Our Story

Wellington Arts is a support network for local artists and groups, with direct links to Orana Arts and other regional networks. It has been established to support Wellington’s Art sector through grants, promotion and collaboration to build on the individual artist’s and organisations who are already doing a fantastic job in Wellington. Wellington Arts will bring a business model of support to help all artists to grow and expand their creative businesses and organisations. This organisation has evolved due to overwhelming support of a peak arts organisation for Wellington.

Wellington has numerous Arts and Cultural organisations who operate independently and will benefit enormously from our collaborative approach to Arts and Culture. An opportunity to unite these groups and share resources adds considerable value to the outputs of these bodies and builds on the broad base of the Arts in Wellington to increase participation, particularly from regional visitation.

We coordinate arts festivals and events in Wellington to link Tourism and economic growth. We are a local network of artists supporting one another and this creates an opportunity to share skills and ideas. 

Read on to see what astounding projects you as members and volunteers have achieved 

Our Achievements

Wellington Arts has delivered on many projects and events, for which we could not do without our valued members and volunteers!

• Since April 2018 Wellington Arts volunteers and members have continually window dressed 4  vacant shops in the business precinct, this project is called ‘Street Scenes’. Working closely with Dubbo Regional Council (DRC) we have gained access to more shop fronts for ‘re-vitalising’, and we continue to change displays on a 3 month rotation. This has greatly improved the image of our township and this is an ongoing project.
• May 2018. Wellington Arts volunteers curate and organise judging for the senior and children’s artworks for annual Wellington Show. Wellington Arts sponsors two major categories of Wellington Show.
•  July /August 2018 - Wellington Arts held a 3 week Winter Art and Sculpture Exhibition in the Western Stores building which coincided with the Wellington Eisteddfod to provide interest in the main street and encourage visitors to stop, spend and enjoy our township. Local artists and sculptors were encouraged to exhibit and assist with the volunteering. (Over 350 people visited the 3 week exhibition).Plus many members volunteered also assisted with the Wellington Eisteddfod, amazing efforts !! 
• In September 2018 -Wellington Arts held its annual 2 day Arts and Sculpture Festival at Hermitage Hill Retreat with a record number
• of exhibiting artists involved. We secured an internationally acclaimed acrobatic troupe called ‘Gravity and Other Myths’ who performed on the gala performance night, to a large crowd and as part of this arrangement, delivered a workshop for 20 children the following day. (850+ people attended over the 2 days). Providing opportunity for further education and community is a critical part of our aims.
• The 6 week period mentioned above, Wellington Arts provided the avenue to sell over $15,000 worth of local artist’s works.
• Late September 2018- Wellington Arts supported Rotary Spring Fest by creating a sculpture exhibition in Western Stores to enliven
• the town centre during the weekend of Spring Fest. Over 12 local sculptors contributed to this exhibition. Plus volunteers provided security at the Red Bull tree climb event which provided a welcome boost to the kitty for Wellington Arts.
• October 2018 - Wellington Arts staged Fong Lees Lane, a ‘food and friends’ event which was created to bring community together. We anticipated 200-500 people attending; we didn’t anticipate the 2,500 who arrived. There was not one complaint, and many of the towns businesses prospered from this one night, with huge increases in trade due to the overflow of people enjoying the evening out. Prior to this event Wellington Arts provided opportunity for 26 disadvantaged children to attend a lantern making workshop in Dubbo and these children actively and willingly participated in the Chinese dragon and lantern  parade in Fong Lees Lane the following week. Winning the Australia Day Award for best event in Wellington for 2018!
• Jan 2019 - Wellington Arts held a week long art exhibition (14-20 Jan) called “Bridging the Gap”, to commemorate the demise of the Wellington bridge collapse in 1989. In conjunction with the Art Competition and Exhibition, Wellington Arts staged the Music In Between Festival, which was held over 3 days (14-16 Jan) and is timed to capitalise on the tourist migration from the Elvis Festival to Tamworth Country Music festival. As part of this festival we worked with local pubs, clubs and businesses to promote Wellington and held a well-attended family music concert  at Wellington Caves ( 200 people attended despite the 44C temp).
• Jan 2019 - Wellington Arts volunteers and members provided a art workshop and prizes at Wellington Golf Club for the CWA drought relief fund.
• March 2019 - Wellington Arts members and volunteers assisted The Wellington Boot Races by attracting artists and curating a art exhibition for the Calcutta night. 19 entries received from across the region.
• The Steampunk Workshop was held at the Wellington Vintage Fair and Swap meet. Giving students from Wellington a chance to create and wear their Steampunk creations.

 
There are a lot of future plans for the months ahead and we encourage you to come to a meeting or contact members to find out what you can become involved with. Till then, keep the ideas coming and remember 'actions speak louder than words' !