Photo showcase moves outside the box

A PUBLIC exhibition will transform Geelong laneways into photography galleries showcasing local artists following a local snapper’s idea to liven up the city spaces.

The Geelong Laneway Outdoor Gallery will be installed next week at Minns Place and Dennys Place off Little Malop Street, encouraging local residents and visitors to wander the city’s streets for the cultural experience.

The free exhibition is the brainchild of Geelong photographer Jane Fitzgerald, who successfully pitched her idea to the City of Greater Geelong for funding through an arts COVID-19 recovery grant.

Fitzgerald said that with traditional exhibit space harder to come by following the pandemic, she had to think laterally to create more opportunities for local artists.

“I’m a photographer too, and it’s difficult to exhibit anywhere; there’s backlogs from COVID when everything was closed.

“Galleries are booked over a year in advance, so it’s really hard for photographers to show their work.

“I was noticing wall the murals going up in Geelong and loving them.

“Then I got the idea of pitching to the council about an outdoor gallery, with the main idea of bringing together a group of both emerging and established photographers, putting a piece up in the laneway, just to give them some exposure and a chance to exhibit.”

Each piece installed in the laneways will include the artist’s name and a QR code linking to their website or social media page to provide greater publicity for their work.

Fitzgerald said the gallery also aimed to have a bigger picture impact of adding another vibrant layer to Geelong’s artistic offering.

“It’s also to make our laneways look cool.

“I’ve been in a few of these up in Melbourne and in Ballarat, and it’s awesome. I love wandering down laneways and seeing the photos.

“It’s trying to get to people who normally, perhaps would not go to a gallery, and to give them a chance to wander the streets and see something they might not normally do or go see.”

Fitzgerald said she hoped the outdoor gallery would remain at the Geelong laneways for several months and become a regular fixture of the city’s arts calendar.