Gladstone Kids’ APT7 on Tour; an Overwhelming Local Response!

Gladstone Kids’ APT7 on Tour; an Overwhelming Local Response!

Last Saturday, 19 January 2013, the Gladstone Regional Art Gallery & Museum hosted Kids’ APT7 on Tour, a day of free interactive children’s activities and workshops.   Sent to the Gallery/Museum as an annual event from the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art (QAG | GOMA), this year’s theme reflects their current exhibition Asia Pacific Triennial Seven (APT7) which is running in Brisbane until 14 April 2013.   Selected artists from APT7 were asked to create activities that could be sent out to the regional Galleries so regional kids could experience APT7 in their own home town.  The program was sent to over 80 venues and this year residents of the Gladstone region responded very favourably.  In 2012 the Gallery/Museum had 120 children and their parents attend the day, in 2013 over 260 turned up for the fun! 

At the end of the day one family commented, “We had a wonderful time” while another said, “We enjoyed having the activities spread throughout the gallery, giving the kids room to explore.”

Seven fun and diverse multicultural activities ran all day including a multimedia computer interactive, a stop-motion film, mask-making, writing, drawing, colouring, cutting and gluing craft activities as well as the most popular of all and locally initiated activity – making Pong Pongan, the hermit crab (and APT7’s mascot)! 

Thanks to QAG | GOMA, Gladstone kids also had the unique opportunity to take part in a cartooning workshop run by exhibiting artist, Allan Andrew (Kiwi).  These workshops ran hourly and proved to be all the rage with the children who learnt clever techniques from a local artist and got to take home an exciting workbook. 

As well as the activities the Gallery/Museum had the Interactive Kids Zone running as part of their current exhibition, Industry Sited within the Environment. Artist Margaret Worthington and Marion Hayes from Rainbow Valley Early Learning Centre were there to guide the children. 

Staff from Santos GLNG (Children’s Art Centre sponsor), came along on the day and ran a fantastic competition giving attending kids the opportunity to win an iPad2.  There were 85 entries and the lucky recipient was contacted with the exciting news on Monday.

“It was great to see the kids enjoying the diverse activities that APT7 artists had sent to us,” said Public Programs & Promotions Officer, Madeleine Cook, “The day ran very smoothly and everyone had smiles on their faces as they left.”

The FREE Kids’ APT7 on Tour interactive activities will remain out for children to enjoy in the Gallery/Museum until the end of the month.   The Gladstone Regional Art Gallery & Museum is open 10am to 5pm, Monday to Saturday and is located on the corner of Goondoon and Bramston Streets.
The Gallery/Museum is closed Saturday 26 January and Monday 28 January 2013 due to Australia Day public holidays.


- Ends.