get Involved
As we head into our 22nd year, River of Art proudly reaffirms its founding values: championing artists, activating regional spaces, and celebrating the diverse voices and creative practices that shape the South Coast.
In 2026, River of Art presents a more curated Festival in response to the challenging funding environment facing many community events. The program is anchored by the River of Art Prize, with exhibitions, creative experiences and community events continuing to be announced as funding, sponsorship and partnerships come together throughout the Festival period.
We honour the artists, volunteers, partners and supporters who continue to bring River of Art to life. Together, we’ve built a festival that remains deeply connected to place, community and creativity, continuing to celebrate the cultural heartbeat of the Eurobodalla while laying the foundations for the Festival’s future.
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The Program, also referred to as the Arts Trail, is open for all artists, makers, performers, musicians and venues across the Eurobodalla & beyond from Durras in the north to Bermagui & Cobargo in the south.
ALL submissions to be made via our online form.
List early so we can promote your event in the program as soon as possible.
benefits
Being part of the program gives you:
- Promotion of your work/event to a wide Festival audience through our website and social media reaching over 350,000 people
- Your event published on the Festival website
- Images of your work/event/venue published on the Festival website
- Social media posts and links to your event from our pages
- Listing in the Arts Directory on our website for *South Coast Artists
*Durras in the north through the Eurobodalla to Bermagui & Cobargo in the south - Promotion of the Festival by Australian Tourism Data Warehouse sites, Destination NSW and the Eurobodalla Shire Council
- Promotion of the Festival in local, regional and metropolitan media including print, radio, online and social
- Promotion in tourism, arts, events and other online listings well beyond the region
- Promotion of the Festival in targeted advertising
Resources
We have designed a Artists Resource Guide to assist with marketing your event and or for those that would like a hand navigating their social media. We have included some tiles that you can personalise by slipping your images behind using your regular editing software. There are some easy free programs available if you are struggling or have questions, please email us & we’ll endeavour to assist you as best we can.
Festival Program
Announcement of the 2026 program will be posted shortly – subscribe to get news straight to your inbox
The treasured Arts Trail encourages visitors to visit open studios and galleries along the NSW South Coast to view art and meet artists in their studios. The Arts Trail also features workshops where visitors can come and boost their creativity and learn new techniques from the many skilled artists.
The Arts Trail is largely non-curated, meaning that we include all events put forward (within reason and at our discretion). We encourage venues to host an artist or maker, an exhibition or a performance. And we encourage artists and performers to hunt down a venue to showcase their work. We want to see shop fronts, businesses, clubs, pubs, nooks, crannies, spaces and places across the region bursting with art, sound, music, dance, performance and fun!
Program Entry Fee
A registration fee of $33 (incl GST) per event listing applies to all program entries.
As a volunteer-run festival, we operate on a tight budget. This modest fee helps cover essential costs — including marketing, venue support, and event delivery — so we can continue to shine a spotlight on the vibrant arts community of our region.
We do not charge any commission on sales o the Art Trail. Note this excludes River of Art run events like the Art Prize, Salon des Refuses, Pink Cube Gallery etc where commission may apply, outlined clearly in their T&Cs.
Thank you for your support — every little bit helps us keep the Festival alive and thriving.
If you have fee based enquiries please email us
Program categories:
We currently organise the program around the following categories – none of these are for you? Don’t worry, submit your proposal anyway and we will find a way to fit you in!
Exhibitions
If you are an individual artist, part of an arts collective, want to exhibit your work with friends (say in a vacant shop-front) or are a commercial gallery, we will include your current exhibition in our program.
Open Studios
Open Studios allow art appreciators to meet directly with artists, see them at work, and purchase works directly from the artist. You can open your studio for a day, a weekend or every day of the festival.
Art on Parade
Artists collaborate with businesses, shop-fronts and cafes to showcase their work. If you register without a business we will try to find you a partner or if you say you want to host an artist, we will try to find you a partner. Consider us a virtual dating agency.
Workshops
Want to run a workshop? Teach silver-smithing, painting, quilt making, or want to teach life drawing in a pub? Sure, let us know what you have in mind. The more the merrier as we want artists and makers to share their skills and you get to decide on the venue, numbers and set your own fees.
Music
Are you a musician with a hankering to play during the Festival or a venue with a gig planned during our dates? You might be a choir, a duo, a solo guitarist or a band. Opera? Chamber Music? Death metal? Well, sure. Let us know and we will list your gig in the program or work with you to find a venue. Or, if you are a venue, come on, host a gig. If you have the perfect location, but no musician, we will help you find one.
Performance
Have a one-person show? A troupe? A play you have been rehearsing to perform? Calling all players and performers and stand up comics to come forward and put your show on the program.
Artists in Conversation
We welcome artists who want to share their work at a talk or in conversation. You might want to host a talk at your current exhibition, at your open studio, hold a morning tea at a local café, in a quiet bar. The choice is yours! You might be a musican, a writer, a poet an artist or an actor. We want to hear about you work.
Markets
Most of our local markets host makers and creators, so we’ve added markets in to our program. Let us know when yours is on.
Public Arts Trail
Art in Public Spaces – Public art is often site-specific, meaning the artwork was created specifically for the space or community. Public art creates a destination, invites critique, inspires photographs and initiates a memorable experience.
Regional Events
We currently extend north to Durras, throughout the Eurobodalla and south to Bermagui & Cobargo, is your event outside this but on or near the south coast of NSW? Let us know what you are planning here.
Please read our terms and conditions before submitting.
Please make sure you include accurate information and a good quality image in your submission.
Once you submit your form, please allow time for your submission to upload. You will know this has happened when you are taken to a new page with a message thanking you for expressing your interest. If after submitting you see this current page with the form again, it means you have missed an item and need to complete itT