We had our big 75th Birthday - it was a blast!

Burnie Arts Council’s 75th Birthday weekend was a huge success. It was comprised of four very live events, plus the creation of a Wall of Fame.

1. Hellyer College lunchtime concert – featuring comedian Josh Earl and the Dream Burnie Municipal Band (Will Hindmarsh, Van Donovan and Zane Lindt). All four are Burnie alumni who have gone on to have successful careers in their chosen field

2. Rooftop concert – just like the Beatles did. The Dream Burnie Municipal band rocked the CBD on a blustery Saturday lunchtime. It was history making!

3. Pre-concert soirée – provided the opportunity to look back at BAC’s 75 years of history and recognise significant individuals and momentous events. Burnie Stringalong Orchestra played. They are just one of the groups which has been incubated by BAC during our 75 year history, so it was most fitting.

4. The Concert – Josh Earl, Dream Burnie Municipal Band, Wendy Moles and Nick Hart, David Turner + recordings from Justin Heazlewood and the City of Burnie Brass Band. Brilliant performers and a warm and engaging vibe – perfect!

5. Wall of Fame - Very early on in the planning for our 75th Birthday, the decision was made to focus on Burnie’s alumni. We had been gathering a list for a few years, and knew it was impressive. The birthday milestone gave us a reason to showcase these extraordinary individuals. We ended up with a Wall of Fame featuring almost 150 alumni. The display is up until the 31st October.

There’s a reason why Burnie is called the City of Makers. No matter what the creative challenge (be it engineering, papier mâché sculpture, miniature art or an ingenious water clock) Burnie people tend to roll up their sleeves and get things done. Our history is defined by passionate people with vision. Fortunately we live in a community where the goodwill and support can be mustered to bring these ideas to fruition.

Thank you Burnie! Keep making, performing, connecting, and showing up. This is how we got to here.

This event is presented in partnership with the Burnie City Council. Concerts at Hellyer College and the Kmart plaza were supported by the Australian Government’s Regional Arts Fund, which supports the arts in regional and remote Australia.