Gold Coast Magic

Projects: 2000 to Present

On this page you will be able to find all information on the projects which took place in our organisation throughout the past years.

Please select options above to view the events which happened during that period.

Projects in 2010

Chahar-Shanbeh-Soori

Was held Tuesday night 16^th March atthe Albert Waterways, Broadbeach, with traditional food and respect of fire. A bonfire is lit and people jump over it to "cast out" worries and sorrows. The fire is a symbol of the sun's generosity.

Nowruz

GC MAGIC sponsored the Nowruz celebration on the Gold Coast.

Nowruz (new day) is a spring festival of Persian origin, celebrated for over 3000 years. It is on the March 21^st and is honored world-wide in parts of central Asia, Balkans, Middle East, etc. It has been recognized by the United Nations as the International Day of Nowruz and is on UNESCO's Cultural Heritage list. "Nowruz is an affirmation of life in harmony with nature," they say.

Nowruz was celebrated at the Robina Community Centre on Sunday 21^st March with live music and Persian buffet.

Haft-sin (literally 7 S's) 7 objects assembled on table along with live goldfish in a crystal jar of water have had a historical and cultural metaphors.

Glass Work

In March, GC MAGIC held a workshop for the Artists in Paradise to extend their artistic abilities by painting intricate designs on glass. Yvette Barta facilitated the workshop, "painting on glass".

Events in 2009

Transcending Identity

"Transcending Identity" is a new artistic movement on the Coast by "Artists in Paradise"

Gold Coast MAGIC is inviting local visual artists to participate in a series of advanced visual (painting) workshops. The workshops are free and will be facilitated by highly professional artists at Southport Community Hall. The outcome of the workshops will be an exhibition in March 2009.

"Transcending Identity" project aims to showcase, recognize and respect the identity of individual exhibitors from diverse cultural backgrounds. The aim then focuses on discovering beyond and depth of social efforts and environmental effects that artists experience. The artists will be trained in different techniques and use different materials during the process of the workshops that enable them to express their ideas and talk through their artworks.

The project is funded by Gambling Community Benefit Funds - Queensland Government

Children of War

"Children of War" is an innovative community arts project with a strong aspect of community engagement. The project is seeking to collect and reflect the experiences of the children whose parents have left their homeland because of war regardless what ages they are now, (such as Middle-eastern, former Yugoslavian, Latin American or any other regions or countries which comes up during through the development of the project).

This project facilitates community members to share their experiences and through the integration, develops the community understanding and tolerance.

The stories will be published and launched in late 2009. "Children of War" is funded by Arts Queensland

MAGIC Book Launch

GC MAGIC launched another book Saturday 19^th December, 2009 to a packed hall at Robina Town Centre. This was the "Children of War", the second book in the series on migrant experiences.

This event was the last official one in MAGIC's calendar in 2009.

Events in 2008

Migrant Literature

The Migrant Literature idea was cultivated in 2007 aims at to collect unheard stories of migrants to the public's attention. The main aim of the Migrant Literature is community integration.

"Self Expression through Story-telling" with "Undulating" publication

"Undulating" is an outcome of "Self-Expression through Story-telling" project which was submitted by GC MAGIC and funded by Queensland Government - Gambling Community Benefit Funds.

"Undulating" publication is collected stories of CALD seniors on the Gold Coast. The story-tellers have shared their incredible experiences and achievements through embracing new land, love, complexities, passions, torment and much more.

The book "Undulating" accompany with enlarged photos of the storytellers was launched on Friday the 15^th of August 2008 in the Chambers of the Gold Coast Council. (write us an e-mail if you want to see the photos)

The production team of the project is:

• Nasrin Vaziri - Project Manager
• Elga Kennis - Author
• Kristina Kala - Page and Book Coverage Designer
• Yvette Barta - Editor
• Aldwyn Altuney - Photographer

For more information & purchasing the book contact us via E-mail

Artists in Paradise

Gold Coast MAGIC formed a new local visual art group. The Group was launched on 6^th November 2008 at the Chambers of the Gold Coast City Council through exhibiting 22 artworks by the registered artists.

Approximately 700 people visited the exhibition which was continued to 14^th November.

The Launched was funded by Regional Arts Development Fund.

The Group aims at bringing new artistic movements by holding technical workshops and annual themed exhibition.

Gold Coast Multicultural Festival

Gold Cost MAGIC was appointed by the Gold Coast City Council to provide a series of artistic workshops for the opening of Gold Coast Multicultural Festival which was held on 7^th November 2008 at Carrara stadium. The workshops were very well received by the public and more than 240 people participated in different workshops activities. (We don't have any photos of the event, so, please submit if you have any)

Sponsorship:

Australian-Baltic Friendship Concert

Australian-Baltic Society's event was held on 12^th November 2008. The events combined of dance, music, graft shows and food fair and more than 600 people participated at the event.

Persian Nowruz

GC MAGIC sponsored Nowruz event which is the most important feast and over 6000 years old among Persians, Kurds, Afghans, and Tajiks.

The event was held on 18^th March 2008 at the Albert Waters Ways Community Hall with more than 600 Persian and Non-Persian people participating.

