Arts program prepares to return

CREATIVES across the region are busily preparing for the return of Bendigo Open Studios on the Labour Day long weekend.

The 12 to 14 March event follows the program’s inaugural season last year, which committee member Ian Dodd said was well received by artists and attendees alike.

“The artists that were involved last year were all very excited about the event because it had never been done before in Bendigo,” he said.

“They were very pleased with the results, to the point where we have just about doubled our numbers this year. We’ve got pretty close to 40 artists this time.”

Mr Dodd, who also operates Studio Meraki, launched the program after he moved to the region two years ago and wanted to meet new creatives.

“We couldn’t do anything because of COVID so I got online and found a group called Bendarts. I posted ‘has Bendigo ever had an open studio?’ and that’s how it started,” he said.

“It went crazy, I had 40 odd responses within a day.”

With the pandemic creating significant challenges for the arts community, Mr Dodd said he was keen to again show off different and thriving creativity in the region during the upcoming event.

“It’s been very difficult because you haven’t been able to have people come to your studio and look at art or have art exhibitions because of COVID,” he said.

“The artists themselves are very keen for it because we work in our own studios doing our own thing and then we try and sell our pieces somewhere, but this gives an opportunity for people to come and see what we actually do.

“It’s good for people to see those processes and how it all happens.”

To keep up to date, visit bendigoopenstudios.org or search Bendigo Open Studios on Facebook and Instagram.