Sparking radical hope | Supporting the return of Horizon

Amplifying arts across the Sunshine Coast

Horizon returned in 2025, a 10-day multi-arts festival that transformed the Sunshine Coast into a living canvas of creativity, culture, and connection.

Re-emerging with a bold new identity, a new Artistic Director, and a powerful theme of Radical Hope, Horizon invited audiences across the country to explore art as both rebellion and renewal: a chance to gather, reflect, and reimagine the future together.

Aruga was tasked with emphatically announcing Horizon’s return by delivering a national public relations campaign that captured the festival’s scale, spirit, and creative evolution. Our goal was to spark national curiosity, spotlight the festival’s exciting new direction, and invite audiences across Australia to discover – and rediscover – Horizon through the lens of Radical Hope.

Over four months of storytelling – from the program launch to artist profiles and curated events coverage – Aruga successfully generated national media buzz, built cultural credibility and reinforced Horizon’s position as one of Australia’s most exciting contemporary arts festivals.

Results

30

editorial clippings

2.68M

potential audience reach

100%

positive sentiment across all editorial coverage

$16M

in economic benefit

6,798

creatives employed

319,192

attendees

2

wins at the Australian Event Awards, including Best Regional Event

Deliverables

National Public Relations Strategy

Delivered a national PR strategy to generate national awareness, aligned with key program milestones and feature artists.

Media Material Development

Created media-ready content, including a media release, event listing copy, and pitch notes that communicated Horizon’s refreshed creative direction and 2025 highlights.

Earned Media Relations

Managed media outreach including tailored pitching, facilitating famil opportunities, monitoring coverage, and revising approach as required.

Winning Tactics

Phased Campaign Rollout

Aruga segmented its PR activity into long, mid and short-lead phases to align with program milestones and media lead times. This approach allowed us to build momentum, maintain interest and ensure timely coverage.

Tailored Pitching

Aruga executed tailored media outreach, aligning angles to publications to maximise cut-through and audience relevance.

Responsive Campaign Management

Aruga monitored media feedback and campaign performance in real-time, refining angles and adjusting outreach to capitalise on emerging opportunities and maintain campaign momentum.

Tailored Reviewer Experiences

Aruga invited Brisbane-based media reviewers to attend the festival, providing a tailored itinerary based on their interests. This enabled us to secure fantastic drive market coverage.