New art trail on the block

A handful of inner-city galleries have joined forces to launch a new monthly art trail which gets underway this week.

Central New Plymouth art spaces Down Low Studio, JD Reid Gallery, Gallery at Jet-charm and newly-opened The Open Space have all signed up to the art tour, which starts on Thursday.

Joni Murphy, of The Open Space community gallery, said the trail had been a long time coming.

It was the brainchild of former Gallery at Jet-charm curator, Rose Young.

‘‘She put the idea out there about two years ago but nothing ever came of it,’’ she said.

With Young having since left the country, Murphy felt she needed to take the lead and bring the free event into fruition.

The artist, who opened up shop in Devon St West’s Metro Plaza six weeks ago, said the event would run on the first Thursday of every month to coincide with the launch of Jet-charm’s monthly themed exhibitions.

‘‘We really wanted to compliment them with everything they’ve done for us as a community gallery.’’

There would be a range of work and styles on display, and entertainment such as live music, fire dancers and glass blowers, to accompany the exhibitions.

There was another gallery joining next month, and Murphy said there could be more added in the future.

She believed the new arts trail would provide the artists another opportunity to connect with the community and each other.

‘‘We can be a bit aloof as artists and we find over winter artists really hibernate.’’

She said the local galleries had grown a great network of support and there was no competition between the artists.

‘‘Everything we do is so different,’’ she said.

Meanwhile, Jet-charm’s current curator, Reihana Conaglen, was heading to university in the new year and was concerned her role would go unreplaced.

She hoped to find somebody interested in coordinating the exhibitions before she left, otherwise it could see the end of the gallery.

Art punters can take a look inside the CBD galleries this Thursday from 7pm until late.