2015 Wagga Waggafest launches, theme announced

2015 Wagga Waggafest launches, theme announced - 17 February 2015

Lights, camera, action! Entries are open now for the 2015 Wagga Waggafest with the theme “The best is yet to come”.

Wagga Wagga City Council launched the fifth Waggafest by celebrating the creative efforts of a group of children who helped design this year’s artwork and promotion material.

More than a hundred young artists drew their best for Waggafest during Australia Day celebrations, with elements from eight artworks now featuring in the short film competition’s promotion material.

“It was great to see so many kids take part in the drawing workshop on Australia Day and the organisers had a very tough task selecting what drawings to use,” Mayor of the City of Wagga Wagga Councillor Rod Kendall said.

“Kids were asked to draw what they thought was the best, whether it was their favourite sport or something they love about Wagga.

“They didn’t know it at the time, but these eight children were helping illustrate this year’s theme ‘The best is yet to come’.”

All entries to the Tropfest-inspired short film festival must tell a unique Wagga story that in some way responds to the theme.

“Waggafest is all about encouraging people to share their Wagga story with the world,” Cr Kendall said.

“It could be a drama about someone overcoming a past hardship, or a futuristic sci-fi, it could be gritty documentary or a far-fetched yarn – the important thing is that we get to see a unique Wagga story that reminds us that the best is yet to come.”

The winning artists were presented with a Waggafest poster featuring elements of their drawings at the theme launch on Tuesday 17 February.

The Mayor said he would be thrilled to see the winners turn their attention to a new creative challenge: a Waggafest entry.

“We’ve had some highly memorable entries from under 18s before, and there are special prizes to reward the work of young entrants,” he said.

“You don’t need a big budget or fancy equipment - just a good idea and a camera phone will do.”

For more details about this year’s competition, visit www.wagga.nsw.gov.au/waggafest.

Media opportunity

What: Launch of 2015 Waggafest theme and presentation of Waggafest posters to children who helped design the promotional material.

Who: Mayor of the City of Wagga Wagga, Councillor Rod Kendall, children from the Wagga community.

When: Tuesday 17 February, 4.30pm

Where: Civic Centre

Waggafest history

The Tropfest-inspired short film competition was developed by Council and ties in with the city brand. Adopted in December 2010, the brand concept is that Wagga is more than just one big thing – it’s about the hundred things that are different for all of us, but add up to the city being a great place to live, work and play.

Waggafest has been awarded the Best Marketing/Public Relations Campaign at the Government Communications Awards and the RH Dougherty Award for Excellence in Communications by Local Government NSW.