The newest addition to Agnes Water and the Town of 1770 are a series of individually and artistically painted power poles.
The Agnes Water Cultural Art Trail Group came together early in 2019 after local Tracey Lee put it out to the community that she personally got so much enjoyment from seeing accessible art installations on her bicycle tours around Australia. The community overwhelmingly agreed that accessible art was something they enjoyed. A meeting was quickly held at a café. Within an hour unanimous and harmonious decisions had been made. They had a group name, set a theme and were ready to roll.
27 poles were painted by 26 local artists with the theme being flora and fauna indigenous to the area. This was a massive community effort to help get the local emerging and established artists out painting the poles with support from near and far.
Pole art had increased self-esteem, improved self-expression, but not just for the artists, they were an avenue to conversations that were safe. Conversations around the shared joy of the poles, helped with some of the depression and anxiety brought on by restrictions.
They had brought a community together and people started asking when the next stage would begin!
2020 had been a very difficult year for many; covid 19 had affected everyone, and the poles had really helped bring some joy and happiness into a very grey time.
During this time the 2020 pole art project was nominated for a Cultural Arts Award.
Gladstone Regional Council hosts its annual awards day, to recognise and reward members of the local community. The organisers were honoured and grateful to be acknowledged.
The end result was 31 artists and hundreds of community members helping to create 31 epic poles in stage two to add to the power pole art trail.
Please enjoy the poles, they were created for you, by us, with love from the heArt.