Char-Shanbeh Soory

"Char-Shanbeh" means Wednesday and "Soory" means feast in Persian and people celebrate on the eve before the last Wednesday of the year by setting fire.

They believe that fire is the symbol of the lightness so it's against the darkness. People have an interesting opinion; they believe when they are jumping over a bonfire the lightness of the fire can eliminate their sorrow and grieves and it helps them to pass through the hardships of winter.

MAGIC has held a one-off project by Arts Queensland-Creative Communities that Persians on the Gold Coast celebrated their new year "Noe-Rooz" and "Chahar-Shanbeh-Soori" which is the oldest feast on earth in 16^th of March at Bicentennial Community Hall.

Gold Coast Multicultural Festival

Gold Coast MAGIC was appointed by the Gold Coast City Council to provide a series of artistic workshops for the opening of the Gold Coast Multicultural Festival which was held on 7^th November 2008 at Carrara stadium.

The workshops were very well received by the public and more than 240 people participated in different workshops activities.

Projects in 2007

The idea for the Quilt of Diversity projects was initiated in 2004 based on the shortage of community group artworks on the Gold Coast.

A workshop project funded by Regional Arts Development Funds (RADF) was arranged and ten local emerging artists were trained in the process of hand-making tiled under the supervision of Midge Johansen, a local professional ceramic artist and teacher.

In 2006, an application was granted by Arts Queensland for construction of the artwork - the Quilt.

The project was divided into design, fabrication and installation phases. Participating artists collaborated to produce the artwork which was then tiled, grouted and installed on site by builder, Marcus Johansen.

After extensive consultation with Gold Coast City Council staff, Brecknock Consulting and Friends of Botanic Gardens for developing a pattern of the artwork for the sensory garden, a design, a design prepared by Midge Johansen was selected. Prime consideration was given to the boundaries and criteria set by Artwork Brief for Sensory Garden dated March 2007 prepared by Brecknock Consulting - the Master Art Planner for the Sensory Garden as well as keeping the objectives of the project.

The artwork consists of a mosaic made up of 699 hand-made ceramic tiles with no dangerous objects or entrapment issues while the texture of the tile is more related to a visual piece of art. The design and pattern of the artwork aims to create a harmonious relationship with its immediate environment as it can be considered to be a part of the Garden instead of a foreign object.

Project Manager: Nasrin Vaziri
Leading Artist: Midge Johansen
Pattern Design: Midge Johansen
Participating Artists: Yvette Barta, Draghitza Diaz, Sadaf Vaziri, Kristina Kala, Idwyn Altuney, Marcus Johansen
Project Photography: Nasrin Vaziri & Midge Johansen.

Projects in 2006

Artistic Database was an initiate project of Gold Coast MAGIC in 2006. The Database mainly targeted artists and art workers from culturally and linguistically diverse background who are scattered and less visible in the community as well as all artists who are out of this frame.

The aim of the project is to identify artists, their skills and abilities to facilitate them with a skills development plan link them with the local events and from groups for future projects.

Projects in 2004 & 2005

In 2004, GC MAGIC held three major projects which were:

• "Festival of Diversity", funded by Multicultural Assistance Program - Arts Queensland
• "A window to the Diversity of Art" by Arts Queensland
• "Self-Expression through Arts" by Gold Coast City Council - Regional Arts Development Funds (RADF)

All projects were designed by Nasrin Vaziri (Sadegh-Vaziri).

For 2005, GC MAGIC held "Expression of Diversity" project. The project was a series of ceramic workshops which was funded by Gold Coast City Council - Regional Arts Development Funds (RADF). The project was an initial step to prepare participants for a collaborative at work planned for the Gold Coast Botanical Gardens.

Our focus for 2006 was established a database, particularly for artists with cultural and linguistically diverse background on the Gold Coast. This project was funded by the Gambling Community Benefit Funds - Queensland Government.

Projects in 2003

Similar to previous year, GC MAGIC held two major projects in 2003: including "Cultural Fiesta 2003" and "Diverse Wome's Voices". "Cultural Fiesta 2003" was a combination of community music concerts, two seminars and art exhibition and was funded by Multicultural Affairs Queensland . "Diverse Women's Voices" was funded by Community Cultural Development Board in Australia Council for the Arts and Arts Queensland . The project aimed at professional development of creating writing for those CALD women who participated in the previous writing project "Multicultural Women's Voices" and publishing their stories. The project were designed by Nasrin Vaziri (Sadegh- Vaziri).

Projects in 2001 & 2002

In 2001, the group was funded for "Cultural Fiesta" by Arts Queensland - Creative Communities . The idea of Cultural Fiesta was to showcase the richness and diversity of culture on the Gold Coast. The fiesta consisted of 3 artistic workshops, an entertainment events & a visual art exhibition. The project was designed by Nasrin Vaziri (Sadegh-Vaziri).

In 2002, GC MAGIC held two major projects: "Cultural Fiesta 2002" from Multicultural Affairs Queensland and "Multicultural Women's Voices" from Australia Council for the Arts . The "Cultural Fiesta" consisted of 4 community events, a seminar a visual art exhibition. The projects were design by Nasrin Vaziri (Sadegh-Vaziri).