For the past 8 years members of the Baw Baw Arts Alliance have committed time to running free art activities for young people using the vibrant art programme supplied by the National Gallery of Victoria. The ‘NGV Kids on Tour’ programme is designed to ignite children’s imagination and creativity and encourage families to take advantage of exhibitions and activities run throughout each year at the NGV in Melbourne.
What has become a regular January activity takes place in the Trafalgar Public Hall. Programme leader, Prue Barridge, along with other members of the Arts Alliance, supplements the NGV programme with a wide range of creative Art activities. Evidence of the popularity of this free offering was in the increasing numbers attending, from the starting point some years ago when there were 12 children, to the 2026 programme when 40 or more people attended.
Activities available covered a wide range of Artistic forms from decorating a template of a cake with ribbon and beads led by Karen Anne Jones to creating surface texture on a drawing of an 18th century perfume bottle with paper clay under the guidance of Jessie McLennan. Jeff Thege, secretary of Bbaa, had children playing with paint while mixed media Artist, Deb Churchill, had children developing a complex paper artwork of a caterpillar crawling on a leaf while she played tag team with Sue Murphy and Carol Monson, to oversee the decoration of out of the ordinary paper hats. Janine Richardson managed to have children each create their own 3D paper ladybird which stood on a surface independently while fibre Artist, Marlene Ogden, assisted children to make leafy, beaded neck pieces and dedicated Bbaa member, Margaret Darvill, helped children create strange Australian landscapes with materials from the NGV.
Keep an eye on the Arts Alliance website for the many art functions and activities conducted during the year. As well as regular exhibitions at the ‘Station Gallery’, Yarragon and drop in groups at the Artspaces in Trafalgar, the third space used by the Arts Alliance, the VRI Hall in Warragul, has more drop-in groups and a full calendar of activities on the third Saturday of each month. Don’t miss the ‘Drop in Groups’ Expo’ on February 21 in the VRI Hall while the Arts and Makers Market is on. Drop-in groups covering creative writing, textiles, painting, drawing, mosaic, hand building in clay, printing and so much more can be found at the ArtSpaces at the former Trafalgar Railway Station and in the VRI Hall.
Meanwhile do not forget the regular exhibitions at the ‘Station Gallery’, Yarragon. In February two Jeff Thege and Julie Philip have works on display.
For more information go to https://www.bawbawartsalliance.org.au.
Jessie McLennan, working with children on sculpting with paper clay.
