The Brisbane Emerging Art Festival 2012 will introduce audiences to the most outstanding visual art, music, performance, fashion and film in Brisbane. On 18 February, the best from Brisbane's artist-run initiatives, tertiary institutions and private studios will be presented at Metro Arts.

The program has been confirmed and promotion has begun but the coordinating team require funding to ensure the event is a success and that your event-day experience is enjoyable.

DATE: Saturday, 18 February

TIME: 6:00 - 11:00pm

VENUE: Metro Arts, 109 Edward Street, Brisbane

COST: Free

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WEBSITE: www.brisbaneemergingartfestival.com

FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/BrisbaneEmergingArtFestival

TWITTER: twitter.com/BEAF2012

Festival Manager Louise O’Neil believes that the Brisbane Emerging Art Festival is an excellent way to foster and exhibit the creativity that exists in the city.

"For such a long time Brisbane has been seen as just a big country town that takes a back seat to Sydney and Melbourne," Louise says, "but it’s festivals like BEAF that show that we’re not actually competing with other cities - the only race we’re in is with ourselves by fostering and exhibiting the creativity and talent of Brisbane artists whilst still allowing them their vulnerability. In essence, Brisbane art is not about being the biggest or the brashest, but about being yourself.”

Opportunities for emerging artists — defined as an artist below the age of 35, or in the first five years of practice — to work within a commercial entity are limited; thus, they must find alternative ways to expose their practices to the public. This puts unique pressures on their practices and results in works that are unique to emerging artists. Their works are often interdisciplinary and collaborative, self-funded and presented in non-art spaces. Their ephemeral nature means that the public rarely is able to experience them. Brisbane Emerging Art Festival is an opportunity to access them in one space.

The Brisbane Emerging Art Festival was established in 2010 to celebrate the quality of work being produced by artists aged 18 to 35. Now in its third year, the festival has grown from one focused upon the visual arts to one that celebrates all disciplines. A team of 15 emerging creative practitioners is engaged to coordinate the 2012 festival. This team is responsible for producing a representation of emerging practices and engaging the community locally and internationally.

Visual Art Program

Ten artists (including two collaborative duos) will exhibit in the Visual Art Gallery on Level 2 of Metro Arts. Amongst the artists is Archibald finalist and two-time Churchie National Emerging Art Prize finalist, Sam Cranstoun. Exhibiting alongside Cranstoun will be Julie-Ann Milinski, Clark Beaumont, Louise Tahiraj, Marcel Daniels and Daniel Herberg, Caitlin Halsall, Erin Dunne, Stephen Russell, Daniel McKewen, and Rachael Archibald. The visual art program is coordinated by Tess Maunder and Laura Brown and will remain available to view until 25 February 2012.

Performance Program

A collection of artists, performers, dancers and theatre actors will engage the festival audience in unexpected ways. Artist Liam O’Brien will take members of the audience on a journey through the streets of Brisbane to investigate a series of ephemeral, sculptural and performative interventions in the urban space. Other artists on the program include Leena Riethmuller, Kimie Mizuno and Makeshift Dance Theatre, with more to be announced soon. The performance program is coordinated by Thomas Quirk and Lauren Howard.

Music Program

Experimental sound art that incorporates visual installations, light reacting instruments and electronic improvisations will take over the Basement Space on Level 1 of Metro Arts. The program includes Ross Manning and Joel Stern, two pioneers of the Brisbane underground sound art scene, alongside Reighna, Wtem and Outerwaves. The music program is coordinated by Tian Zhang and Adam Rothwell.

Film Program

Within the Ground Level Studio of Metro Arts will be a curation of Brisbane-based filmmakers who reflect, or distinctly make reference to, Brisbane as a setting and a concept. The program will also host a Q&A session and screenings from the West End Film Festival and the 48 Hour Film Festival. The film program is coordinated by Brendan Gore and Hannah Ariotti.

Fashion Program

The fashion program will introduce audiences to new and experimental practice within fashion, off the runway and away from static mannequins. The program, located in the Warehouse on Level 4 of Metro Arts, will showcase artists who work with fashion as a base to explore interdisciplinary practice, exhibiting fashion illustration, fashion installation, video projection and an artist talk from Martha Poggioli. The fashion program is coordinated by Chelsea Whitbread and Cynthia Howard.

Spoken Word Program

The spoken word program is a daring inclusion that will bridge the divide between performance and literature. Coordinated by Eleanor Jackson, the program will include ekphrasis readings that will take place throughout the building. Through these readings, the spoken word poets will attempt to define and describe the essence and form of works of art within the visual art and the fashion programs, potentially illuminating the works for the audience. The spoken word program will feature artists performing in various spaces such as the elevator, stairwell, Ground Level Studio and even outside of the Metro Arts building.