Do you know someone who should be the ‘face of Queanbeyan’?
The search is on for the face of Queanbeyan – with the chosen person set to be immortalised through a large-scale portrait mural in the heart of the CBD.
And while the city is already spoilt for choice in terms of sporting heroes, cultural icons and community champions, it could just as easily be someone who is unknown who gets the gong.
It seems it’s all about their story and whether that story taps into the “collective distinct persona of Queanbeyan”. And it’s up to the community to tell that story.
“This is a very significant public art project and we are asking for the community to help us select the subject matter,” said Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council Program Coordinator, Place Management, Tracey Lamont.
“Think about who it is that truly represents Queanbeyan. It could be someone from the past or the present.
“It could be a grandparent, a family member, a coach, or someone else you respect in the community.
“We’d love you to share a photo of your nomination and tell us their story.”
Ms Lamont said that Queanbeyan has an impressive history of sporting heroes such as Heather McKay and Brad Haddin, who have been recognised in the naming of sporting facilities and in the Sporting Gallery Hall of Fame.
“People from Queanbeyan punch above their weight in many areas with The Australian Ballet’s Dimity Azoury hailing from Queanbeyan, along with author and poet Omar Musa, Yvonne Cuschieri who established the ACT Eden Monaro Cancer Support Group, and John Gale who started Queanbeyan’s first newspaper in 1860 and advocated Canberra as a site for the National Capital,” she said.
Author and poet Omar Musa is among Queanbeyan’s well-known faces. File photo.
“We’d love this mural to portray someone in the community who represents the diversity and culture of Queanbeyan, and it doesn’t have to be someone famous. There are just as many interesting stories from local people.
“If you can tell their story and include an image, they are in the running.”
The project is being funded through a $20,000 grant supplied under the community investments stream of the Australian Government’s Building Better Region’s Fund.
Community members have up until March 1 next year to submit an image of the face they believe best represents Queanbeyan, along with the person’s story (maximum 500 words).
The mural artist is still being chosen but the successful artist will select the winning entry and will paint the face in their style.
The mural will be painted on a wall of the Bicentennial Hall, facing towards Monaro Street.
The mural will be painted on this wall from the Bicentennial Hall. Photo: Supplied.
The chosen ‘face of Queanbeyan’ can be alive or from the past but must have been born in Queanbeyan. Anyone within the Queanbeyan-Palerang local government area as well as people that live outside the region can enter.
People can enter the competition via email or using hard copy. For more information on how to nominate the person you think best represents Queanbeyan, along with the terms and conditions, please go to: https://yourvoice.qprc.nsw.gov.au/whats-your-story-portrait-mural
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