1996 Art is...
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Festival Manager: Carolynne Hamdorf
© Art Is Festival 2015. Site Design by Davpat Designs and Studio 8 Design 
The 'Art is... festival' was launched in March 1996. Its intention was to bring together the disparate cultural and social groups of the Horsham region into one focussed and celebratory event. The theme for the festival would be open-ended and encourage participation and inclusiveness and broaden the public's perceptions and experiences of what art is.
The first Art is... festival provided an opportunity for bands, performers and special interest groups to come together at the Horsham Botanic Gardens for a day of festive entertainment. The program rolled out over ten days and had small allocation of federal funding to facilitate the promotion and presentation of the event. Local arts organisations and groups were encouraged to input programming under the festival umbrella and this model has remained part of the festival focus in successive years.
Since 1996, the Art is... festival has grown in status, sophistication and diversity. The success of the festival has provided a developmental framework for new arts events and activities to operate from. It has helped establish a degree of critical mass in the arts, and has also been conscious in its efforts to develop and facilitate real partnerships and cultural links. The formation of close ties with Horsham Rural City Council, local business and government partners has seen the festival grow in maturity to deliver changing, evolving and exciting programs.
The first year saw the start of the development a core group of community-minded people commit to the festival to ensure opportunities, experiences and explorations were provided to those who lived in our region.