Connecting art with the public - Art Trail gives 45 reasons to visit

Founder of the new Macedon Ranges Art Trail, Nadine Hartnett, with Woodend glass artist, Ettore Di Pilla. Photo: Chris Fleming

The new Macedon Ranges Art Trail being launched this weekend will connect 45 artists, galleries and artisan businesses with the public.

It promotes the area's rich and diverse artistic community, and gives some of the most creative residents in the Macedon Ranges highly desired and strong exposure to a bigger audience than they have had in the past.

By Easter, a vibrant brochure will be available from the Kyneton and Woodend visitor information centres, and various galleries, eateries and accommodation places. It will feature contact details for the 31 participating artists, including website addresses where available, and listings for 12 galleries and two artisan businesses.

The brochure will be downloadable to the shire's tourism website www.visitmacedonranges.com.au, which is the major online information service for the area. According to this website, the Macedon Ranges shire has more working artists per capita than anywhere else in Victoria.

The Macedon Ranges Art Trail is an independent initiative of Woodend freelance writer, Nadine Hartnett, who received $3000 from the Macedon Ranges Shire Council last year to produce a brochure to promote local artists and galleries.

Over the next few months it is hoped the hard copy brochure will be distributed in Melbourne and regional centres.

All private studios on the Art Trail will be open on an appointment only basis until March 2014. Individual artists will decide when to accept visitors.

A Facebook page has been established to display artwork by the participants, advertise exhibitions and workshops, and generate dialogue among anyone interested in visual arts and craftsmanship.