Darfield Artweek 2023

Darfield Artweek 2023 is being held Friday, 6 October to Sunday, 15 October 2023. This art exhibition is open to the public daily from 10.00am – 4.00pm at the Darfield Recreation Centre, and also at Te Huanui Art Gallery in Darfield.

Artweek is an annual community open exhibition. This is the 42nd exhibition. The Malvern Community Arts Council Artweek Committee of volunteers has begun planning Darfield Artweek 2023. More than 50 volunteers are involved in Artweek each year. New volunteers are welcomed.

Artweek offers artists throughout the district and beyond the opportunity to exhibit, the public to view a wide range of artworks, and the local community an event attracting visitors to the area. Darfield Artweek encourages the creative efforts of artists who work in all mediums and has exhibited entries from painters, photographers, potters, glass workers, jewellery makers, metal workers, wood workers, and textile artists, to mention only some of the representative mediums that have been entered. There are adult and youth categories.

The exhibition will begin with a grand opening on Friday, 6 October Each year we invite a different independent qualified judge to award the prizes. We expect opening night to be attended by approximately 200 invited guests, sponsors, supporters, and artists.

Opening night will include the awarding of locally sponsored prizes to artists. Artweek is very fortunate to be well supported by local businesses and art supporters and each year awards approximately $6000 of prizes.

Darfield Artweek 2023 then remains open to the community for 10 days of viewing from Saturday to Sunday, 7–16 October, attracting approximately 1200 visitors from around the region. Entry to the exhibition is free to all. The event provides an opportunity for the public to appreciate a range of art in an easily accessible and relaxed environment. Parents and children are welcomed. Visitors enthusiastically participate voting for their favourite artwork for the People’s Choice Award. All entries are for sale. Our publicity targets residents of all ages from the wider Selwyn District, greater Christchurch and Waimakariri Districts, who enjoy viewing a variety of artworks.

Artweek fosters a sense of community spirit and pride in Darfield as an enjoyable place to live and to visit.

In 2022, we received entries from 160 artists and displayed a record 375 artworks. The exhibition attracts a consistently high quality of artwork.

The new Youth section, including prizes, is giving our younger artists the opportunity to enter the exhibition. This year, there will be two age categories – 10 to 14 and 15 to 18.