The Murray Arts and Crafts Society will celebrate its 50th anniversary this year with a special community workshop program offering everything from traditional mediums to digital art.
The society began in 1974 and was established by then-Shire of Murray councillor Terry Caraher who pushed for the Edenvale Heritage Precinct to become Pinjarra’s artistic hub.
An initial membership of 31 arts enthusiasts started off the society which has over the years grown into a craft shop where members present their hand-crafted wares for sale, a workshop space known as The Barn and “Terry’s” craft and meeting room named in Mr Caraher’s honour.
To celebrate their 50th anniversary, the society will hold a year-long program of sponsored public workshops which were officially unveiled at an event on Tuesday.
The first workshop begins on Saturday with Perth artist Jane Button in linocut has already sold out, with 18 other workshops on offer over the year in a vast range of disciplines from pastels, drawing, mosaics, felting and quilting to acting and digital and video art.
Funding to help put on the workshops has been received from Alcoa, the Shire of Murray, Doral Mineral Sands and the Mandurah Murray Mayday Inc.
Workshop coordinator Jo Wood said the sponsorship has allowed the society to put on a wide range of workshops at “1970s prices” to mark the anniversary.
“We wanted to try and make it as inclusive and diverse as possible,” Ms Wood said.
“So we thought if we can keep the price really, really low, then hopefully people that may not normally think about attending workshops would have an opportunity to come along.”
The society will continue celebrating its 50th later in the year and plans to put together historical book.
For more information on workshops visit: https://bit.ly/3OEzbkf