Altogether 30 artists will open their studios, homes and galleries to visitors during the fourth Montagu Art Meander from Friday 6 to Sunday 8 November.
The free, self-guided route through the Route 62 town allows visitors to meet artists where they work and buy directly from them.
The Montagu Arts Association (MAA) will launch the event at the MAA Arts Space, 24 Bath Street, on Friday 6 November at 17:30. The public is invited. All venues open on Saturday
7 November from 10:00 to 17:00 and on Sunday 8 November from 10:00 to 14:00.
This year’s meander features 30 artists and five galleries showcasing oil paintings, watercolours, acrylics, sculpture, pottery, ceramics, photography, cyanotype, woodturning, woodworking and mosaics. Selected galleries will also offer collectable works by renowned South African and international artists.
A key feature is the opportunity to experience Montagu’s artistic community in its historic surroundings. Many participating artists live and work in restored Cape Dutch, late-Victorian and Karoo-style heritage buildings, offering visitors a glimpse into the village’s architectural character alongside the spaces where art is created.
Printed maps will be available at the MAA Arts Space from 1 November, with digital maps shared on the meander’s Facebook and Instagram pages from the same date. Each stop carries a number on the map with matching signage at the door.
Artists handle their own sales. The MAA card machine is available at the Arts Space, while other venues use their own card machines or accept cash or immediate EFT. Visitors are advised to carry some cash.
The meander aims to draw visitors from outside the district to Montagu. The three-day format allows visitors to stay over and spend the weekend in town.
At the opening of the MAA Arts Space, Mareletta Mundey, manager of the Montagu-Ashton Tourism Association, reflected on the building’s journey.
“This building holds memories of its own for me. For many years, it was home to the Montagu-Ashton Tourism office, until a wall crumbled and the electricity failed during Covid, when we were reminded how much a town depends on tourism,” she said.
“What a blessing to stand here again six years later. Renovated and left empty for a time, the building has now found a new purpose and a new reason to welcome people through its doors. Today, it is filled with colour, art and a vibrant spirit of creativity.
“This is the magic of living in a small town like Montagu: the freedom to wander down the street, pause to enjoy the music, sip a glass of wine, admire the art and wave at an incoming tour bus.”
LEES OOK: Montagu vir derde jaar beste dorpie
