Studio doors thrown open

Alison Fincher in her studio at Barwon Heads (Ivan Kemp) 272936_01

Ash Bolt

Artists across the Bellarine Peninsula are welcoming the community into their studios for Geelong Design Week.

One of Design Week’s major attractions, the Open Studios trail saw many Bellarine studios and artists, including glass artist David Hobday’s Point Lonsdale studio, Salt Gallery in Queenscliff and Ocean Grove’s The Hive Gallery, welcome visitors for a behind the scenes look into their workspaces last weekend.

The program will continue this weekend, with another 15 galleries and studios, featuring 48 artists, around Geelong opening up their doors from 10am to 4pm on Saturday, March 26 and Sunday, March, 27.

Included will be the Hue and Cry Collective and its stable of artists, well-known public artwork and sculpture artist Jacinta Leitch’s gallery in Newtown and Justine Martin’s studio in Marshall.

The program is just one of more than 60 events across the region during the 10-day celebration of Geelong’s title as Australia’s only designated UNESCO Creative City of Design.

The festival kicked off on Thursday, March 17 with musician and actress Claire Bowditch treating attendees at the Palais Theatre to a night of music and storytelling.

Geelong Design Week runs until Sunday, March 27.