ONE of Ballarat\u2019s oldest suburbs will soon become a large-scale exhibition space with the return of the Soldiers Hill Artist Collective\u2019s annual ArtWalk.<\/p>\n
The initiative, which is set to run from Friday, 19 to Sunday, 28 May, will see at least 20 artists displaying their works and offering them for sale throughout 14 venues and three studios.<\/p>\n
With the event coinciding with Ballarat Heritage Festival, SHAC chair Neale Thompson said he expects this year\u2019s ArtWalk will herald a resurgence for the event.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019ll be good to get it back to what we\u2019ve been used to what with COVID and other stuff going on the last couple years,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe hope to see more people out and about and taking the opportunity to have a walk around, have a coffee, just take in the artwork in the various venues.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got three studios exhibiting at the front of their houses, which gives people the opportunity to talk to the artists which is a really important element of the walk.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve also got three new members and a couple new venues like the North Star Hotel and the North Britain Hotel this year.\u201d<\/p>\n
In a returning addition from last year, students from Macarthur Street Primary School, St Columba\u2019s School and Soldiers Hill Kindergarten are expected to participate with their own art on display.<\/p>\n
Two workshops around fibre art and botanical dying will be held at the Ballarat North Bowling Club.<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s ArtWalk is set to begin with a launch event on Friday, 19 May also at the bowling club, which all are welcome to attend.<\/p>\n
A map detailing the locations of each venue involved will be made available a few weeks before the launch, with organisers aiming for Friday, 5 May.<\/p>\n
SHAC member and former president Ian Kemp said the ArtWalk is the group\u2019s biggest event of the year.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s local artists from Soldiers Hill connecting with the local community with cafes and businesses,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we\u2019re trying to do with this is show that art belongs in communities, not just in galleries.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, to be displaying it publicly we think creates a really good vibe for people living in an area that values art in all its forms and the culture that goes with that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Judith Bryce is a foundational member of SHAC and has been involved in their Art Walk since their joint establishment seven years ago.<\/p>\n
She said she loves the social atmosphere of capturing the beauty of Soldiers Hill.<\/p>\n
\u201cSHAC has created a group of people who live in this area and we all have something in common,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat is that we like Soldiers Hill and we create art, together or separate. Some of us have forged good friendships too.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe take all of this for granted because we\u2019re in the midst of it and there are lots of old houses.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut if someone from out of town comes here from a more modern era, they\u2019re in awe of what we have.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ONE of Ballarat\u2019s oldest suburbs will soon become a large-scale exhibition space with the return of the Soldiers Hill Artist Collective\u2019s annual ArtWalk. The initiative, which is set to run from Friday, 19 to Sunday, 28 May, will see at least 20 artists displaying their works and offering them for sale throughout 14 venues and […]<\/p>\n