Big things come from small canvases

The theme for the third annual Pyrmont Art Festival may be ‘small is beautiful’ but the event is already shaping up to be huge in every other way.
All Sydneysiders are invited to get creative using just a 30cm2 canvas and a limitless imagination in a successful initiative which is seeing Festival organiser Lesley Dimmick running out of canvases to sell.
Ms Dimmick said the idea behind giving entrants a small canvas for $20 is to make the event inclusive for everybody.
“It was just basically to make it easy for everybody, so that everybody can be involved.
“It’s inclusive, so it could be a professional artist or it could be a child, it’s just a small painting.  It’s outside and approachable to everybody, and also affordable to everybody,” she said.
While some sell their submissions for up to $2000, others use the opportunity to pick up a paintbrush for the first time.
Ms Dimmick said the festival raised a lot of money in previous years and she is expecting the same this year.
The event, held on May 3 in Union Square, will also feature live music and street performers such as stilt walkers.
Submissions close Friday April 24. Canvases can be purchased from Tap Gallery on Palmer Street in Darlinghurst.