Studios across the inner west are opening their doors to the public this month for a weekend of art and adventure.
The Open Studios in the West program invites people to discover the hidden creativity of artists living and working in Melbourne’s inner west.
The Art Room creative hub will use the weekend to relaunch in a brand new studio in Footscray.
Director Erika Gofton said The Art Room would use the new space to help students develop technical knowledge while challenging them to question and explore their own creative language.
Ms Gofton said a successful Pozible campaign helped raise $30,000 towards turning the “empty shell” of an ex-fruit and vegie wholesaler into a light and vibrant space that can host workshops and serve as a gallery.
“We have spent since July doing most of it ourselves and we are getting ready to re-launch on November 26,” she said.
“We are overwhelmed by how The Art Room has been embraced and supported by our students and to see how the community has strengthened and the friendships that continue to emerge is really wonderful.”
The launch day will start with a free life drawing session from 9.45am -noon (limited places).
The studio will be open from noon-4pm ahead of the official launch at 4pm, featuring Yarraville’s own Rare Child with their gypsy-jazz inflected folk.
A free guided drawing session will be held 11am-3pm Sunday.
Open Studios will this year also include two Maribyrnong Council coordinated exhibitions.
Dangerous Deeds is a screen based arts installation presenting a ‘snapshot’ of the Victorian disability movement, while This Empty Chair is an exhibition and physical reminder of the plight of writers currently suffering unjust imprisonment as a result of attempts to silence their critical voices.
Further details: www.maribyrnong.vic.gov.au/openstudios.
