The program for the Gawler Business Development Group Arts on the Plains Festival 2024 has been unveiled, with more than 20 different activities and events on offer across the town and region from 11th of August to 8th of September.

Exhibitors, sponsors and art-lovers all gathered at the Gawler Civic Centre on Sunday for the official program launch and Member for Light, Tony Piccolo MP, said excitement continues to build for the event – now less than a month away.

“We’re got a wide range of creative minds in our community, and this event is an opportunity to showcase their talents across Gawler and the surrounding regions,” Mr Piccolo said.

“But it’s the support from our local businesses - opening their doors to display artwork within our region and putting their hard-earned dollars back into the community-building events like these – that displays the comradery of our locals.

“Our region is set to be splashed with colour and literacy, and a special thank you to our naming rights sponsor – The Gawler Business Development Group - and Festival Partners, Beyond Bank Australia, Town of Gawler and Gawler Community Gallery.”

Erin Down has been working with water colour paintings for 9 years now and is excited to be sharing her art alongside local photographers Jack Carey and Daniel Down in the “From the Roots Up” exhibition at Imprint Flowers.

“I grew up around here, so I have a lot of friends, family and people from school coming, so it’s really exciting to have something local,” said Ms Down.

“The exhibition is in an old historical building, which used to be the morgue, so it’ll be kind of spooky downstairs, but also opening up a part of the town you don’t normally see as it’s usually an out of bounds area the basement, so another exciting element to the exhibition.”

“It’s exciting to have a local festival as it’s always nice to see what other artists have been working on as well, and I hope to meet some other locals that like creating as well.”

Anita Thorsteinsson’s has always been fascinated by nature and quantum physics, and her Connection Fields exhibition at the Light Electorate Office depicts this quantum entanglement.

“This Festival is a really good opportunity for those who live out here to showcase our work and talk to other people about their art,” Ms Thorsteinsson said.

“For me, it’s good to be inspired by the universe and express whatever the universe means to you, and I hope these opportunities encourage others to do the same.”

The Minister for Arts, Andrea Michaels MP, will officially open the event on 11th of August at the Gawler Civic Centre at 11.30am.

To view the program for this year’s event, visit www.gawlergallery.com.au/arts-on-the-plains