Lighthouse Regional Arts is a volunteer organisation of art enthusiasts and practitioners. Our mission is to encourage and display local art and also to bring art to our region.
The group started as a local branch of Tasmanian Regional Arts in 2003.
Our initial projects were for the George Town Bicentenary celebrations in 2004.
As part of TRA the group curated many travelling exhibitions in George Town: at the Watch House gallery, Ainslie House, Pilot Station Cafe, Court Room and the Bass & Flinders Centre. Material Girl (forerunner of the Women's Art Prize) was one example.
LRA has been involved with local performances: TRA Tours; Tasmania Performs; Ten Days On The Island, inaugural live streaming performances; various individual musicians; Tamar Valley Voices.
Also supported/assisted with visiting shows TSO, TDOTI, etc. - promotion, ushering, ticketing and a Tamar Valley Folk Festival - 25 year retrospective exhibition.
Workshops have been organised including basketry, Wash Day Blues, recycled art, dyeing, various types of art, mosaics, Crochet "Hooked in the Tamar" a 2 year project culminated with an installation in Watch House Gallery for George Town On Show.
In 2014 LRA began hosting a yearly exhibition of local artists work in the Jim Mooney Gallery. The shows were named using the 'prefix' ART WORKS (with a double meaning) and a theme, in many years this was a colour. The People's Choice Award was always a feature. In pre-COVID days an opening night event would be held.
2014 - ARTWORKS: Paint the Town RED
2015 - ARTWORKS: Fifty Shades of BLUE
2016 - ARTWORKS: In the PINK
2017 - ARTWORKS: Going GREEN
2018 - ARTWORKS: All That GLITTERS
2019 - ARTWORKS: SKYLINES
2020-21 - ARTWORKS: Visual Purple
2022 - ARTWORKS: In Shades Of Blue & Yellow
Also in 2014 the curation of six-weekly exhibitions in the Watch House gallery became the sole responsibility of LRA. We try to promote these via posters, online and various media.
In 2017 TRA's funding was axed by the state government and regional sub-groups were forced to organise on a more local basis.
Nonetheless LRA has managed to source its own displays through networks built up over time and some happy associations, mostly with local artists and other interested groups and individuals. LRA are delighted to have given numerous 'emerging' and 'closeted' artists an opportunity they'd never have had otherwise.
We maintain an email list to try and keep members up to date with art events and exhibitions around Tasmania. Other online appearances are our Facebook and the site you are at right now :-)