The Across the Bridge arts festival returns to Bannockburn in October — with a new format.
    The event, which has been a staple on the Central Otago art scene for more than a decade, was cancelled last year due to Covid-19.
    For 2022 it has been reimagined as Bannockburn Arts School — a series of five-day workshops covering a range of artistic disciplines — to future-proof it against potential Covid-related interruptions.
    Creative writing, watercolour and mixed media, photography, poetry and pottery through to wine and cooking are all on offer, with some workshops having only a few spaces left.
    Across the Bridge founder and Art Central sub-committee member Jan Hawkins said Central Otago was home to many talented artists and creatives and the school was a way for them to showcase their skills.
    ‘‘We realised what a wide community of really talented artists and tutors we had in the area and we wanted to let people have a chance to experience that.
    ‘‘But also it’s a bit of a different time [with Covid-19] for artists and we wanted to give them exposure,’’ she said.
    ‘‘I think especially in the last three years, it’s important to step back and celebrate the positive things, support the arts and give people a creative outlet to discover a new creativity.’’
    Bannockburn Arts School runs from October 3-7 with the exhibition ‘‘Artists of Bannockburn’’ taking place at Cairnmuir Station Woolshed from October 7-9.
    For more information or to register online visit bannockburnarts.co.nz

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