Community
17 October, 2025
New creative hub hits Bookaar
ARTISTS from across the Corangamite Shire gathered at the old Bookaar School on Wednesday for the inaugural creative arts hub meeting.
Artist and founding member of Terang Art Gallery Judy Armstrong is the mastermind behind the new initiative, which will see artists able to bring their projects to the old Bookaar School at 700 Darlington-Camperdown Road for a few hours each month and socialise while they work.
She said the first meeting, which was held this week, was to gauge people’s interest in the hub and work out an official day and time moving forward.
“The reason I want this creative collective to go ahead on a monthly basis is to try and get all of the artists from their studios into one place, so we can have conversations and do art together with like-minded people,” Ms Armstrong said.
“As an artist, I sit by myself in my studio quite a lot and I don’t have anyone to haggle back and forth with about.
“Talking to other artists always opens up a different world than just talking to a friend.
“I want people to be able to talk and be involved in collaborations.
“Bookaar School is in the middle of a lot of places around Corangamite – we have a lady from Timboon.”
The hub meetings are currently expected to run from 11am-3pm each month except for December and January, with tea and coffee supplied but a bring your own lunch.
Ms Armstrong said the cost is $10 per person – which covers the rent of the building and allows the school to remain open.
“I would just like it to be a place where everyone can come and talk about their work and sort things out if they’ve got a problem,” she said.
“They can just come and have a chat if they’ve got no-one else to talk to.
“Another thing about living in the country is that places are a long way from each other.
“It seemed to be a thing lacking in the area – there are crafts groups in Terang and up at the Camperdown Showgrounds, which is brilliant, but they do activities.
“This is people bringing their own work.”
Ms Armstrong said the attendance for the inaugural meeting was better than she expected.
“I thought there was only going to be four or five of us – there’s eight that came, which is great,” she said.
Artist Helen Durant said she was pleased to see a new space where artists could gather and share ideas.
“I work mainly on my own at home in my studio, so I don’t get to meet other creative people often – particularly not having the opportunity to work with them,” she said.
“I’m coming here for some socialisation, to meet some new people and learn some new skills and get new ideas.”
The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 12 from 11.30am-3.30pm.
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