“I think the real highlight for us is the strong continued support of Whanganui artists.”
Participating artists range from up-and-coming hobbyists to internationally renowned professionals.
More than 80 studios and galleries covering a broad range of artistic mediums will be taking part this year.
Nineteen new studios are joining the 2026 trail, including Lee Williams (Paetuia Studio), Autumn McGrail (Autumn Studio), Phil Jones (Tukituki Studio) and Sophi Roar (Lys Studio).
A new studio, The Art Triangle at 13 Bombay St in Aramoho, is made up of three artists – English printmaker Keeley Eastwood, Kiwi photographer Brad Mosen and French potter Lucile Barjot.
“If you have these niche interests in art, there’s likely to be something there that would interest you,” Rumney said.
Organised art collector groups from Auckland will attend, as well as a host of art collectors from across Aotearoa.
“We do get really quite a large out-of-town presence.”
The open studios art trail is over the two weekends and additional events are on offer on weekdays.
Attendees can choose from more than 20 midweek events including a selection of art workshops, tours at Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery, art talks, social events and charity fundraisers.
The closing event is on March 22 from 4-7pm at the Sarjeant Gallery cafe and bar.
“We’re just really looking forward to another successful hosting of the event this year,” Rumney said.
AOS has grown considerably since its founding in 2001.
Artists Sue Cooke, Catherine Macdonald and Graham Hall were inspired by an art trail event in Cambridge, England, and decided to found their own version in Whanganui.
It has since blossomed into New Zealand’s largest and longest-running art trail event.
Macdonald said she was “blown away” when she realised this year would mark the event’s 25th anniversary.
“It’s great that it’s kept going and still has the momentum and support from not only the artists, but from the public as well,” she said.
The first year was predominantly based in Taupō Quay, where many of the original 11 studios which participated were located.
The area was neglected at the time and there had been calls to pull down the warehouse buildings.
Opening their doors played a key role in saving them, Macdonald said.
“The event was one of the first times that people had been into these spaces and seen what was actually going on in them and that there was a purpose to them,” she said.
“[It] helped make people realise just what a special area of town that kind of old commercial area of Whanganui was.”
She said founding AOS helped sway support to revitalise the area instead of tearing it down.
Several studios in Taupō Quay are involved in this year’s trail.
“It’s just been lovely that the community’s embraced it and people keep coming back year after year,” Macdonald said.
“That people value it as much as I did when I helped set it up.”
Macdonald will open her studio at 77c Campbell St.
Rumney said that although the event had grown, continued growth was limited by the amount of accommodation in Whanganui.
“We do get really quite a large out-of-town presence,” he said.
“The limited range of accommodation in Whanganui means that our weekend events are pretty much at capacity.”
He said this had driven the AOS trust board to shift its expansion efforts to including more midweek events.
More information and the list of events and participating studios are available on the Whanganui Artists Open Studios website.
Erin Smith is a multimedia journalist based in Whanganui.
