Hide and Seek Festival 2024
Discover the hidden gems of Moorabool Shire
Moorabool Shire Council is presenting Hide + Seek Festival 2024. The inaugural event in 2022, winner of the National Award for Local Government Creativity and Culture, is returning with a program of music, art, food, and entertaining delights for all ages. Discover the hidden gems our regional towns offer, wander through arts trails and savour the local produce and historic buildings. Hide + Seek will provide exposure to Moorabool Shire’s landscape, growers, artists, makers, spaces, and places. The role of Moorabool Shire is to provide overarching brand and marketing for the festival.
When: Saturday 2 November - Sunday 10 November 2024
Where: Activities can happen anywhere in the Shire with some focused events taking place in the towns of Bacchus Marsh, Ballan, Blackwood, and Gordon.
What: Program will be announced soon. EOIs now open.
Expressions of interest to be involved!
We are seeking expressions of interest (EOI) from food producers, artists and businesses to get involved with Hide + Seek Festival. This EOI is for two types of participation; (1) Pitch us your creative idea! and (2) Local Business / Space or Venue Contribution. Pitch your idea now - we're listening!
Click here to submit your expression of interest. EOIs close midnight 2 June 2024.
Pitch us your creative idea
Have an idea but not sure where it can go or how it can be executed? Follow this path to get involved. All mediums, practices, visions big and small are welcome and EVERYONE is encouraged to apply to be part of the umbrella of creativity and discovery. Ideas that celebrate agritourism offerings, food and wine, live music, visual arts, film, projections, poetry, busking, spoken word, literature, ceramics and textiles, EVERYONE is welcome and EVERTHING will be considered. Moorabool Shire Council will act as an enabler to assist you to produce and participate.
Examples could include: long lunches with local produce, live music in playful spaces, celebration of heritage and history and an open studio trail.
Local Business / Space or Venue Contribution
Do you have a business, space or venue that can support an activation? Perhaps you are already running an event and would like to enhance its profile, expand its reach or try a new offering? Maybe you have a blank wall crying out for beautification or a unique site that could host something unconventional? Moorabool Shire Council will act as an enabler to assist locals to produce their own events.
Examples could include; sipping and painting, local farming spaces old and new, live streaming a mural being painted on your business wall, collaboration with other businesses or venues to offer something out of the typical business day or a historical walk and talk of farming over the decades.
FAQs
I have an idea, but I don’t know how much it will cost to do, can I still apply?
Yes, if you have an idea only at this point, please apply! The Arts and Economic Development Team will consider what can be offered to support or guide you and then we can reach out to you to discuss in more detail. We love and welcome all ideas big and small.
I own a business that has a usable space and would like to offer it for artist use, but I don’t know anyone, and I’m unsure what’s involved, can I still apply?
Yes, that’s perfect! We can help connect you with potential artists that could use their ideas suitable for your space. Apply now and explain what you have in mind, add photos of your space, the surface and dimensions and location. A team member will talk to you further.
Is Moorabool Shire Council offering any financial support?
Partial financial support may be available in some cases to assist with enhancing activations or to help leverage partnership opportunities. Council will assume marketing of events under the Hide + Seek Festival umbrella and provide support to organisations to apply for grants or funding from third parties.
Council may be able to co-invest where needed or appropriate and is able to investigate co-partnership between artists and business.
I would like to understand if my idea is viable and if it’s something Moorabool Shire Council would consider, can I talk to someone about this first?
Yes, we would be pleased to discuss your idea with you, please call 5366 7100 in the first instance and a member of the team will be in touch. Or you can contact us via email arts@moorabool.vic.gov.au
I have an existing event happening at that time already, can it be included?
Yes! Your activity or regular event can still form part of the EOI consideration. Please provide us with the information of your activity and we will consider if this can form part of Hide + Seek 2024 and what extra assistance we may be able to offer.
I’ve never done anything like this before, I’m new to applications and I’m not sure if my idea even qualifies – should I still apply? Will there be any support in the production?
Yes! We encourage you to come out of hiding so we can seek you! The responsibility of the event/idea production and execution will remain with the applicant, however, we can talk about this later and we may be able to help you with suggestions.
Are the dates for Hide + Seek Festival (2 - 10 November) flexible?
If you are planning, for example, an exhibition or tour that is occurring in the lead up to Hide + Seek, we can discuss any potential for crossover for some of the dates, however, the dates for the festival will not change.
My band / group / collective doesn’t have all members living in Moorabool Shire, can we still apply?
Yes! While we predominantly look to support locals, we value and welcome ideas holistically, especially if you are celebrating or showcasing aspects of the shire. So don’t worry if not all members live here, it’s more important that you’re playing here!