LIMESTONE Coast artists will be the highlight of the Naracoorte Regional Art Gallery in a new exhibition showcasing homegrown talent.
The Celebrating Limestone Coast Art exhibition features 33 regional artists varying in both experience and artistic method.
With the gallery unable to host a traditional exhibition opening due to COVID-19 restrictions, a smallscale private launch will be held before the artworks go on public display.
The exhibition will also be showcased virtually through a video made for social media by gallery staff.
It is the second time the gallery has showcased work online with the first being the IBIS Rising Art Prize and Exhibition in April.
With the online stream receiving global interaction, gallery secretary Lesley Barker said she never expected the virtual adaptation to garner the response it did.
“We plan the exhibition a year ahead because it is a big event for the community and we did not want to let them down so we settled on the online opening,” Ms Barker said.
“We never expected to receive the response we had and people who were typically not interested in openings were all watching.”
She said artists – along with their family and friends – tuned in for the launch.
“This is such a positive for the Naracoorte community, the art community and the artists who were involved in the exhibition,” she said.
“We never thought it would have been shared as many times as it had and because it is online it will now be a permanent record.”
Ms Barker said the initiative was well-received by Limestone Coast artists involved in the exhibition.
Plans are now in place to host a competition for young artists as part of the South Australian Living Artist award.
“This competition is for anyone aged up to high school and they can enter two pieces – the work we have coming in is looking fantastic,” Ms Barker said.
“It is wonderful because it really makes the gallery so much more vibrant.”
The Celebrating Limestone Coast Art exhibition opens July 31 and will run until September 27.
