In March Chroma donated paints to the Sydney Grammar School to paint construction hoardings being used around major construction work taking place within the school. The painting festival idea was developed to create a sense of community by bringing the boys together through art making, to raise money for the charity, Doctors without Borders and to celebrate a new era in the schools development with the construction of a major building.

The school was thrilled with the quantity and quality of paint Chroma made available to them at short notice. Teachers, parents and students were wonderfully delighted with the sense of excitement and creativity apparent in the playground over the 2 lunchtimes when the painting took place. The school was also gratified to raise a very good sum of money for their chosen charity.

In the spirit of contemporary art, the focus for Sydney Grammar has been on the memory and documentation of the Painting Festival rather than the physical outcome. As it turned out, the weather turned foul, having deleterious effects on the paintings before they could be sheltered or protected. The organizers mentioned that acknowledgment of the events’ transience is a more fitting position for the works’ spontaneity, excellent as they were, then endless glorification of the paintings.

The fact that, artistic creativity was the focus of community involvement and raised feelings of esteem for the school, and which developed relationships within the school, was really gratifying for the prefects, who put the event together really quickly