Dynamic summer arts program planned for Berninneit

PHILLIP Island’s vibrant contemporary art scene will again take centre stage this summer as the volunteers and curator at the Phillip Island Contemporary Exhibition Space (PICES) launch their highly anticipated December and January program.

Newly elected president Adrian Montana said the volunteers and committee of PICES were a passionate and dedicated group that brings together the summer exhibition.

As a premier not-for-profit community arts organisation within the Bass Coast region, PICES has built a reputation for transforming the Island’s summer peak into a celebration of culture and art.

The upcoming summer program marks another milestone for the volunteer-run organisation, which successfully realised its long-held dream in November 2023 when the professional art gallery space inside Berninneit was officially opened.

Working in close partnership with Bass Coast Shire Council, PICES has transitioned from its early days of temporary spaces into a permanent pillar of regional creativity.

The need for a dedicated, high-quality contemporary venue on the Island remains clearer than ever.

The broader Gippsland region is home to more than 5,000 practising artists, with more than 400 creators living and working on Phillip Island alone.

Before securing the professional gallery at Berninneit, PICES piloted its vision through five highly successful ‘pop-up’ exhibitions.

Those early iterations garnered fierce support from local residents, media outlets and the arts community, proving that both locals and tourists had a craving for sophisticated visual arts experiences.

By scheduling its flagship exhibitions across December and January, PICES strategically captures the massive influx of summer tourists while ensuring local residents have access to premier cultural events.

The summer program offers an affordable, accessible venue for artists to sell and display their work during the region’s busiest retail and tourism months.

It also provides a cool, reflective sanctuary for beachgoers and holidaymakers looking to engage with the stories, textures and landscapes of the region through a contemporary lens.

Visitors can expect a dynamic rotation of curated galleries alongside highly anticipated open-entry opportunities, including the signature 50cmx50cm small works exhibition with contributions from 100 local artists and the bold Contempora 1 and 2 series.

The 50x50 program will include up to 250 affordable artworks all available for sale.

Artists will be invited to submit artwork for the Contempora series from July 1, when the PICES exhibition committee will then make its final selection of six artists for each exhibition.

Mr Montana said being a PICES volunteer has many benefits, with many of the volunteers not necessarily artists themselves.

Volunteers help out with the art exhibitions by providing information to the public or helping with art sales.

“Volunteers are always welcome,” Mr Montana said.

Looking toward the future, the passionate team of volunteers driving PICES remains committed to collaboration as the cornerstone of their success.

This unified approach ensures that the exhibition space remains deeply rooted in community values while maintaining a world-class standard of contemporary curation.

The upcoming summer exhibitions are delivered through continued cooperative efforts with the Artists Society of Phillip Island Region (ASPI), the Bass Coast Shire Council and kindred community groups.

Whether you are a seasoned art collector, a curious holidaymaker, a local resident or a potential volunteer, supporting your creative neighbours at the summer PICES exhibitions at Berninneit is an opportunity not to be missed.