Frost to start the Spring

3rd May 2023

Frost to start the Spring

The first weekend of September has been chosen for the Frost Over Barraba Arts Festival to return. The almost 50 year old Festival has been missed in 2020, 2021 and 2022 when Covid prevented it happening.

Traditionally a mid winter event, this Frost will be held at the start of Spring. The different time slot may allow some changes to the program as the weather will be warmer.

Other changes are on the cards as the committee seeks to streamline the festival to make it more sustainable. “This year Frost is trying some things to make the festival simpler to hold. The organising committee are volunteers and the scale of the event needs to fit with what the team are able to do, and keep doing annually,” said Convenor Jane Harris. “Frost will still be a large festival with plenty of interesting features. Barraba loves Frost as do artists and visitors from around the region and beyond.”

Some changes in 2023 include limiting the number of artworks to be entered per artist to two. The main show can no longer be hung in the RSL Memorial Hall. In recent times there have been almost 500 works at Frost’s main art show. Less entries per artist will still make a strong show but enable a smaller venue to be used.

The RSL Hall, although Barraba’s largest facility of its type, is no longer suitable for the art show and the building is for sale. The Art Show in 2023 will be mounted in the Treloars corner building. This double shopfront is very spacious and will lend itself to being an art gallery for the Frost Festival. Organisers also like its central location on Queen Street.

Organisers still plan on inviting judges to award prizes. “We know artists really appreciate the prize aspect of the show,” says Competition Coordinator Angela Croll. “Frost has always strived to assist regional artists and prizes are an important part of supporting our artistic community”.

Frost has an organising committee of around a dozen local people who meet regularly to pull the event together. A larger ‘Event team’ of volunteers work in the week leading up to the festival and the week afterwards. Both teams warmly welcome new members to help out. To join in, contact the team on frostoverbarra@yahoo.com.au.

News for May 2023