Art Grown Wild ... The Wollombi Valley Sculpture Festival Returns
- Liane Morris
- 1 hour ago
- 6 min read
Some places invite you to slow down the moment you arrive. The winding drive into Wollombi is one of them. Framed by rolling hills, towering eucalypts and beautifully preserved sandstone buildings, this historic village has long been a place where people gather. This month they will gather at the Wollombi Valley Sculpture Festival.
Wollombi means "Meeting Place of the Waters"- a name that has described this remarkable valley for thousands of years. Long before it welcomed travellers seeking country hospitality, heritage and creativity, it was an important meeting place for the Awabakal people to the east, the Wonnarua people to the northwest and the
Darkinjung people to the south.
This September, that enduring connection to place comes alive once again as the Wollombi Valley Sculpture Festival transforms Wollombi and neighbouring Laguna into a living gallery of contemporary sculpture, heritage spaces and natural landscapes.
Running from 12 until 27 September, the biennial festival invites visitors to wander through heritage streets, discover contemporary sculptures and experience a celebration of art, landscape and community unlike anywhere else in regional Australia.
Formerly known as Sculpture in the Vineyards, the festival has evolved considerably since it was established in 2002. Today, it is recognised as the largest-scale and longest-running sculpture festival in regional New South Wales, attracting many of Australia's leading sculptors alongside exciting emerging artists. This year, more than 180 sculptures by 140 Australian and international artists will be exhibited across outdoor sites, heritage buildings and six indoor galleries throughout Wollombi and Laguna.
From monumental works set among the trees to intimate pieces displayed within historic buildings, the exhibition creates a dialogue between contemporary sculpture and the natural environment. Each work is carefully placed to complement its surroundings, encouraging visitors to experience both the art and the landscape in new ways.
For Festival Executive Director Sheena Duncan, the festival is about far more than exhibiting remarkable artworks.
"It's the relationship between creativity, landscape and community that makes this festival so special," she says.
"People come for the sculpture, but they discover so much more about the Wollombi Valley while they're here.
"There's something quite unique about this valley. It's still a bit of a hidden secret where creativity, history and community all come together."
After more than three decades working in senior leadership roles with organisations including the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, NIDA and the National Centre of Indigenous Excellence, Duncan accepted the
challenge of leading the volunteer-run festival last year. Having owned a property in the valley for many years, she was already captivated by Wollombi's unique character.
"The Wollombi community is amazing," Duncan says.
“It's reinventing itself and has undergone a real revitalisation over the past few years. It's charming, welcoming and incredibly creative."
Visitors familiar with previous festivals will notice a subtle but important change this year. With the event now centred more strongly around the villages themselves, the experience has become even more walkable, encouraging people to wander through historic streets, explore galleries tucked inside heritage buildings and discover sculptures nestled throughout the landscape before venturing on to nearby Laguna.
"Everything is much more connected this year," Duncan says.
"People can spend an entire day wandering through the village, discovering sculpture around every corner before continuing on to Laguna. It's a lovely, walkable experience."
The trail also extends to Undercliff Wines, where visitors can continue their sculpture journey while enjoying the hospitality of one of the valley's much-loved wineries. It is a reminder that while the festival has evolved beyond its original vineyard focus, the connection between art, wine, landscape and regional experiences remains an important part of its appeal.
The shift coincides with a broader revitalisation of Wollombi itself. Over recent years, new investment has breathed fresh life into the village, most notably at the Wollombi General Store, which celebrates its 175th anniversary this year. Home to the Artisan Collective, the beautifully restored building has become a vibrant creative hub where visitors can browse locally made artworks, meet resident artists and participate in workshops throughout the year. As one of this year's exhibition venues, it perfectly reflects the festival's emphasis on
creativity rooted in community.
Rather than encouraging visitors to simply spend a few hours exploring the sculpture trail, the 2026 festival has expanded its program to encourage people to slow down and stay a little longer.
Artist talks, guided tours, workshops, children's activities, live music and new midweek events provide opportunities to connect with both the artists and the valley itself. Duncan says the aim is to create a
richer visitor experience that extends well beyond viewing sculpture.
"We really want people to linger longer," Duncan says.
