Bellingen bellowed with creativity and inspiration last week as more than 1200 ‘campers’ immersed themselves in the arts at the 40th annual Camp Creative.
Some people do camp for the five-day festival, but the unique Camp Creative is much more about learning, making and sharing from a diverse range of 90 arts courses held at venues across town.
The list of courses to do this year was unrivaled- photography, music, dance, embroidery, poetry, writing, leather work, choral, woodwork, stained glass, wood sculpture, cooking, painting, clowning, weaving & dying, acting, theatre design and even outdoor skills.
“The atmosphere all week was so electric with the record number of attendees and lunchtime concerts,” said Camp Creative’s Guide coordinator Eve Pullinger.
“It was so hectic for the committee and all the guides, but it was absolutely worth it because we had so many happy campers at the end of the week.”
Eve has worked at Camp Creative for six years and led a team of 14 guides assisting people to find their courses and venues.
“From the guides perspective, the Chinese Brush Painting course by Stephen Cassattari is fantastic and one of our favourites. He creates such as a great atmosphere and it’s kind of rite of passage for the guides to do each year.”
Eve said the creative buzz extended into the evening with events including Thursday evening’s ‘Party in the Park’, Friday evening’s Grand Finale and the ever-popular Bash at the Federal Hotel.
“We launched a beautiful commemorative booklet during the grand finale on the Friday night. Renowned composer Paul Jarman did a commissioned piece for the launch, and he conducted it on the night.”
“The whole night was a testament to how long Camp Creative has gone on for and what an asset it is for the community in terms of what it does for the arts.”
The traditional Thursday evening ‘Party in the Park’ was relocated to the Bellingen Memorial Hall this year due to inclement.
“We hired two local bands, Hot Mess and the Versace Boys, for the first time this year for the Party in the Park, which went down really well in the hall.”
‘Campers’ that attended music and performing arts courses also took to the stage to celebrate their new skills.
Camp Creative President Rob Stockton said people of all ages and backgrounds join in on a joyful hive of productivity, experimentation and learning.
“Whether you’re a novice, hobbyist or master artist, Camp Creative is an opportunity for a surge of creative energy and inspiration for your new year,” Mr Stockton said.
He said participants came from as far as Canada and France to attend this year.
“Over 80 percent of visitors come from outside the Bellingen Shire, and they stay in a myriad of locations including local billets, caravan parks, Air BnBs, motels, hotels and private accommodation from Coffs Harbour to Nambucca.”
From humble beginnings in 1987, Camp Creative has grown into a 40-year-old Bellingen social, cultural and economic success story. It spawned Bellingen’s reputation as the arts capital of the mid north coast, and this year’s event was estimated to inject $1.2 million into the local economy.
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