Bleach* Surfing The Fringe

Bleach* Surfing the Fringe festival will appear across the streets and foreshores of the Southern Gold Coast’s most famous locations from 11 to 26 February. The Gold Coast's inaugural surf culture festival will host over 55 art and photography installations, film screenings, music, talks, fashion, theatre and food events all targeted to represent aspects of surf lifestyle.

Pop Up Bleach* will be a series of unique art 'pop up' exhibitions housed in shipping containers peppered across shops, galleries, beaches and landmarks. You will be able to see exhibitions by photographers and artists such as ASL Senior Photographers Ted Grambeau and Trent Mitchell, Peter “Joli” Wilson, Duncan Macfarlane, Sean Scott, Shelli Bankier, Joel Rhea, Brad Payne, Jae Copp, Albe Falzon, Dick Hoole and Claudio Kirac plus many more.

You've seen Ted Grambeau's surf photography grace the pages of ASL and other magazines, but when he's not shooting galleries of Gold Coast surf for ASL, Ted likes to explore other aspects to his photography, like this image from his book The Surfer And The Mermaid.

"The shipping containers are raw and industrial looking, but they are also weather proof and secure,” said Festival Artistic Director Louise Bezzina. “I wanted the art to be on display as close to the beach as possible, particularly given that the art work was inspired by the beach and surfing culture, and the shipping containers will allow us to do that."

Gold Coast-based artist Claudio Kirac works in mutiple media and has produced many iconic artworks and designs for Billabong and Von Zipper.

But more than art and photography, there’s a hefty offering of live music, film and street markets.

Bleach* Street will open the festival with a free street party that will take over Currumbin's Tomewin St on Saturday 11th February with vibrant art displays, markets stalls and a licensed area. Bleach* opening festivities will spill over from Bleach* Street to Coolangatta’s Never Land Bar with everyone’s favourite surf punksters, Goons of Doom, and an art installation in nearby Comb Artspace by the Goon’s frontman, pro surfer and artist Ozzie Wright.

But the music isn’t just limited to the Bleach* sites - The Bleach* Travelling Music Truck can appear anytime, anywhere and with any band, so keep your ears peeled and eyes open. This guerilla-style music concert series will feature the best live music acts, bringing the ultimate summer beachside concerts to a shore near you.

Keep up to date with announcements of new movements of the Travelling Music Truck on the Bleach* Facebook page, or on the Bleach* festival website.

A full listing of musical acts and films can be found at www.bleachfestival.com.au