The SIT Gore campus will join the Murihiku Arts Trail for the first time this October, showcasing the creativity of participants in its year-round Art for Leisure programme.

Visitors will be able to meet artists, view their work, and see creativity in action on campus.

The campus houses a lively and popular art class — Art for Leisure — cultivated by longtime facilitator and local artist, Julie Duncan.

“I’m more a facilitator than a tutor,” she said in a statement.

Ms Duncan, who had been taking the class for about 20 to 25 years, said rather than retire “and relax and read a book”, she was motivated to continue from the satisfaction of seeing her students flourishing in their creativity.

“I love seeing people happy and improving and getting better and better with their art.”

Ms Duncan said the class attracted people from all over the southern region, coming from as far away as Cromwell, Alexandra, Lumsden and Invercargill.

“Once they start, they usually re-enrol and carry on with the class.”

She believed it was because the artists had the space to expand and explore.

“They can achieve whatever they want to achieve; there’s room for all the individual styles and levels of artist.”

Artist workshops and guest artists were also popular, she said.

The class has also helped develop and enlarge the pool of local talent.

“Plenty of artists that have come through the Gore art classes now enter exhibitions; they are well received and selling their works.”

Visitors to the arts trail can expect to see a diverse collection of artwork created using

acrylics, watercolours, oils, pencil and mixed media, reflecting the wide range of

interests and artistic styles within the class.

The Murihiku

Arts Trail will be held at the SIT Gore campus on Saturday October 31 to Sunday November 1, from 10am-2pm. — Allied Media