A super-charged celebration of science and arts will capture Queensland’s collective imagination when World Science Festival Brisbane returns in March for its third instalment.
Minister for Science and Minister for the Arts Leeanne Enoch said that with some of the world’s greatest scientific minds featured in this year’s program, and with free science activities on offer for the whole family, the 2018 festival was set to shine.
“Since it started in 2016, World Science Festival Brisbane has kept Queenslanders enthralled with extraordinary presentations and attractions featuring some of the most respected and entertaining scientists on the planet,” Ms Enoch said.
“The Queensland Government is proud to support this world-class festival that takes science out of laboratories and onto the streets.
“This year’s program demonstrates the intersection of art and science with its centrepiece presentation, the world premiere of Close Encounters of the Third Kind in Concert, which celebrates the 40th anniversary of Steven Spielberg’s classic sci-fi masterpiece.
“The program will also see the return of the wildly popular turtle Hatchery and two days of free Street Science! activities. In addition, a lens will be taken to the ‘cool jobs’ of science, and in a timely nod to the Commonwealth Games, an expert panel will discuss the role of science in the ongoing quest for sporting greatness.
“World Science Festival Brisbane continues to be an important platform for our Advance Queensland agenda, highlighting the jobs of tomorrow and the creative thinking that’s essential to embracing the challenges and opportunities the future holds.”
The festival will transform the South Bank Cultural Precinct from 21-25 March, and will again travel to regional centres throughout the month, including Chinchilla, Gladstone, Toowoomba, Townsville, and, for the first time, Ipswich.
Minister for Innovation and Tourism Industry Development Kate Jones said that last year’s festival drew a total attendance of 182,000 and injected more than $7 million dollars into the Queensland economy.
“Attendance numbers for last year’s festival helped solidify World Science Festival Brisbane as a major event on our state’s cultural tourism calendar,” Ms Jones said.
“It helped Queensland Museum achieve record visitor numbers to its South Bank home in 2017, and I’m delighted to note the museum looks set to once again be Australia’s most-visited museum, with a record-breaking 2.31 million people enjoying its events, exhibitions and attractions last year.”
Queensland Museum Acting CEO Dr Jim Thompson said World Science Festival Brisbane was an important showcase for STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) learning.
“Our World Science Festival Brisbane team look forward to engaging children, teens and adults in the world of STEM and communicating its impact on our lives,” Dr Thompson said.
With the 2018 festival focusing on the theme of ‘humanity’, this year’s line-up features some of best scientific thinkers in the world today, including:
- The return of World Science Festival co-founder Professor Brian Greene
- NASA senior scientist Dr Jennifer Wiseman
- Maths sensation and recently announced 2018 Australian Local Hero Eddie Woo
- Two Australian of the Year recipients: Professor Alan Mackay-Sim and Dr Fiona Wood
For more information and details on the regional program, visit worldsciencefestival.com.au