Labour Weekend is inching closer every month, and whilst some are planning vege gardens, others are in full preparation to host the 13th Annual Raglan Arts Weekend (RAW). It’s only a few weeks away now, and September sees the opening of the Preview Exhibition, which signals the start of the RAW festivities.
Taking place in the Raglan Old School Arts Centre, the Preview Exhibition will house 84 artworks, all of them developed especially for this RAW. All artworks are for sale, some of them at a very attractive price point, and proceeds go directly to artists and towards the event itself, which is a not-for-profit.
Each of the 42 studios has to submit two artworks – a showcase piece at any price point, as well as a 300mm x 300mm artwork to be sold for $200.
“Our 300 x 300’s are extremely popular and it’s very exciting seeing all the red dots that mark the sales, acknowledging the extent of talent we have in this wee town,” says Nicky Brzeska, RAW Co-coordinator since 2019.
The event has grown from strength to strength, with its own RAW logo and clear brand, web site, new Raglan Arts Guide booklet, official RAW flags and over 60 artists now participating in 42 studios. “We have the same number of studios as last time, but we have some big groups this year, such as The Hatch emerging artists, our Raglan Life Drawing Group and our old favourite – The Raglan Community Clayshed. This means we’ve been able to grow again and accommodate a lot of new artists, but without it being overwhelming for our visitors who can expect to navigate around the same size art trail.”
This year, artists span the widest media to date covering painting, illustration, sculpture, glass, ceramics, textiles, graffiti, taxidermy, jewellery, photography, woodwork, weaving, metalwork, prints and more.
“We’ve got so many cool initiatives this year, including ‘Artist Connect’ – an Opening Cocktail night at Rock-It and artist-only bus tour made possible by a long-term partnership with Mark Frost from Bayleys Real Estate,” says Nicky. “Get your tickets for the opening night fast as they are selling out!” she says.
There is also The Hatch emerging artists’ exhibition this year, also made possible by another generous long term partnership with Rangitahi, and a grant from the Waikato District Council Creative Communities. “Visitors are also in for a treat with a special 4 hour life drawing workshop hosted by Dominique Marriott ($80), one of our official participating RAW artists for 2023. The workshop will be at the Old School Arts Centre on the last day of RAW, so yes – plenty of new initiatives to get stuck into!”
Raglan Arts Weekend events
The Preview Exhibition is a free event and will be open daily from Friday 29 September until the end of RAW, Monday 23 October, 10am to 2pm at the Old School Arts Centre, 5 Stewart Street.
The Opening Cocktail Night is at Rock-It and is a ticketed event ($40) for a 4 -course walk and fork menu and welcoming drink. 6.30pm to 9.30pm, Thurs 19 Oct. Limited tickets on sale at www.creativeraglan.co.nz until 6 Oct.
The Hatch opening night is a free event and is Friday 20 October, 6.30pm at the Town Hall. The Hatch artists will also be showcasing their work over the RAW art trail from 21 to 23 Oct, 10am to 5pm.
The RAW art trail will be over Labour Weekend 21 to 23 October 2023. It is a self-guided trail and artist studios will be open 10am to 5pm. Pick up a brochure at the iHub or come visit the Preview Exhibition to get an idea of what’s in store to help plan your route.
The Life Drawing workshop with Dominique Marriott will be on Monday 23 October 1pm to 4pm, $80. Limited numbers. Everyone welcome from absolute beginners to advanced artists. Register at artclass.nz
