#MYUBERCITY with Laura Strange and Claudio Kirac
Laura Strange and Claudio Kirac are GC locals who love everything creative. Together, they live and breath creative industries and are super passionate about the growing culture on the Gold Coast. Laura is a designer with a background in brand creation and print design, Claudio’s career has spanned more than 20 years as a contemporary artist, photographer and artist.
@Uber_QLD caught up with the artistic power couple as the prepared to take the driver’s seat for #MYUBERCITY
If it’s noteworthy in the GC art scene you have played a part in it – what are some of your most notable career achievements?
We have just recently worked on an amazing project for Bleach* Festival where we have collaborated on a series of Public Art pieces that link into one project called ‘Home Sweet Home’. Check out the progress via Instagram hashtag #hsh15.
We also just collaborated through our agency, Art-Work, with the City on a spectacular conference 2970 Degrees – The Boiling Point. We rolled out some kick-arse branding for them and feel it will become a noteworthy event for the Coast.
Together with the help of Tony Hickey, we’ve also created and run St. Thomas Studio for 2 years, which has become a vibrant creative hub for local and national creatives to exhibit work. For us, this is a huge achievement as it’s given us a strong home base in the City where we can encourage, inspire others and also create our own work. We really want to nurture the GC’s creative culture through collaboration, mentorship, food, events and more.
Claudio recently sold a body of photography work to the Gold Coast City Gallery that is now on the permanent collection to be enjoyed by generations to come! Proud moments for us!
What makes you proud to call the GC home?
We love the small town vibe with the big city potential. The GC is growing and there is so much opportunity here, especially for creative entrepreneurs to make their mark. And of course we love the lifestyle, the people, our beaches and the food. There’s something magical about living coastal. Even when you’re slogging away behind a hot mac, there is always a glimpse of our days that feel like a holiday – be it a magical Autumn sunset or finding sand in the sheets.
Your top 3 Gold Coast hot-spots
The Journal – our everyday morning coffee spot. One of QLD’s best baristas works there, for real. Their manager Skinny is hilarious and always brightens our morning.
Alfred’s Apartment – Pulled pork burritos are the bomb here (Claud’s fave) and Laura can’t go past their cold press coffee and choc acai bowls. They’ve also got a rad selection of goods in-store including Claud’s own Surf/Brand.
The Cambus Wallace – Good crew and good vibes fill the walls of this joint, most nights of the week. They have an awesome cocktail list filled with Whiskey drenched creations, the BEST Espresso Martini’s and food options for a nice date night or to feed a whole crew.
Favourite GC events?
We love Bleach* and have been involved since the start. We recently did our first collaboration together for Bleach* titled Home Sweet Home this year. We’d highly recommend to everyone who hasn’t been along to Bleach* events yet to make sure you visit the festival next year.
Miami Marketta and Miami Street Food are weekly and fortnightly affairs that always prove to be enjoyable. The Marketta is filled with local makers sharing their products with the world, and the Street Food is a collation of some of the GC’s tastiest food vendors all under one roof. Beware – head in early cuz these things get PACKED.
Check out Dust Temple, The Walls, St Thomas Studio and the Arts Centre for general art and awesomeness on the coast too.
You split your time between Brisbane and the GC – how would you sum up each city?
Brisbane has the Big City vibe with all the best at your doorstep from Arts and Culture, with the Gold Coast catching up in it’s own way of Food and Lifestyle being the little brother / sister with the beauty of the Ocean thrown in for good measure!
What’s your favourite Spotify playlist?
Always a mix of the old and the new, from Bowie and Pink Floyd through to Arcade Fire and Conor Oberst – music is essential at the Studio. And sometimes there’s Britney flashbacks for good measure…
If you could choose any Uber city to visit which would you choose and why?
San Fran! The city and the coast all rolled into one, with amazing art, food, tech and history! New York was amazing and our Uber experiences there were top notch!