Open Art 2026

About this event

Open Art 2026 features the work of 27 local and regional artists and highlights the breadth, diversity, and talent of the area’s creative community. The exhibition features an impressive variety of artistic practices, including painting, sculpture, photography, printmaking, textiles, and mixed media. The exhibition brings together both established professionals and emerging artists, as well as hobbyists and individuals exhibiting their work publicly for the very first time.

Among the featured artists is Abbi Olla, whose mixed media work draws inspiration from the natural world, combining textures and materials to reflect growth, change, and the beauty of local landscapes. Also highlighted is Caitlin Bower, a self-taught photographer presenting her work publicly for the first time, whose conceptual imagery explores themes of transformation and the subtle boundary between reality and imagination.

The exhibition explores a wide range of themes, from personal experience and family life to heritage, nature, and contemporary storytelling. Together, the works celebrate not only artistic skill and imagination, but also the powerful role creativity plays in fostering connection, reflection, and pride in place.