The Analog Art Club (AAC) is a new program inviting people to slow down, switch off their screens, and connect in real life through art and creativity. Organised by the Public Galleries Association of Victoria (PGAV), the program offers an exciting calendar of screen-free events where you can experience art in a relaxed and inclusive environment, and enjoy inspiration without interruption.
This is art without devices, where creativity is social, accessible and refreshingly analog. It’s an opportunity to step away from the technology, make new friends and enjoy art in your local community.
‘Last year we asked people across Victoria to fill out a postcard telling us why public galleries are important to them. Hundreds of people responded, telling us they need art, creativity and inspiration in their lives. They also want to support artists and build connections with other people,’ says Anne Robertson, Executive Officer of PGAV.
Art galleries have an important role in building communities around a shared interest in the visual arts and helping people connect, especially in the era of the post-pandemic loneliness epidemic. ‘Research tells us that people are increasingly addicted to their screens and finding it difficult to connect in real life,’ says Robertson.
Recent studies have demonstrated the transformative impact that can come from taking part in the arts. ‘Good arts, good mental health’,a study by the University of Western Australia, found that spending just two hours a week engaged in the arts has a positive impact on adult mental wellbeing. Australia’s national arts and culture think tank, A New Approach, also released a major report last year entitled ‘Transformative Edge 2024: How arts, culture and creativity impact our prosperity, cohesion, security, health and sustainability‘, which showed the transformative impacts of arts, culture and creativity.
Analog Art Club: the catalyst
Together, these were the catalyst for the creation of the Analog Art Club, a program of free and affordable events in galleries across Victoria designed to help people take time away from their digital screens and connect with others through art. The program includes workshops, artist talks, guided viewings, reflective sessions, drawing, yoga and more, all aimed at creating genuine connection, reducing social isolation, and having a positive impact on health and wellbeing. Importantly, these are all accessible events, suitable for everyone, regardless of their knowledge or experience of art and welcoming to people who may be feeling isolated or disconnected.
‘This is an open invitation to get off your phone for an hour or two, visit some of the most beautiful, inspiring and welcoming spaces in your community, and be around like-minded people,’ says Robertson. ‘You don’t have to know anything about art to enjoy it, and activities are free or low cost, so there’s no barrier to entry.’
AAC events include Slow Looking in the Gallery sessions at Ararat Gallery TAMA (Textile Art Museum Australia) where you can slow down, observe and engage with art in a fresh, intentional way. ‘Slow looking’ encourages awareness and mindfulness with conversational prompts and observational drawing. There are also opportunities to engage with new music as you listen to playlists curated to complement the displays at the Manningham Art Gallery.
Melbourne University’s Noel Shaw Gallery in the Baillieu Library is hosting a lunch-time ‘generative hour’ each week to help us pause and reflect on how we interpret history through the lens of the items held in its collections. The sessions spotlight the wonder the ephemera holds and offer an informal space for engaging in critical conversations, reflective discussions and creative workshops. And at the Museum of Australian Photography, you can engage in some hands-on making inspired by its exhibitions.
There are eight galleries across Melbourne taking part in the program so far, along with the aforementioned Ararat Gallery TAMA and the Wangaratta Art Gallery in regional Victoria. They all encourage you to engage with their collections in fresh, mindful and playful ways. Go alone or with a friend, leave your phone in your pocket, and enjoy some quality time with art and creativity. ‘We are really excited about galleries being able to reach new audiences and enable more people to experience the sense of wellbeing that comes from visiting a gallery and engaging with the arts. Analog Art Club offers everyone an opportunity to see that public galleries are places where people can drop in, connect and come away feeling they are a part of the community’.
Full details at Analog Art Club.
