Southern Art and Craft Trail goes online after COVID-19 cancellation

The Southern Art and Craft Trail has gone online after COVID-19 prompted the cancellation of the 17th edition of the event.

The trail typically spans dozens of venues from Walpole to Hopetoun and north to Lake Grace. It was called off in May because of the coronavirus crisis.

Organisers from ArtSouthWA have put their heads together to keep the concept alive in 2020.

Last week, they launched the Southern Art and Craft Trail Online as a way to showcase members’ work and bring arts to the community.

All members, including individual artists, galleries and art groups, have been invited to supply images and descriptions of their artworks for sale.

ArtSouthWA chairwoman Merry Robertson said buyers were encouraged to make contact through the website.

“We wanted to find a way to support regional artists through these difficult times, especially with the cancellation of the art trail,” she said.

“With this online art trail and two other projects, we will be able to do this really well.”

The second project is the creation of a southern region art trail map which shows galleries, home studios, public art and exhibitions.

About 15,000 copies of the Art Trail Map will be distributed to tourist centres across WA later this year and it will made available online.

The final project will be an end-of-year exhibition at Albany’s Vancouver Arts Centre in late November.

The Southern Art and Craft Trail Exhibitionwill run from November 27-December 6.

“We have had amazing support from the City of Albany and Tourism WA for this exhibition and the art trail map in lieu of the support they usually give with the Southern Art and Craft Trail,” Ms Robertson said.

To view the online trail, visit artsouthwa.com.au.