Supersense: Festival of the Ecstatic

Artistic associate Sophia Brous has curated an arts festival that is set to transcend generations.

Supersense is a new festival that will explore the various forms of performance and visual arts in a very spiritual and secular way.

“It’s a festival of ecstatic performance, which means it’s something that explores the many different ways, in performance, we seek out ecstatic and transformative experiences,” Ms Brous said.

“I was interested in what it is we look for in ecstatic and transformative settings, what is it that we are trying to experience in our own ways, and what is the cumulative impact when you bring those things together.”

What makes Supersense unlike other arts festivals is its cross-generational appeal and incredibly rare scope of artists.

“It’s the first year, so I think the line-up itself is unique. We’re bringing together things that transcend generation, time, genre, style and medium. So it’s a cross-disciplinary festival that brings together a lot of different works that are sacred, traditional and ritual based, but also contemporary and current,” she said.

“I wanted to do something that, in the long-term, would have a profound impact on people’s lives and allow for tremendous experiences, but also learn things about each other through what we see as those spiritual, sacred and unique experiences.”

Supersense will take place over the second weekend in August at the Arts Centre, which Ms Brous considers to be the perfect venue.

“I wanted to do something that had a sense of containment and create an altar; like a precious, contained, metamorphosis base that could be contained and we could have a sense of being encased in an experience,” she said.

Ms Brous has big aspirations for Supersense in the years to come and aims to include families in this one-of-a-kind arts experience.

“In the long-term, I want it to be more participative and have more activities for kids and families. I really believe in inclusion because ecstatic experience is universal and it should be something that is experienced by all,” she said.