Entries have now arrived for the 2025 King Valley Art Show and are being installed this week in the vast gallery space at King River Brewing, in preparation for the gala opening this Friday night.
About 300 artworks will be on display, entered by about 115 artists, with King Valley Arts volunteers undertaking the process of hanging them to create what promises to be another spectacular show.
Each year the show attracts a mix of new and regular entrants, and King Valley Arts president Anita Laurence said the team love to see the new artwork when it arrives.
She said there is a real sense of excitement and camaraderie as the show comes together.
"Our show is welcoming to all and there is always a diverse mix of styles and mediums, by both established and emerging artists," she said.
Latest Stories
"It's such a buzz when the artists deliver their artworks, and I really enjoy the team effort as we hang the show."
Thanks to generous sponsors, this year's prize pool exceeds $15,750, including a major prize of $3000, which will be announced this Friday night by the 2025 judge, award-winning artist Ben Winspear.
Entries have come from across Victoria and New South Wales, along with a number of local entrants.
Ms Laurence said the community looks forward to the art show each year, as it's a great event to bring family and friends to, particularly on the Melbourne Cup long weekend.
She says the local community feels very proud the art show has been a fixture now for over 25 years.
"King River Brewing has long been a wonderful host, offering a vibrant venue where you can soak up the ambience, enjoy a beer or wine, have lunch, and explore a diverse range of art," Ms Laurence said.
"I love catching up with folk, be it the artists, the supporters or the local community, and the gala opening is always a fun night of anticipation as the judge announces the awards.
"Whitfield District Primary School caters as a fundraiser, and seeing the older students serve the food with the guidance of their parents and friends, is so special.
"I also love chatting to first time artists and giving them the confidence to enter - I just love how everyone gets involved and it brings everyone together."
The King Valley Art Show 2025 will open at King River Brewing on Friday, 31 October at 7pm, with tickets for the gala opening $35, and a bus from Wangaratta available for $10.
All artworks are available to purchase.
The exhibition will be open Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 5pm and on Monday from 10am to 3pm and entry is $3, with artist talks being held throughout the weekend.
*
What's on in brief
Jazz festival exhibition at Wangaratta Museum
The Wangaratta Historical Society and Museum is hosting an exhibition to complement the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz and Blues.
The exhibition will include jazz festival memorabilia while also providing a glimpse into the music scene in Wangaratta and its surrounds from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.
An official opening will be held this evening at the museum at 6pm to 7.30pm, with drinks and nibbles available.
The museum (located in the Old Fire Station at 29 Ford Street) will be open daily over the jazz festival from 10am to 1pm, from Thursday, 30 October to Tuesday, 4 November.
All are welcome to enjoy a one-hour historic guided walk of Wangaratta on Saturday, 1 November leaving from Marmungun Rock in Apex Park at 10am covering approximately three kilometres and ending at the museum, with registrations essential by visiting the museum's Facebook page and scanning the QR code.
*
Oxley Bush Market on Saturday
The 44th Annual Oxley Bush Market to be held this Saturday, 1 November from 9am to 2.30pm.
There will be 160 stalls to browse showcasing a range of home-made, home-produced, home-grown, upcycled and new items, with a particular focus on supporting local producers and makers.
There will also be gourmet food trucks and stalls, entertainment by local musicians and buskers, and a monster raffle, with entry free and all welcome.
*
Wangaratta Artists Society 2025 annual exhibition
The Wangaratta Artists Society's 2025 annual exhibition will open at The Studio in Bachelor's Green this evening at 6pm.
This highly anticipated annual showcase will feature works from society members and participating artists, offering visitors the opportunity to view and purchase original artworks across a variety of mediums and styles.
The exhibition runs from October 29 to November 4, open daily from 10am to 4pm and entry is free, but a gold coin donation would be appreciated.
*
Strictly Quilts at the Uniting Church Hall
The 2025 Strictly Quilts exhibition will be held at the Uniting Church Hall in Rowan Street, Wangaratta from Friday, 31 October to Monday, 3 November.
See beautiful display of quilts made by quilters in the Wangaratta region, enjoy a Devonshire team and be in the running to win a raffle prize, including twin quilts made and donated by Donna Hughes.
The exhibition will be open daily from 10am to 4pm and entry to the show is $5 per person.
*
Horizons exhibition at Art Gallery on Ovens
An exhibition of work by Ninetta Santoro, a Wangaratta-based experimental printmaker, will open at the Art Gallery on Ovens in Wangaratta on Thursday, 30 October.
Call Horizons, the collection of landscapes and interiors explores the concept of horizons and it many facets, including marking the limits of our worlds, understandings, perspectives and imaginings.
The exhibition will run until 10 November, with an opportunity to meet the artist on Saturday, 1 November from 12pm to 2pm and all welcome.
*
Meet the Author event with Peter FitzSimons
Enjoy an unforgettable evening with acclaimed historian and bestselling author Peter FitzSimons, as he shares insights into his latest work, The Courageous Life of Weary Dunlop — a gripping tribute to one of Australia's greatest war heroes - at the Wangaratta Performing Arts and Convention Centre Memorial Hall on Thursday, 30 October from 6pm to 8pm.
Presented by the Wangaratta Library in collaboration with Booktique, discover the extraordinary story of Sir Edward "Weary" Dunlop: surgeon, soldier, and saviour of thousands of POWs on the infamous Thai-Burma Railway during World War II, through FitzSimons’ vivid storytelling.
Tickets are $5, available by visiting wpacc.com.au/Whats-On/MEET-THE-AUTHOR-Peter-FitzSimons.
