Jane Howlett,Liberal Member for Prosser
I am delighted to attend on behalf of the Minister for the Arts, Elise Archer the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG) Children’s Festival opening tonight which will include five days of family fun, entertainment and learning in store for visitors.
Running until Wednesday, 17 April, TMAG is set to be transformed by the creative energy of children, with a great range of special events, displays, performances and activities on offer.
The Hodgman Liberal Government is committed to ensuring that families continue to feel welcome at TMAG which is why we have committed $1 million for the creation of a new permanent interactive children’s exhibition, opening in 2021.
This year’s festival theme, ‘EarthTime’ responds to the museum’s current family exhibition Dinosaur rEvolution, allowing visitors to explore the way the Earth and the natural world evolved.
The Children’s Festival encourages young people to actively engage with the museum, with members of the Children’s Reference Panel playing a key role in developing the program of activities.
Tonight’s opening event includes a dinosaur-themed disco, a youth circus performance from the Circus Studio and an appearance by Rosie, the life-sized Utah-Raptor.
A special feature of this year’s festival is a narrated, interactive musical for young children called Dinosaur Steps, developed by the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra in collaboration with TMAG.
The success of the Children’s Festival over the past three years shows how the museum is able to create strong and lasting connections with key audiences such as children and families.
For bookings and further program details, visit www.tmag.tas.gov.au/childrensfestival
