Costume designer and cinematographer take home bursaries

This budding young actor, playwright, dancer, singer and gymnast has a passion for costume design – in fact, he has his own brand “Baden Day Theatrics and Design”.

Over the last six years he has made more than 50 costumes.

Baden is the MECC’s Jack Sturgeon Bursary recipient for 2024. He was awarded the bursary at a special morning tea today (Wednesday, December 13).

Mayor Greg Williamson said Baden was a tremendous example of a young person who was emersed in the performing arts.

“Baden has been a member of Mackay Musical Comedy Players since he was 11 and he has actually written an original work, Rise of Hook, which received two awards at the North Queensland Townsville Festival of One-Act Plays,” Mayor Williamson said.

Also presented with a bursary, for $3000, at the morning tea was the winner of the 2024 Artspace Mackay Foundation Bursary, Georgia Farlow.

“Georgia is an emerging cinematographer, director and production designer who is determined to bring a fresh approach to storytelling to the screen,” Mayor Williamson said.

“She is currently studying her second year of a Bachelor of Film and Screen Media Production at Griffith University’s Queensland College of Art, Brisbane,” he said.

“Despite still studying, Georgia has almost a dozen production credits in her portfolio and has won seven art awards including the Woollam Mackay Art on Show Award for emerging artists for the last two years.”

Judges for the Artspace Foundation Bursary also awarded a $1000 Highly Commended prize to Emma Reginato.

Emma is completing her first year of a Bachelor of Visual Arts at Griffith University and aspires to be a secondary art teacher and has moved to Brisbane to pursue studies towards this career.

She is exploring textiles and painting in her emerging arts practice and will use the 2024 bursary prize to purchase art materials for future masterpieces.

The Artspace Mackay Foundation Bursary is a $3000 bursary for tertiary students currently studying visual or creative arts.

Artspace director Tracey Heathwood said this bursary was geared towards visual arts students looking to take their tertiary study to the next level.

The MECC’s $1000 bursary, which is named in honour of the co-founder of the Mackay Musical Comedy Players and life-long supporter of the arts, Jack Sturgeon, is for school graduates applying to study performing arts.