Featuring Echuca artist Benny Walker alongside Clare Bowditch, Freya Josephine Hollick and a program of music and visual arts all weekend, the festival offers something for everyone.
Kicking off the festival on the Friday night at 6pm is the official opening and the announcement of the winners of the Swan Hill National Print and Drawing Awards at the Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery.
On the Saturday at 11am join the award judges and walk through the National Print and Drawing Awards Exhibition, hearing first-hand their thoughts on the shortlisted and winning works.
From 3pm until 9pm on Saturday, September 3, the Go North Arts Festival’s major event takes over Riverside Park.
Clare Bowditch headlines this spectacular live music and art event launched with a Welcome to Country, smoking ceremony and dance by the Wiran Dance Group followed by performances by Benny Walker, Freya Josephine Hollick, and the Northern Folk.
Concert-goers can get their creative juices flowing by trying something new at workshops for people of all ages and skill, included in the ticket price: screen printing with Adelaide-based screenprinter Jake Holmes; drumming with Melbourne-based Dave Houston, mosaic making with Moulamein artist Sandy Peeters, simple clay making with Lake Boga artist Damien Thomas; spray paint and stencil with Kerang artist Kerryn Finch, relief printing on fabric with Kerang artist Paul Oswin, drawing and painting with Swan Hill artist Shirley Pinchen and Aboriginal learning with Swan Hill artist Kenita Lee McCartney.
Food trucks will be on-site, and drinks will be available at bar prices. Tickets are on sale now for $47, free for those aged 15 years and under.
On the Sunday at the Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery, printmaker, painter, and passionate stone lithography practitioner Peter Jacobs will demonstrate drawing and printing on stone from 11am until 12.30pm.
The Go North Arts Festival concludes with ‘Recital in the Gallery’ from 2-3pm.
Festival-goers are invited to enjoy a free classical guitar recital by Malcolm Perris, whilst enjoying the exhibition of finalists from the National Print and Drawing Awards.
Go North Arts Festival is funded in collaboration between Creative Victoria and Swan Hill Rural City Council, and is part of On the Road Again, a Victorian Government initiative to bring live music back across the state.
For more information and tickets, please visit www.gonorthartsfestival.com or call the Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery on (03) 5036 2430 or visit the Go North Festival Instagram page.