"Come during the week, meet the artists, do a workshop, enjoy the performances and experience everything the valley has to offer. There are wonderful cafés, beautiful accommodation and so many creative experiences that people often don't expect to find here."
One of the program's highlights is The Far Side of Spain – Where the Waters Meet, a special performance inside the historic St Michael's Church. Presented by acclaimed mezzo-soprano Allegra Giagu and internationally recognised bandoneon player Owen Salomé, the performance combines music, storytelling and history to uncover surprising links between nineteenth-century Spain, New Norcia in Western Australia and Wollombi itself.
Like the festival, it explores the powerful relationship between place, memory and creativity.
Of course, sculpture remains at the heart of the event. This year's exhibition brings together many of Australia's most respected sculptors alongside outstanding emerging talent. Selecting the final exhibition is no small task. Head Curator Wendy Black and her curatorial team reviewed more than 330 submissions before choosing
the final 140 artists, creating an exhibition that balances established names with exciting new voices in contemporary sculpture. Visitors will discover works by celebrated artists including James Rogers, winner of
the 2025 Aqualand First Prize at Sculpture by the Sea Sydney, together with previous Governor's Prize recipients and artists whose works appear in major public and private collections across Australia.
The festival's reputation continues to grow thanks to the calibre of its judging panel and prize program. This year's judges, British sculptor Isabel Langtry, respected art critic John McDonald and curator Jane Watters, bring decades of experience across public art, museum collections and contemporary sculpture.
The festival is also honoured to have Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC KC, Governor of New South Wales, as its Patron. Among the 12 non-acquisitive awards is the coveted Governor's Prize, which provides the winning sculptor with a 12-month exhibition at Government House. Previous recipients include renowned
Australian sculptors Ron Robertson-Swann OAM and Michael Snape.
In 2026, organisers have increased the total prize pool to more than $80,000, making it the most substantial prize offering of any regional sculpture festival in New South Wales.
For Duncan, that investment recognises the extraordinary commitment artists make to exhibit.
"People see the finished sculptures, but they don't always see what it takes to get them here," Duncan says.
"Some works weigh two tonnes. They have to be transported by truck, lifted into place by cranes and carefully installed. Some artists spend more than a thousand dollars on diesel before they've even arrived."
Those behind-the-scenes efforts are immense. Installation begins days before the festival opens as volunteers, artists and specialist contractors carefully position sculptures throughout the valley. Heritage buildings are transformed into galleries, outdoor sites are prepared, and every work is carefully placed to complement its surroundings.
"Creating sculpture has become increasingly expensive," she says. "I've developed a deep appreciation for what artists go through, particularly emerging artists. We do everything we can to support them because simply getting here is a huge commitment."
For many artists, however, exhibiting at Wollombi is about more than a prize or a sale. It is an opportunity to place their work within a landscape that becomes part of the artwork itself.
The festival is an extraordinary community achievement. More than 100 volunteers donate their time to welcome visitors, staff galleries, assist artists and help deliver every aspect of the event.
"The festival simply couldn't happen without our volunteers," Duncan says.
"The community embraces it because everyone understands what it brings to the valley. There's an enormous sense of pride."
While contemporary sculpture provides the inspiration, it's the setting that leaves a lasting impression. Around every corner there's another discovery, a sculpture framed by sandstone architecture, an artwork quietly nestled beneath ancient trees, a gallery hidden inside a heritage building or a conversation with the artist who created it.
All works are available to purchase, allowing visitors to take home not only an original artwork but a lasting connection to the valley where they discovered it.
Less than two hours from Sydney and around 90 minutes from Newcastle, the Wollombi Valley Sculpture Festival offers far more than an art exhibition. It is an invitation to slow down, wander, ask questions, meet artists and experience a remarkable community whose creativity is deeply connected to its landscape and history.
For 16 days every second Spring, Wollombi becomes exactly what its name has always promised - a meeting place. A place where contemporary art sits comfortably within an ancient landscape, where creativity flourishes through community, and where visitors are invited not simply to look at sculpture, but to experience the stories, people and place that bring it to life.
For more information, visit www.sculptureinthevineyards.com.au.
