Putting coffee, cycling and creatives into one cup  

Where do you see Ballarat cyclists after a stint in the saddle? Outside local cafes sipping coffees of course! 

So, the City of Ballarat has commissioned four local artists to create a series of limited-edition coffee cups to be distributed throughout Ballarat and Buninyong hospitality venues during the 2022 Federation University Road National Championships. 

The four artists include: 

• Freelance illustrator Anthony Mitchell 
• Contemporary artist Katie Chancellor 
• Ben Sanders, who specialises in visual word play illustrations  
• Bridget Corcoran is a mixed media artist who works in painting, collage, drawing and digital art. 

Visitors and locals alike are encouraged to try and collect all four cups by buying small coffees at participating venues. 

City of Ballarat Deputy Mayor, Cr Amy Johnson says the project promotes Ballarat’s creative industries to a wide visiting audience during the Road National Championships. 

“While we have all these visitors to Ballarat, why not pair cycling and coffee and add in our local creatives?” Cr Johnson said. 

“What better way to showcase some of our best artists than by putting their works on something locals and visitors alike use every day – coffee cups. 

“The City of Ballarat has been a major partner in the Road National Championships for the past 16 years and fantastic ideas like this really highlight this year’s AusCycling theme – “There’s more to the Road Nats than just us”. 

“Ballarat has been positioning itself as the home of cycling in Australia and hosting the Road Nats is part of the City of Ballarat’s Events Strategy to attract world class athletes to this prestigious national cycling event.     

“The championships broadcast schedule will showcase Ballarat to a massive global network through not only Australian TV channels but also an international broadcast partner in the Global Cycling Network.”  

The championships kick off with time trials at Federation University on Wednesday 12 January and Thursday 13, the criterium under lights in the Ballarat CBD on Friday 14, and finish with the road races in Buninyong on Saturday 15 and Sunday 16.    

The event will end with a bang with the Summer Sundays fireworks being held on Sunday 16 January at Lake Wendouree.