7 November 2011

Outpost Project draws more than 7000 visitors

to Cockatoo Island on first weekend

Outpost Project attracted more than 7000 visitors on the first weekend of the street art festival which opened to the public on Friday.

Running until 11 December, Outpost Project: Art from the Streets is transforming Cockatoo Island over the next five weeks with live street art, skateboarding competitions, break dancing displays, street art forums, pop up bars, DJs, tours and family programs.

Presented by the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust in partnership with aMBUSH Gallery, Outpost offers a dynamic program of free events presented against the backdrop of hundreds of works by local and international street artists.

“Sydney is embracing the international phenomenon of street art as we hoped it would,” said Sydney Harbour Federation Trust executive director Geoff Bailey.

“These are the highest numbers of visitors we have had travelling by public transport provider Sydney Ferries to Cockatoo Island over one weekend,” Mr Bailey said.

Renowned international street artists ROA (Belgium) and Ethos (Brazil) are creating large-scale murals live onto external walls of buildings, adding to hundreds of artist projects already on the island. ROA painted at the weekend, using Australian native animals in his work, including a wombat, bilby, cassowary, wallaby, numbat and kookaburra. Australian-born New York-based Anthony Lister is painting his fourth and final giant inflatable on the island this week.

Australian street artists Buff Diss, Shida, Sprinkles, Heesco and Vexta will also paint, stencil, tape and paste live during the festival.

Families are welcome at Outpost, with a packed program of free events including family tours of the island, cuprocking, art workshops and a specially designed kids activity guide. A targeted program of activities for primary and secondary school students will also be offered throughout the five weeks, including workshops with exhibiting artists Anthony Lister, Junky Projects, Miso, Beastman and Mini Graff.

Live art battles called Secret Wars will be hosted every weekend in November pitting artists against each other to win the audience vote. The Secret Wars battles include artists Ben Bigeni, Deb, Houl, Ken Taylor, Mike Watter, Scale, Shannon Crees and Teem.

The annual Shadow Wars break dancing spectator event will be hosted on Cockatoo Island on 3 December for the first time as part of Outpost, in which dancers compete for the title of Australia’s best b-boy crew.

Pop-up bars and food areas are stationed around Cockatoo Island during Outpost, including the harbourside Island Bar, Ping Pong Bar and Bolt Wharf where DJs will perform live throughout the festival.

Independent hip hop festival Graffiti will be staged as part of Outpost on 19 November presenting a seven-hour line up of Australia’s best acts including Skyrptcha, Phatchance and The Next Step.

A series of free forums presented by Art Series Hotel will be hosted on Sunday afternoons during the festival offering insights into topics such as how to collect street art, the politics of street art and the future of the genre. Hosted on 6, 13 and 20 November, the forums are presented in associated with the National Gallery of Australia and include artists, collectors and art experts.

The grand final of Skateboarding Australia’s Pro/Am Tour Series 2011 will be hosted on the final weekend of Outpost. This event will bring 40 of Australia’s most talented street skaters to the island on 10 December, including Tommy Fynn, Jack Kirk, Chima Ferguson and Sam Giles. The skaters will compete on a custom built street course for a share in the $10,000 prize money and the chance to be crowned Australian champion.

Amateur skateboarders of all ages are also welcome with the Streetwise Workshops hosted every Saturday and Sunday during the festival. Presented by Outpost Project in conjunction with Skateboarding Australia, workshops will be hosted by top Australian skaters and accredited coaches leading groups of up to over 20 skaters through activities.

For further information, interviews and images please contact

Kym Elphinstone on behalf of eckfactor on 0421 106 139 or

or Kym Druitt at eckfactor on 02 8570 5511, 0418 272 018 or

Notes to editors:

For full details about the exhibitions and events program please see www.outpostproject.com.au

Outpost Project opening hours:

• For artwork, exhibitions and Installations: Monday - Thursdays: 10am - 5pm; Fridays: 10am - 8pm;

Saturdays & Sundays: 10am - 5pm.

• For bars and entertainment: Fridays: 12pm - 9pm; Saturdays: 11am - 10pm; Sundays: 11am - 7pm.

For further information please contact Kym Druitt at eckfactor

on (02) 8570 5511 or 0418 272 018 or

Cockatoo Island in Sydney Harbour is open to the public daily, offering major events, exhibitions, venue hire, accommodation, tours and

business tenancy. It is one of the magnificent sites managed by the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust, a self funding agency created by the

Australian Government to protect and improve public access to former defence and Commonwealth sites around Sydney Harbour. Other

public spaces and parklands include: Snapper Island in Sydney Harbour, Woolwich Dock and Parklands, HMAS Platypus in Neutral Bay,

Headland Park and Chowder Bay in Mosman, North Head Sanctuary in Manly, Marine Biological Station in Watsons Bay and Macquarie

Lightstation in Vaucluse. www.cockatooisland.gov.au