2023 will be the eighteenth Herring Island Summer Arts Festival. We have benefited from the collaboration between arts groups: the administration and publicity side is easier and more effective, the public has a festival instead of an isolated exhibition to visit and artists have the opportunity to work together and “cross pollinate”. 

In 2023 there will be three exhibitions: the ASV - “Connection”; then we welcome the Valley Potters with an exhibition of ceramics and following on, the Contemporary Art Society Vic will run the national A4 Art Exhibition.

Herring Island is accessible only by boat - or swimming - so it offers an adventure on the doorstep of the CBD. 

There are a number of larger sculptures on permanent display on the island. These have been chosen or commissioned by Maudie Palmer and constitute an important part of Melbourne’s cultural life.

The Friends of Herring Island have spent years revegetating the island - it looks like native bushland but reading through the history tells you a very different story.

In 2023 the ASV exhibition will launch the festival - we are planning an opening/launching celebration.

This will be an exhibition of smaller works, both because of the access - via Parks Victoria’s punt and because the courtyard will be used for hospitality for our visitors.