The Bellarine School of Art is a NEW creative school that focuses on high quality, considered and joyous workshops for everyone! The focus of The Bellarine School of Art is to provide a rich cultural program to the local community, to encourage visitors to the region and to offer funded and accessible workshops to kids in need . The Bellarine School of Art is about inclusivity and creating spaces for children, teenagers and adults to express themselves and have fun doing it!

This fundraiser is to help establish a permanent home for The Bellarine School of Art. In the first two years of operation TBSOA plans to deliver the following programs and education programs : 

• Art and creative workshops on the Bellarine Peninsula adults. 
• After school art programs for kids and teenagers who live on The Bellarine Peninsula.
• An artist in residency program to bring inspiring Artists to The Bellarine Peninsula. 
• An education program that all schools on The Bellarine, Geelong and The Surf Coast can access via excursions and digital incursions during COVID restrictions. 
• A funded Art program for The Cottage By The Sea Participants who visit The Cottage as part of a 7 year program designed to offer opportunity and support to some of Victorias most at risk youth.  *(TBSOA also runs separate annual fundraising events to pay for the teaching  delivery of a 7 year arts program with The Cottage By The Sea.)  
• A day program for Artists with disabilities to participate in a supported studio arts program due to start in 2022.

Hi my name is Lara Davies - founder of The Bellarine School of Art. 

I like to draw, paint, take photos, design prints and teach art.  For the past 13 years I have been teaching people drawing, design and screen printing as one half of Home-Work . Home-Work can be best described as a textile and print label and school that I co-founded with Jess Wright in 2013. Home-Work was an evolution from our original venture Harvest Textiles established in 2009. Harvest Textiles was know for its creative artist in residency programs, craft markets and bold products.  My studies were at Curtin Uni and RMIT where I obtained a B.A of Fine Art at RMIT. 

As part of Home-Work and Harvest Textiles I had the pleasure of curating and producing events all around the globe! As well I closely with the Melbourne art and design community to create workshop programs, exhibitions and events at the Home-Work and Harvest Textile studios. 

In 2018 Home-Work published a book called Print Play  co written by Jess Wright and myself,  published by Hardie Grant. 

In 2019 I curated an event called Art Camp, an epic weekend of art workshops, food and accomodation presented by Home-Work & frankie magazine. 

I now live on the Bellarine Peninsula where I teach art workshops and offer creative services to businesses and organisations. I am so excited to share The Bellarine School of Art with the local community and work with other arts educators and therapists from the region.

The purpose of this fundraising campaign is to help kick start The Bellarine School of Art to move into a permanent home. 

The funds raises will go towards equipment purchases and building needed to establish the art school. 

Extra funds over the $8500 goal will go towards advertising costs, web development, art materials and supporting the visiting artist in residence program. 

Thank you for your support of The Bellarine School of Art!