Orange's cultural facilities will open their doors later this month to celebrate the legacy of the Orange Festival of Arts.
The Orange Festival of Arts Collection Tours will take you behind the scenes at Orange Regional Museum, Orange Regional Gallery, Orange City Library and Orange Civic Theatre.
The Orange Festival of Arts was a major cultural festival held in Orange from 1965 to 1987, showcasing ambitious and sometimes provocative artistic works and becoming one of the most significant regional arts events in Australia.
The tours coincide with the Museum's foyer exhibition ASSEMBLE: Orange Festival of Arts 1965-1987.
Orange City Council Culture and Recreation Committee Chair, Cr Tammy Greenhalgh says the 90-minute guided tours will offer a unique glimpse into the festival's history.
"The Orange Festival of Arts played a defining role in establishing our city as a cultural leader in regional Australia," Cr Greenhalgh said.
"These tours are a wonderful opportunity for our community to reconnect with a festival that helped shape the Orange we know today."
"From bold performances to community‑driven art projects, the Festival of Arts brought creative energy into every corner of our region. I'm delighted we can now share this history with a new generation through these behind‑the‑scenes experiences."
Tour Highlights:
- Orange Regional Museum
- Begin your journey with a curator introduction to the ASSEMBLE foyer display, exploring artworks, photographs and ephemera that reveal the Festival's evolution over two decades.
- Orange Regional Gallery
- Discover selected artworks within the Gallery's permanent collection that were acquired during or influenced by the Festival era.
- Orange City Library
- Step into the archives to view original Festival documents, programs, photographs and memorabilia from 1965-1987.
- Orange Civic Theatre
- The tour concludes with an exclusive behind‑the‑scenes viewing of the iconic 1983 Festival curtain, created by Molong artist Cath Wyatt and embroidered by more than 250 women across the region.
The Orange Festival of Arts Collection Tours will be held at 9.30am and 11.30am on Saturday 28 February.
The tours are free, but bookings are required at Eventbrite here.
