THE WEEKEND’S Loddon Valley Arts Trail had an event-eve boost when the State Government providing funding for the three-day festival.
The funding was announced on Monday by Loddon Shire but the not the amount.
A spokesperson said that was a confidential and a matter for the Government.
The arts trail involved scores of artists from across the region and community groups with pop-up catering. Among them was Bridgewater Primary School where students, staff and parents operated a barbecue.
Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos said: “This event showcases the wide array of incredible creative talent across the Loddon Valley community.”
“We’re proud to support events like this through the Regional Events Fund, because they boost local businesses and attract visitors to some of Victoria’s most stunning destinations,” he said.
Loddon Valley Arts is a joint initiative between the community and Loddon.
It aimed to challenge the stereotypes of what makes a great arts festival, starting out two years ago as an open studio trail, before changing tack for 2025.
“What do you do when you’ve got few art galleries,” said organiser Rosemary Sorensen.
“No bookshops. No towns in the entire shire with a population even approaching 1000 people. And a handful of artists’ studios in a shire of 6696 square kilometres. That’s not exactly a recipe for a thriving arts scene.
“So we created a trail-turned-festival, and pretty much went for broke.”
Ms Sorensen was delighted with how the weekend went.
“The build-up was nerve-wracking as everyone began to realise how much interest there was in the program,” she said.
“The hard work certainly paid off. We’re enormously proud of how everyone handled this very new and ambitious program.
“With the help of the community, everyone – from those who staffed the venues, to the council’s tourism team, to the visitors who came from near and far and of course the artists – enjoyed our arty party.”
It featured venues as different as the Vahland-designed 19th-century East Loddon Woolshed constructed in huge slabs of wood and a million hand-made bricks to the tiny, incredibly atmospheric Mysia school which sits just off a secondary highway and would have been demolished like so much else in these lonely ghost towns if it hadn’t been designated a ‘war memorial’, and carefully maintained by the farming community around it.
Mayor Dan Straub welcomed the Victorian Government’s funding.
“This is great recognition for what our communities are doing to make Loddon Valley Arts a success,” he said.
“They took the plunge to expand this event into a full-blown festival, with a wonderful array of artists, and we thank the State Government for their help.”
Cr Straub said Loddon Valley Arts was also a major economic boost for the many small communities throughout Loddon Shire and Council was committed to supporting the event into the future.