Amral's Trinidad Cavaliers Steel Band Brisbane Souvenir Programme Queensland Arts Council in 1974

Published by the Queensland Arts Council in 1974, this scarce souvenir programme documents the Queensland tour of Amral's Trinidad Cavaliers Steel Band, one of the best-known steel orchestras from Trinidad and Tobago during the international rise of steel pan music. Produced as part of the Queensland Arts Council's statewide touring program, the booklet records a period when international musicians were being presented to audiences throughout Brisbane and regional Queensland through one of Australia's most ambitious arts outreach networks.

Beyond documenting the visiting ensemble itself, the publication provides a unique snapshot of Queensland's cultural landscape during the mid-1970s. Contemporary statistics printed within the programme reveal the scale of Queensland Arts Council activity, recording more than 411,000 audience attendances during 1974, performances across hundreds of Queensland centres and an extensive statewide touring network that connected metropolitan and regional communities through live performance.

Of particular interest is the programme's extensive collection of local advertising, illustrations and graphic design. These advertisements, created for Brisbane and Queensland businesses of the period, now offer valuable insight into the commercial, artistic and cultural identity of 1970s Queensland. The publication functions not only as a music programme but as a primary-source document of Brisbane's visual culture, typography, Arts Council promotion, local business history and community arts development.

The booklet includes photographs of the ensemble, programme notes, performer biographies, historical information on steel band music and Queensland Arts Council material. As a result, it serves as an unusually rich record of Queensland arts administration, international cultural exchange and the presentation of multicultural performance within Australia during the 1970s.

Today, surviving examples are significant pieces of Queensland cultural ephemera, particularly for collectors of Brisbane history, Queensland performing arts, community arts movements, music memorabilia and Australian cultural heritage.

Condition: Very Good Plus.

Light handling wear and ageing consistent with use. Staples secure. Internally complete and well preserved.

Details

• Title: Amral's Trinidad Cavaliers Steel Band Souvenir Programme
• Publisher: Queensland Arts Council
• Year: 1974
• Format: Souvenir programme booklet
• Type: Performing arts ephemera
• Ensemble: Amral's Trinidad Cavaliers Steel Band
• Director: Amral Khan
• Origin: Trinidad and Tobago
• Subjects: Steel Band Music, Calypso, Caribbean Culture, Performing Arts
• Features: Performer profiles, programme notes, Queensland Arts Council information, historical essays, local advertising, illustrations and graphic design
• Historical Significance: Documents Queensland Arts Council touring activity and international cultural presentations in Queensland during 1974
• Brisbane Significance: Contains period Brisbane and Queensland commercial advertising, design work and cultural promotion material
• Category: Brisbane History, Queensland Cultural History, Performing Arts Ephemera, Music Memorabilia, Australian Cultural Heritage

Location: GRAWW01