Gisborne Boys’ High School art students enhance Longline Classic stage with vibrant designs

GBHS art teacher Brett Summerlee and Year 10 art student AJ Kinsella paint the centrepiece of the artwork for the stage at The Longline Classic.

Art students at Gisborne Boys’ High School are putting the finishing touches on artwork that will soon decorate the main stage at the upcoming one-day music festival The Longline Classic.

The design is based around a central sun with waves painted in bright colours on the two side panels which will frame the top of the stage.

“We’ve had a bit more time to spend on the art this year whereas last year we had to produce 30 large panels,” said GBHS art teacher Brett Summerlee, who is in charge of the project.

The colourful panels produced last year will be brought out again this year and installed around the site at the Gisborne Soundshell. The stage artwork fits with the style and design of last year’s art.

Festival directors Kurt Barker and James Bristow, both former students at Gisborne Boys’ High School, are happy to be involving the school in the art activation again this year.

“It’s pretty cool for the kids to see their artwork being used and enjoyed at a real event,” Bristow says.

“We are hoping to get the students down to the venue for soundcheck so they can see the likes of Tiki Taane and Scribe perform on the stage they helped create, and hopefully inspire them to work in the music and arts industry,” says Barker.

Bristow and Barker are stoked with this year’s line-up which also includes Daily J, Che Fu, Soaked Oats and Messie.

Messie is a Gisborne DJ who hit the big time when she played at Glastonbury in the UK in June this year.

This will be the fourth Longline Classic to be held in Gisborne and it is close to selling out. As the festival continues to grow in popularity, it is fast becoming a not-to-be-missed event on the Labour weekend calendar.

■ Final release tickets are still available via www.thelonglineclassic.co.nz.