Art success

A CIVIC reception was held on Friday 21 May to celebrate the success of the inaugural South Eastern Arts Festival (SEAF).
Sponsors, supporters, committee and volunteers involved with the 10-day festival were thanked at the reception. The festival, which was held in the auditorium at St Margaret’s School, Berwick, attracted performers from all around Melbourne, with 720 music entrants and 100 visual art exhibitors.
Casey councillor Simon Curtis, representing mayor Lorraine Wreford, congratulated the committee and everyone associated with the festival.
He said the City of Casey would be proud to throw their support behind the festival for many more years to come.
Following the closure of the Dandenong Festival of Music and Art for Youth in 2009, after 62 years, a small group of volunteers, headed by Margaret Haywood and Angela Patti, campaigned to start up a festival in Berwick. They wanted to create something new, but keep the values and traditions of the old festival.
SEAF was up and running within 12months.
“The inaugural South Eastern Arts Festival was a special and historic event as it was the first official Arts Festival of its nature in Berwick,” Ms Patti said.
“SEAF offers a platform and performance opportunities for the youth in the area.”
Anyone who would like information on the festival for 2011 or who would like to support next year’s one is asked to contact Ms Patti on 0418 357 224 or email seaf.vic@gmail.com.