2003 Art is... FREEDOM
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Festival Manager: Shiree Pilkington
© Art Is Festival 2015. Site Design by Davpat Designs and Studio 8 Design 
The festival opened on March 21st with an exciting multicultural celebration and expression of freedom titled "River Beat". America had just gone to war in Iraq and March 21st was International Day for the Elimination of Racism, or World Harmony Day.
Farren Branson (leader of local indigenous dance group Wallup Mara) welcomed and connected performers to Wotjobaluk Country. The audience was moved and thrilled by Brazilian Capoeira dancers, the power of Ruatau Maori Culture Group, local school children singing African songs with guest artist, Carlos Panguana, the outstanding artistic trampolining choreography executed by the Horsham Gymnastics Club trampolining team, local Irish, German, Koori and Sri Lankan performers and the gospel-style songs of freedom performed by the One Voice choir.
The Gyuto Monks of Tibet performed in River Beat, ran a series of community and schools' workshops, provided meditation sessions, created a sand mandala, played in an "international" cricket match (Tibet V Natimuk, Australia), attended an Indian feast at Dadswells Bridge, and closed the festival with a poignant dissolution ceremony with a large public procession to the river to release the "sands to the waters of the earth". Belly dancing workshops, songs from the Pacific Island region, an outdoor screening of locally made film "Lost in the Bush", Brazilian Jazz and "Closet Rockers" all contributed to the celebration of Freedom.
The very emotive short film "Dreams of Freedom" was made for the Art is... freedom festival and has gone on to be screened in film festivals across the country.