ARMIDALE Regional Council, in partnership with the New England Regional Art Museum, is excited to announce the launch of the Open Air Gallery, located in the heart of the East Mall.

The innovative public art initiative transforms the city centre with a curated selection of artworks displayed in illuminated light boxes, allowing residents and visitors to enjoy the gallery during the day and night.

Featuring works from local and regional artists, the Open Air Gallery will rotate exhibitions regularly, showcasing Armidale’s rich artistic excellence and unique local stories in a vibrant, accessible outdoor setting.

Armidale Regional Council mayor, Sam Coupland, said the Open Air Gallery is a fantastic way to celebrate Armidale’s creative spirit.

“It transforms the East Mall into a space where art and community come together,” Cr Coupland said.

(from left) NERAM Director Rachel Parsons, artist Leah Bullen and mayor Sam Coupland at one of the displays at the Open Air Gallery, at Armidale’s East Mall.

“This initiative not only supports our talented artists, but also fosters pride and connection across our region. I encourage everyone to visit the East Mall and enjoy the gallery, day or night,” he said.

New England Regional Art Museum director, Rachel Parsons, said NERAM is delighted to collaborate with Armidale Regional Council on the project.

“The Open Air Gallery offers a unique opportunity for artists to share their vision with the wider community and for everyone to engage with art beyond the walls of a museum,” Ms Parsons said. “The illuminated displays make art accessible, inspiring, and a defining feature of Armidale’s city centre.”

Armidale’s Open Air Gallery at the East Mall – at night – brings local art to light.

The inaugural exhibition is a selection of works by Armidale-based artist Leah Bullen.

Ms Bullen’s painting practice is centred around the representation and mediation of the natural world.

Currently, her work is about representing locations that reconstruct nature, such as gardens, aquariums, and museum displays.

These locations act as a model through which she explores how we experience and consume the

spectacle of nature more broadly within contemporary culture.

The Armidale Open Air Gallery in the East Mall will continue to evolve, with new works and artists featured biannually.