Step into a world of creativity and craftsmanship with the 2024 New England Garden Festival ARTisan Trail. From delicate pottery to intricate jewellery, there will be something to captivate all art-lovers as the New England Garden Festival (NEGF) brings this new innovation to life.
The NEGF ARTisan Trail is an initiative to connect local artists with the community around them. Expressions of interest are currently being sort from artists in the Armidale, Guyra and Uralla communities to showcase their work, engage with fellow artists and the community, as well as contributing to NEGFs fund raising efforts for Can Assist.
“I must say that we have spoken to a lot of artists locally and they’re really excited by the opportunity to have interested community members visit them, talk about what they do and showcase their work,” said Lou Forsythe, New England Garden Festival Committee member.
“Expressions of interest are now open, and artists of all genres can access further information and the application form from our website.”
“(The committee) believes that all local artists should have the opportunity to showcase their talent. Our region has so much to offer, so let’s all get behind the New England Garden Festival Artisan Trail and deliver some exciting artisans that live and thrive in our region.”
Following the huge success of last year’s inaugural Garden Festival, which raised over $24,000 for local Can Assist groups, the committee have been looking for new ways to engage with the creative talent of the area. This innovative addition to the NEGF builds on the Open Garden Trail by providing an open studio trail for the community to meet with and learn from local artists.
Local artist’s will have the opportunity to open their studios to the public during the last week of October, from Saturday October 26th to Friday 1st November, with the NEGF to follow on Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd November.
This is an excellent opportunity for locals to immerse themselves in the diversity of colours and textures of each individual artist’s style. It also opens a unique opportunity to engage with the artists and learn about their techniques, inspirations and the stories behind the artists’ work.
For the artists, a meet and greet event will be held on the weekend prior to the start of the ARTisan Trail. The aim of this event is to familiarise artists with each other’s work and will be a great way to meet and talk to like-minded artists.
Artists are encouraged to take advantage of the spirit of the trail by making available their original artwork, prints and related merchandise for sale. Artists are also encouraged to engage with their captive audience by holding an Artist Talk event during the week.
There are limited numbers so artists are encouraged to apply as soon as they can. Expressions of interest close Sunday 21 July 2024. More information, including the EOI Form, can be found on the NEGF ARTisan Trail web page, or on the NEGF Facebook page.
The NEGF ARTisan Trail will be a celebration of skill, passion and the joy of bringing beauty into the world!
Like what you’re reading? Support The New England Times by making a small donation today and help us keep delivering local news paywall-free. Donate now.