Details

Last Updated: Thursday, 31 August 2023 14:23

Published: Thursday, 31 August 2023 14:18

North State School Year 6 students’ artwork highlighting the connections between Toowoomba and our Japanese Sister City of Takatsuki will feature prominently in an annual arts fair in Japan in November.

Toowoomba Region Mayor Geoff McDonald today (August 31, 2023) inspected the 2.5 metre by 3.5 metre canvas, pictured, which will be entered in the Takatsuki Art Festival. The festival is honouring Takatsuki’s 80th anniversary of its declaration as a city.

Mayor McDonald said the North State School entry used the theme of ‘connections’ by depicting eucalypt leaves and a cherry blossom tree, which are joined by one of the bridges from Toowoomba’s Japanese Garden (Ju Raku En – enjoy peace and longevity in a public place).

The canvas also contains the Japanese symbol for 80 and the Milky Way constellation with 80 stars reaching between the two countries. Australian and Japanese animals are featured, in addition to Japan’s Mt Fuji.

“North State School’s Year 6 students have neatly combined images that are symbolic of our two countries,” Mayor McDonald said.

“The students and teachers can be proud of the canvas that will join many others at the ‘Large Scale Artworks Exhibition at the Arcade’ that is part of the Takatsuki Art Festival.

“Takatsuki is evolving as an art city and the Takatsuki Art Festival continues to stimulate community interest in art activities, while nurturing the talents of their young artists.

“I’m pleased to see North State School flying the flag for the Toowoomba Region’s international cultural relations with Takatsuki this year.”

The Toowoomba Anglican School and the Toowoomba Art Society Junior class entered an artwork in the 2018 Takatsuki Art Festival, while Highfields State School entered the 2019 festival.

Oakey State School’s 2021 entry won the ‘Full of Dreams’ judges’ commendation award before Gowrie State School entered the 2022 competition.

A formal Sister City agreement between Toowoomba and Takatsuki officially was established on November 13, 1991.

The Declaration of Friendship agrees to deepen the relationship through mutually beneficial exchanges in the educational, cultural, sporting and commercial arenas.

Toowoomba and Takatsuki have enjoyed a highly active relationship with many exchanges occurring over the years, including student study tour exchanges.

Takatsuki, with a population of 355,000 people, is located halfway between Osaka and Kyoto in the southern section of the Honshu Island of Japan.

Caption: From North State School to Takatsuki: Toowoomba Region Mayor Geoff McDonald admires the Takatsuki Art Festival entry created by the school’s Year 6 art students and overseen by Year 6 teacher Heather McCarthy.