
It aims to attract 40,000 people across the expanded sites of Fremantle, Cockburn and Melville. The 2019 event attracted more than 17,000 people to evening events in Fremantle with an economic benefit of more than $1m.
The City will seek applications to its Cockburn Community Fund from community groups, schools, businesses and not-for-profit organisations from a pool of over $1m for Donations, Sponsorships and Grants including Community Grants, Cultural Grants, Junior Sports Travel Assistance, Economic Development and Small Events Sponsorships.
The first of these rounds is due to open shortly, closing on 24 September 2021 and the second on 25 March 2022.
For more information about the Cockburn Community Fund visit the City’s
website.
More information about Fremantle Biennale 2021 is available on its
website.
Caption: Fremantle Biennale Co-Founder and Artistic Director Tom Muller and emerging Nyoongar artist Ilona McGuire who will lead headline work Moombaki, which will touch down at Coogee Beach. Pic: Duncan Wright.