Two local artists have launched a new year of off-site programming for Newcastle Art Gallery to keep the creativity flowing during the expansion of the gallery building.
Newcastle artist Izabela Pluta has transformed the exterior of the construction site with a new work of art commissioned as part of the gallery's street hoarding project.
Locally-based artist Lottie Consalvo has also shared insights into her career as part of the gallery's second podcast series, Conversations from the Collection.
Pluta's work of art can be seen on the construction hoarding that runs along Laman Street, while the work of proud Yuwi man Dylan Mooney from Brisbane is displayed along Darby Street.
Sydney-based artists Diana Baker-Smith and Agus Wijaya will also have their art on show to passers-by later this year.
The four artists were selected from more than 300 applications from across Australia during an expressions of interest process in 2023.
Newcastle Art Gallery has also launched the second season of its Conversations from the Collection podcast, which uncovers untold stories of six contemporary artists from across Australia who have contributed to the gallery's diverse collection.
Newcastle Art Gallery director Lauretta Morton said she was thrilled to feature internationally-exhibited, Newcastle-based artist Lottie Consalvo in the podcast.
"The first series of the gallery's podcast was launched last year as a way to explore our collection through some of the artists featured within it," Ms Morton said. "The podcast was highly regarded, reaching number two in Apple's Australian Visual Arts podcast charts and being used as a learning resource for Hunter-based secondary and tertiary educators.
"We are thrilled to be able to share even more of these artist stories through this second season, which features episodes with Lottie Consalvo, Jemima Wyman, Lindy Lee, Janet Fieldhouse, Owen Leong and Tina Havelock Stevens."
Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the projects would provide opportunities for the community to stay connected with Newcastle Art Gallery while the space is closed for its major renovation, due for completion at the end of the year.
"It is important to give our community as many avenues as possible to stay connected to the gallery, whether that is through works of art being displayed on the temporary construction hoarding, or by learning more about artists featured in our collection through the second season of the podcast series," she said.
The six-part podcast is now available via the gallery website and on all major listening apps.
The gallery's temporary street hoarding commission project is supported by the NSW government's Create NSW.
