our mission

Provide a focal point for the fostering of creative activities for all members of the community, and to further develop artistic awareness of both visual and performing arts.

Promote local talent by providing a creative base and tourist facility of local significance.

Engage in activities intended to develop the practice of arts and crafts in the community.

To be the most progressive Arts Society in the Lower Hunter Region through participation, promotion, support and management.

our committee

​

 President

​

         Carrie Williams                       0438 611 677

                Vice President

​

Cynthia Denning                      0422 847 599

​

               Secretary

         Greg Mudie                                0407 953 928

                                    Assistant Secretary     

Cheryl Lavender                      0421 136 933
 

        Treasurer

Ruth Dircks                              0448 950 255
 

         Membership Secretary

​

Marilyn Rudak                          0416 435 651

​

Minutes Secretary

​

Michelle Nickerson                   0429476779

                  Curator  

Carrie Williams                        0438 611 677

opening hours

​

​

​

WELCOME

John O’Brien, the new Executive Director of Arts Upper Hunter

John O’Brien, the brand-new Executive Director of Arts Upper Hunter, brings an intriguing slate of skills to the job, with a background in music, film, TV, improvisation, museums, travel writing and community groups.

Arts Upper Hunter (AUH) is one of 14 Regional Arts Development Organisations across the state. It’s a key community group for local creative people and organisations; AUH provides, supports and promotes opportunities for those involved in the creative industries across the Shires of Dungog, Muswellbrook, Singleton and Upper Hunter.

“Creativity and the arts have been crucial to my life,” says John, “so it’s wonderful to be able to sing the praises of this industry and help strengthen the network round here and build support for others.”

John’s background is eclectic, from editing labels in the Powerhouse Museum and London’s Natural History Museum to making short films, writing episodes for TV shows and creating TV series, to a more recent shift into music and live performance. “There’ve been some leftfield highlights along the way, such as driving around Estonia rewriting a guidebook to the country. And some fantastic experiences in this very region, mentoring drama students in Singleton or Aberdeen, for example. I know what it’s like to connect with your local community, how hungry people are to be offered the chance to access new skills, and how buzzy it is to be learning or teaching those skills!”

For five years, John was co-coordinator of Dungog Community College. “In community education it’s all about finding out what’s needed, matching it to what’s possible and seeing if you can put a course or event together, whether that’s A Day In The Roses or a Certificate in Aged Care. It’s the same principle with the creative industries - trying to match needs with opportunities, hopes with happenings.”

John’s musical life includes playing the vibraphone and Pianica for trio Fancy and duo The De Factos. Most recently, he has been a founding member of the Performing Artists of Dungog non-profit community group, which is trying to nurture a live performance culture in that Shire. “We made a great start, but we are a bit snookered by Corona Virus, at the moment,” he confesses.

But if there’s a renewed energy in many parts of the bush, it’s partly a positive side-effect to the otherwise dark effects of Covid. Tourists and tree-changers are coming to the country in unprecedented numbers. Benefits are being reaped. There’s an energy around, according to the Chair of Arts Upper Hunter, Ivan Skaines. “This is a great time to be promoting the arts and creative industries. One example: shops and galleries opening in main streets, which can be good for the economy, for local artists and for visitors wanting things to do.”

2021 DUNGOG ARTS SOCIETY ANNUAL EXHIBITION


POSTPONED
 

The committee of the Dungog Arts Society regretfully announces the Annual Art Exhibition set down for October 1 to 10 has been postponed.

​

Due to the uncertainty of the spread of Covid-19 and the associated lockdowns, it became untenable to plan towards a safe exhibition.

​

Our committee will do all in its power to hold the exhibition some time in the future when the threats from Covid-19 have sufficiently subsided.

​

We thank the patience of our sponsors and the artists who had eagerly awaited to display their works.

our meetings

Generous Donation form IGA Dungog

Dungog Arts Society was thrilled to be the recipient of a cheque for $798 from Lovey's IGA as part of their Community Chest program.

Our society is grateful for the support of IGA. As a member of a close community, we can only exist with the support of local businesses.

Lovey's IGA generous donation will add to the prizemoney bank for our Annual Art Exhibition in October  2021.

Again, thank you James and your crew. 

4798

Monday Drawing Classes
​
Postponed due to COVID-19
​
Drawing classes are held in our gallery on Monday evenings from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm. Cost is $5 per person per session.
Youths are free

An interesting read about art in Covid times, forwarded by Philippa Graham of Sculpture on the Farm

Covid Proof Art Projects: Getting It Done

Join us for Part Two of our deep dive into Adaptation, a completely online collaborative artwork GAS implemented during the last lockdown. Last time we discussed setting up a Covid-proof art project, now how do you execute it? 

We share the successes and challenges and many practical tips from what we learned in running an online creative project with four regional centres and 100 regional creatives. The articles focuses on using Covid as an opportunity to pivot and innovate. We think projects like Adaptation are just the beginning!

If you missed Part One of our exploration into Adaptation, you can read it here.

             ISOLATION ART

​

Our gallery has now opened but our members have still been busy creating new works during this COVID-19 pandemic.

See their work at the new isolation art page and read how they are coping cooped up at home.

We are still accepting works.

​

For more information and how to contribute go here

​

        THE DUNGOG ARCHIES 2020

The Dungog Archies 2020 have been judged and the winners have been announced.

Congratulations to

First prize - Greg Danvers

Second prize - Helene Leane

Highly Commended - Cynthia Denning

Junior under 13 - Lily Cook

Junior 13 to 18 - Isa Taylor

​

See all the entries on our Dungog Archies 2020 page in the "exhibitions & events" page

or click here

​

Prizemoney proudly donated by

The Medical Centre Dungog

and Mr Doug Spedding

​

The exhibition runs from Friday 4th September until Friday 18th September at our gallery 266 Dowling St Dungog

GALLERY LIGHTS UPGRADE

We have been fortunate to receive a grant from Arts Upper Hunter of $1000 to upgrade the lights in our gallery to LED which are cheaper to run and more environmentally friendly.

​

​

​

​

The total cost of the upgrade is $1415, so generous members have embraced the "Sponsor a Light" scheme where they contributed to the shortfall, by "adopting" one of the 18 lights in the gallery for $20

​

​

Here is a list of the contributors so far

​

​

​

Pat & John Staker

Gaye Shield

Royce Burns & Dianne Pope

Greg & Phyl Danvers

Marilyn Flannery

Wendy Grahame

June Beckett

Lyn Rayward

Greg Mudie

Elaine Stuart

Toby Solomon

Phillippa & John Graham

Cheryl Lavender

​

Members - our artists page

​

As a member of Dungog Arts Society you are entitled to have your work  displayed on the our artists page.

​

To see instructions on how to get your work on the page, click here

Members' individual pages

​

For instructions on how to get your individual page up on the website, click here

​