On Saturday, ANYWHERE Gallery opened its doors at Wicks Place with NEIGHBOURHOOD, a group show of 17 artists who live, work and breathe Sydney’s Inner West. Here’s how launch day went.

Some galleries you have to cross the city for. This one has landed right in the middle of your weekly shop, on Victoria Rd, next door to Harris Farm, open to anyone and everyone. Come to see the incredible work of some of our local artists, or simply step out of the hustle and bustle of the errand run and take a moment to peep a little beauty on the way between the car and the lunch run.

The idea behind ANYWHERE Gallery is a simple one that’s become surprisingly rare: a space run by artists, for artists. No commission, no commercial machinery, just walls, good work, and an open door.

 

“This gallery is really cool because it’s run by artists and not just all about making money or commercial [goals]” said Brad Eastman (creator of ‘Local Symmetry’), who’s shown alongside curators Thomas and Elliott for years. “It’s really cool to have spaces like this supporting Sydney talent. It’s been a long time since there’s been a gallery like this, doing it for the artists.”

That was the feeling all day: friends, family, supporters and passers-by filling the room, and a first round of red dots going up on the walls.

For artists used to hunting down somewhere central, affordable and easy to actually reach, a free space in the middle of the neighbourhood is close to unheard of. “Finding a place to show your work is one of the harder things as an artist,” said Sarah McCloskey (creator of ‘Poetry (Lisbon)’). “This place ticks all the boxes… I hope it inspires other places to activate their vacant spots for artists.”

Plenty of the artists in the show work at scale on walls rather than in gallery rooms, which made the open space its own kind of occasion. “As mural artists we often get looked down upon, seen as a slightly different breed to fine artists,” said Sharon Billinge (creator of ‘Iggy’). “So for us to be able to flex our muscles a little bit like this, in a public space, is really lovely.”

 

And underneath all of it, the same word kept coming up: community. “Spaces like this are really important to me, and also to my art community,” said Georgia Hill (Creator of ‘Mount Ache’). “There’s not often you can get together with friends to have the pieces collectively presented. It’s a real sense of community.”

Claire Foxton, up from Kiama for the show, called it “pretty dreamy, really, something run by other artists and our pals who are looking after us.”

For curators and show-runners Elliott Routledge (creator of ‘Aim High’) and Thomas Jackson (creator of ‘Red Tail Black Cockatoo on Banksia Integrifolia’), it was a first opening to remember. “It feels amazing having all our friends, family and visitors to the show today,” said Elliott. “All these people turning up, it’s crazy. It’s a great feeling.”

Thomas was watching the room fill up for their debut exhibition. “It feels great to see so many friends, family, supporters and artists come out to see the works. And we’ve had our first sales of the show today, which is awesome- artists getting some money. It’s a great feeling.”

Still to come: every Saturday until 12 September

Here’s the good news: you haven’t missed it. NEIGHBOURHOOD runs every Saturday until 12 September, 11am–4pm, right in front of Harris Farm at Wicks Place. Come for a proper look, bring a friend, make an afternoon of it.

And if something on the walls speaks to you, it’s yours to take home. The works are for sale; simply start up a chat with the ANYWHERE Gallery team at [email protected]. You can peruse the full catalogue here.

The NEIGHBOURHOOD Artist Talk

For anyone who wants to go a layer deeper, there’s a special one coming up.

On Saturday 5 September, 2–4pm, ANYWHERE hosts an intimate artist talk with Sarah McCloskey, Sharon Billinge and Georgia Hill, hosted by curators Thomas Jackson and Elliott Routledge, an hour or two of real conversation about the work, the ideas behind it, and what a space like this means for the people making it.

No tickets, no sign-up, no fuss, just come down.

It’s on at Wicks Place, in partnership with TOGA and supported by Philter.