Linda Burney MP, 2018 Festival of Open Minds. Photo: Chris Sheedy.
In the words of the great Damon Davis – “People with oomph – they’re not lyin down. People with oomph – spread the good life. People with oomph – keep their own style. People with oomph – walk mile after mile.”
The lyrics of this Bega Valley song man inspire the 2019 Festival of Open Minds. It’s back! September 13 and 14 at the Bega Civic Centre.
Those who attended the first Open Minds last September were bitten by the magic and have been asking, “are you doing it again?” Yes we are, and taking it up a notch.
Catherine McGregor, 2018 Festival of Open Minds. Photo: Chris Sheedy.
The Festival of Open Minds is born out of a regional community that values shared conversation, personal reflection, the wisdom of experience, and FUN!
This TEDx style event launched in 2018, with 350 people turning out for a glorious day of springtime sunshine and shared learning and laughter.
This year’s festival theme is ‘People With Oomph!’ and the hearts, minds, and souls we have assembled so far fit the bill.
The 2019 Festival of Open Minds line up so far includes:
- Tim Costello, Chief Advocate, World Vision;
- Pastor Christie Buckingham, spiritual counselor to executed Bali 9 drug smuggler Myuran Sukumaran;
- Nas Campanella, blind Triple J newsreader;
- Aly Khalifa, founder of Oceanworks, focused on harvesting plastic waste from our oceans;
- Emma Booth, para-equestrian competitor, represented Australia at the 2016 Rio Paralympics;
- Alasdair Tremblay-Birchall, comedian, joke writer, grew up in Tathra.
More announcements will be made in the coming weeks.
This year’s festival will launch on Friday night, September 13 with a free community event in the centre of Bega for all to enjoy. The creatives at the Bega Valley Regional Gallery and Bega Valley Library Service are pulling together a ‘mini-Vivid’ light show. There is so much more about this night of art and culture that is still under wraps so stay tuned.
Local performer Damon Davies whoops it up at the 2018 Festival of Open Minds. Photo: Chris Sheedy.
The Festival of Open Minds aims to pull together national and local ideas with the aim of strengthening regional communities and providing an opportunity normally only available to country people via a tollway or airport check-in lounge. We’d love to make you apart of the day.
Early bird tickets are on sale now, you’ll save $10 per ticket if you buy before August 14. Tickets for students 12 to 19 years are always free. This year we are also working on quick, tasty, local, lunch options – we feed your mind and body, more to come soon.
Jo Saccomani, 2018 Festival of Open Minds. Photo: Chris Sheedy.
Our business and community partners are just as excited about the day and what it brings to the communities we serve. There are a number of ways your business or organisation can get involved. There are a range of sponsorship levels to consider that incorporate logo placement on festival marketing through to ongoing advertising and marketing arrangements with About Regional and its Canberra based parent company Region Media.
Let’s talk and see how we can help each other, email [email protected]
Festival partners already include Julie Rutherford Real Estate at Bermagui, Bega Valley Commemorative Civic Centre, Bega Valley Library Service, Bega Valley Regional Gallery, Tathra Beachhouse Apartments, Bega Valley Innovation Hub, North of Eden Gin, and Tilba Real Dairy.
About Regional is on a mission to create, deepen and share local stories, conversations, and ideas, events like the Festival of Open Minds are a key part of our ambitions for Southern NSW.
Grab your early bird tickets now – RIGHT HERE!
A stellar line up of speakers attracted around 350 people to the 2018 Festival of Open Minds. Photo: Chris Sheedy.
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