Artists Open Studios exhibition to open after postponement

Artist Open Studios Event Manager Kat Wade at the AOS exhibition opening on Saturday photo / Bevan Conley

While the 2020 Artists Open Studios event was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, an exhibition of some of the artist's work will open on Saturday at the Community Arts Centre on Taupo Quay.

Event manager Kat Wade said she hoped to see a "steady stream of people" through the doors when the exhibition became open to the public.

"All of the participating studios originally submitted work for the (Artists Open Studios) starting point, and visitors would usually begin there so they could get an idea of what they'll see at the studios," Wade said.

"We had already set the exhibition up before it was announced that we'd be moving to level four, so we thought we might as well open it to the public.

"It will at least give the everyone a chance to see the work and contact a particular studio if they want to see more."

Guides, usually costing five dollars, would be given out for free at the exhibition, Wade said, so that people could arrange appointments with studios that were open to the public.

"Obviously we'll still be in level two this weekend, so we'll be limiting numbers allowed into the exhibition.

Ariel Botwitch by Glen Macmillan is part of the exhibition. Photo / Bevan Conley

"We don't typically have more than one hundred people there at any one time anyway, so it should be manageable.

"The Artists Open Studios is definitely the biggest arts event for the region, and we had some pretty cool stuff incorporated into it this year, with social activities and Whanganui Walls being on at the same time.

"It would have been a really special couple of weekends like it always is, but everyone was in the same boat so you can't really take it to heart."

The works on display at the exhibition will all be available to purchase, with proceeds going directly to the artists. The exhibition opens at 10 am on Saturday, at the Community Arts Centre at 19 Taupo Quay.