Melbourne’s Midsumma Festival has ramped up its digital coverage this year by harnessing mobile technology and media to keep punters up-to-date.
Australia’s LGBTI cultural festival has introduced an iPhone application specifically for the festival, as well as producing local television spots and radio coverage for LGBT radio station JoyFM 94.9.
The free iPhone app is the first for an Australian pride festival, highlighting the culturally progressive nature of Melbourne’s community.
It will provide the full festival program including the latest news, shows that are selling fast or sold out and maps to get around.
As a major sponsor, Telstra has also donated new Android phones to 20 employees this year to rove around the festival, capturing the highlights in photos, videos, reviews and links to be fed into the new Midsumma blog.
Midsumma General Manager Adam Lowe said Midsumma was one of the ‘strongest’ examples of queer cultural celebration in the country.
‘Yes the festival features demonstration and affirmation, at almost every turn, but it is a celebration of our ability to demonstrate and affirm our place in society,’ Lowe said.
‘The point of affirmation and demonstration is that, queers are just like any other person.
‘We all have something to say – we just say it using a multitude of different means of communication.
He said the festival was about supporting the community and showcasing the plethora of creative talent coming from Melbourne and beyond.
‘Every Midsumma is about something new, and Festival 2011 has heaps of new programming, new concepts , new partners and exciting new ventures,’ Lowe said.
‘The attendances are strong, and the last time I did seriously look at the math, 87 per cent of the 150 odd events are produced by the community, funded by the community, created by the community, as much as for the community.
‘Whether an individual’s participation is for fun or for a living, Midsumma is an important place to develop skills, an audience, a piece of creative work, a revenue, a relationship with other queer people, all such things can be achieved by participating.’
This year saw the Midsumma Carnival and T Dance events moved next to Federation Square to Birraung Marr Park in the capital’s CBD which will kick off on January 16.
Midsumma’s Pride March won’t be till February 6 but 2011’s theme will be ‘Pride Around The World’ where they will announce the inaugural King and Queen of Pride.
To find out more about the Midsumma Festival, check out www.midsumma.org.au or visit the new blog at http://midsumma.tumblr.com.
Benn Dorrington
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