Ginninderry and Strathnairn Arts Association are more than pleased this week following the success of their combined Springfest and Strathnairn Open Day on Saturday 14 October.

Linking the two events together meant that whole precinct became a humming arts and cultural hub. The Ginninderry Link proved to be a fitting venue for the day, housing markets and a range of performers including a puppet show by PuppetOodle, performance poetry by Jacqui Malins, toe-tapping Irish reels by Celtic folk group from Yass, Green Shoes on a Bender, and roving dancers from Play Dance. With such a line-up, there was rarely a dull moment for eager onlookers!

Equally popular was Strathnairn’s ‘Soup and Bowl’ – buy a hand-made bowl and get your soup for free! This was a sell-out with all bowls and several soups all taken. Also a hit with crowds was the bronze pour at the Strathnairn Foundry, a rare opportunity to witness first-hand an exciting aspect of sculpture-making. Arts Minister Gordon Ramsay officially opened the Annual Strathnairn Members’ Exhibition in the Woolshed, which featured a range of media from Strathnairn’s talented members.

Speaking on the day was Ginninderry Community and Cultural Planning Manager, Susan Davis, who said “Springfest is really important, because it’s always been one of the main aims of the Ginninderry project to build not just houses, but a community where people connect, network and draw strength from each other. One of the ways of doing this is by holding events such as this at our community hub, here at The Link, so that it becomes a place where people will gather and develop a sense of belonging.”

Also popular with visitors on the day was the unveiling of the standing poles in The Link courtyard by Minister Berry, Aboriginal Elders and their children. “The poles were painted under the guidance of principle artist Peter Finnegan, as part of Ginninderry’s ‘Who am I and Who is My Mob?’ CREATE program. The project was initiated by Aboriginal community members and Aboriginal Elder Wally Bell. Coordinated by Tuggeranong Art Centre with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students from Kingsford Smith School, the artwork acknowledges the cultural heritage of many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people now living in the ACT”, Susan said.

Thank you to all those who were involved in bringing this Spring festival to life, and we look forward to seeing you all again soon at the next community event – Summerfest on 24 February 2018. Stay tuned!