HISTORIC St Mary’s church in the heart of Ipswich will light up as a night time showpiece during the city’s 11-day festival starting on Thursday.
After dark, the works of some of south east Queensland’s best known artists will be projected onto the iconic façade of St Mary’s, while the church will also be open each Friday, Saturday and Sunday night for tours and prayer.
“St Mary’s was built for the people of the city,” Ipswich Catholic community priest, Franciscan friar Stephen Bliss said.
“People will see we are a welcoming church, a church of the people and demonstrating God’s love,”
SPARK Ipswich, the reimagined Ipswich Festival, is a celebration of the people, places, arts and culture of Ipswich with music, comedy, arts, exhibitions, circus, projection, culture, cabaret, technology, collaboration and discussion taking over the city from July 8-18.
Fr Bliss said he “jumped at the idea” when SPARK festival organisers approached him last year about using St Mary’s as a giant projection canvas.
Like many across the Brisbane Archdiocese he had witnessed the beauty of Brisbane’s St Stephen’s Cathedral transformed for the “Lights of Christmas” – a hugely popular light and sound projection for the whole family.
Fr Bliss said it was exciting and also fitting that Ipswich’s iconic church should be “centre stage” each night during the festival.
“St Mary’s was made for the people and by the people, using sand and rocks from the Bremer River. They built the church for the people of God and it’s the iconic building of Ipswich,” he said.
Big crowds of passers by are expected to assemble in the forecourt and watch as the church transforms into a projection canvas.
St Mary’s will be lit with candles to create “prayerful atmosphere” and people will be invited to come inside.
“We’re very proud of what’s in there,” Fr Bliss said, referring to the heritage-listed church’s stunning stained glass windows, and life-size Stations of the Cross.”
