Tea cosy competition puts Miles on the map

Miles’ now famous competition featuring tea cosies made out of aircraft fabrics, mosaic, metal and even corks has been selected by Queensland Arts Council’s Ontour byrequest to tour regional Queensland.

A selection of the tea cosy entries from 2005 and 2006 Miles World Tea Cozy Making Championships will now feature in their own exhibition called M.A.I.D 4.T, which was quickly booked by arts organisations around Queensland for regional galleries and other public spaces.

Ann Gibbons, who created The World Tea Cosy Championships in 2005, said the competition and subsequent exhibition was inspired by a play, The World Bra Unclipping Championships at Garimba, which won the inaugural Australian National Dogwood Playwrights Initiative.

“The play is about a group of people who argue about the best way to put their town on the map. One of the play’s characters is ridiculed for suggesting a Tea Cosy making Championship to lift the spirits in their town,” said Ms Gibbons.

Moving Arts Into Dogwood (M.A.I.D.) in Murilla, a community cultural partnership between Miles Regional Arts Council and Murilla Shire Council, thought it was a great idea.”

“From there, we received a huge response, with tea cosies from across Australia and as far a field as Ireland, Scotland, Canada, USA, South Africa, England and New Zealand,” she said.

“The exhibition elevates the humble tea cosy to an artform in its own right: there are tea cosies made with mosaic, metal work, embroidery, appliqué, patchwork, weaving, quilting and free form fabric work.”

“Some of the tea cosies are really beautiful, with a lot of attention to detail, while others are pretty out there! I’m quite fond of Mr and Mrs T. Brewing, which is a man and woman’s face, and there’s another made entirely of corks. A tea cosy that’s a little Queensland Rail shirt and tie is pretty great too.”

Susie Bridle, Manager Ontour byrequest and Corporate Development, said Queensland Arts Council is delighted to tour M.A.I.D 4.T.

“Not only is it a fantastic exhibition, but it also shows a wonderful example of what our Local Arts Councils achieve around Queensland. QAC provides funding, advice and support to 62 Local Arts Councils around Queensland, and in a town like Miles, it’s great to provide them with some of the tools they need to go ahead and be vibrant, innovative organisation,” said Ms Bridle.

To arrange an interview, please contact Ann Gibbons on 07 46271131.