Known in its former incarnation as ‘Art on the Levee’ until last September the hundred-member collective hosted a monthly open-air exhibition, to coincide with the Wollundry Markets.

“It was outside, so basically it’s either hot or cold,” said Art Society treasurer Geoff Fellows.

The studio has been the art society’s home base since the 1970s.

Formerly a World War II assembly hall for the RAAF, it has been left in various locations along the Wollundry Lagoon, before coming to its final Small Street site in 1969.

It now affords the collective the opportunity to open to the public every Saturday morning.

“We’ve found that it’s varying from week to week,” said local acrylic painter and society regular Michael Morgan.

“Some days there are about 10 or 12 people who stop by but then other days there’s only about five.”

Given that the studio is tucked away, in a crossed cul-de-sac off Tarcutta Street, away from the regular weekend traffic, some of the group worried that the move may result in a reduction of passersby. 

But that has not become the case.

“A lot of people, even those who have lived here for years, don’t even know that Small Street is here,” said Mr Fellows.

“It is a shame because it’s actually a really lovely little street.”

Located on the levee bank intersection back from Tarcutta Street

In fact, the move away from the highly trafficked civic precinct may have increased the intrigue in the newer venue, with runners along the levee bank often stopping in.

“We were noticing that there were fewer people coming to the markets, and fewer people stopping by to chat with us,” said Mr Morgan.

“Since we’ve come back inside though, there’s been more people stopping by,” he said.

2019 also begins the 70th anniversary year of Wagga’s Art Society.