HOTA – The Cultural Hub of the Gold Coast
HOTA, Home of the Arts (Gold Coast, Queensland) started 2021 with a splash, as we welcomed more than 13,000 people to the precinct over a 7–day period in January to Scoop! our first ever ice cream and circus festival, cinema screenings and sold–out comedy shows.
Over three days more than 6,200 people attended Scoop! enjoying ice-cream, a spin on the giant Ferris wheel and live performances by some of our best nationally respected circus companies. More than 120 artists were involved, and we were proud to commission new works from Circa, Flipside Circus and Company 2.
Scoop!
With a sense of optimism for the year ahead, we were delighted to be able to turn off the ghost light in our theatre, thanks to our audiences who have unfailingly supported our covid-safe measures. We are now back operating at 100% capacity with artists including Urzila Carlson, Odette and Julia Morris booked to perform indoors in the next few months.
Live music remains a key part of our programming this year with the continuation of low–cost family friendly concerts at our award–winning Outdoor Stage, local musicians performing at our weekly Fridays on the Lawn sessions and as borders re–open we welcome back national and international touring artists with concerts by Amy Shark, 5 Seconds of Summer, UB40 and L.A.B booked to play at our Outdoor Stage this year.
Amy Shark
L.A.B
2021 also sees the return of two annual festivals which were cancelled last year due to Covid: GC Laughs, the Gold Coast’s own comedy festival in March; and the much–anticipated return of the Gold Coast Film Festival in April.
The Gold Coast has an ever-growing, dynamic dance sector but there are few development or presentation platforms for professional contemporary dance in our region. As part of our commitment to supporting local artists we’re delighted to welcome two new Home Companies early this year: Supercell and Everybody NOW. These partnerships are a key part of our ambition to grow the Gold Coast as a hub where you can create, experience and engage with outstanding contemporary dance.
This year we also continue our partnership with Griffith University for the In Conversations series with legendary journalist Kerry O’Brien. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk was the first to step onto the stage this year, to be followed by further significant thought leaders across the year.
As we continue to evolve and grow our national and international reputation and remit, our partnerships with major cultural institutions, festivals and arts leaders continues to strengthen through partnerships with the National Gallery of Australia, Queensland Ballet, Brisbane Festival, National Portrait Gallery (UK) and Vitra Design Museum (Germany).
On 8 May, we will open the brand new A$60.5m HOTA Gallery, the biggest and brightest art gallery the Gold Coast has ever seen. HOTA Gallery will feature Australian exclusives, celebrations of Queensland artists, a dedicated Children’s Gallery, special events, artist talks, education programmes and never-before-seen works from the A$32m City Collection.
HOTA Gallery
In the first two years HOTA Gallery will host three major international exhibitions that are Australian exclusives and only able to be seen on the Gold Coast, including a real coup for the Gold Coast Contemporary Masters from New York: Art from the Mugrabi Collection featuring art by internationally acclaimed artists including Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, Richard Prince and Jeff Koons.
HOTA, Home of the Arts is leading the cultural revolution on the Gold Coast and the addition of the HOTA Gallery to the HOTA precinct, which already features two theatres, an outdoor stage, two cinemas, parklands, a lake and a café, is another big milestone as we become a must visit cultural destination.