With its warm and welcoming community embracing the arts, nature and the environment, King Island is an ideal haven for creative souls.
There are four major creative hubs on King Island: King Island Gallery, The Boathouse, The Top Shop at Reekara and King Island Museum. Each has its own special significance to the islanders, and they are also inspirational venues for events, festivals, film and photography.
King Island Gallery is a collaboration between King Island Council, artists, art enthusiasts, professionals and volunteer guides working together to present contemporary work that reflects the unique environment, history and lifestyle of King Island. It provides a focus for the creative growth and enjoyment of the King Island community.
King Island Council sponsors an Artist Residency program, where select Australian artists working in a range of mediums are invited to stay on the island and draw on the dramatic landscape for inspiration. The residency includes a vehicle, accommodation, and a studio space next to Currie Harbour. Across the two-to-four-week program, visiting artists are encouraged to connect with local creatives while honing their practice in a distinctively regional environment.
The Boathouse is otherwise known as the Restaurant with No Food. Local artist and legendary advocate for King Island arts Caroline Kininmonth renovated it and filled the space with art and everything you need to enjoy brunch, lunch or dinner. You simply bring your own food and beverages and meet up there with friends. It’s so inspiring that world-renowned chef Tetsuya Wakuda once cooked up a storm there for some special guests, using local produce such as beef, crayfish, cheese, wallaby and farm-grown vegetables and herbs.
The Top Shop at Reekara is another example of local artists and makers collaborating to showcase the creative side of the island community.
Located in the old Reekara School towards the north of the Island, the Top Shop features paintings, prints, and crafts for sale. There’s often someone working on pottery, or you might meet kelp crafter Sandy Robinson, shaping her kelp characters.
Sandy collects bull kelp from the shores of the island and then cuts, scores, stitches and manipulates the tough material into quirky creations.
The King Island Museum is a treasure trove of an estimated 2000 objects and 1500 photographs that shine light upon stories from across the island.
There’s also an impressive collection of art here; from earrings made out of ceramics left behind from shipwrecks, to prints of local produce and paintings of King Island’s storms, the work generated is truly wonderful.
A poignant example of nature meeting history and art is the work of Tasmanian artist Catherine Stringer, who visited King Island for the Artist Residency program. She is best known for her dreamy underwater images.
King Island has been the location of almost 100 shipwrecks, and Catherine researched the famous shipwreck of the Neva, which sank off Cape Wickham in 1835, claiming 224 lives. She learned that there were 28 Catherines onboard, and this inspired her 2016 Neva Reliquary exhibition, which showcased a collection of 42 framed garments crafted from delicate paper that she handmade from seaweed. In January 2019 Catherine returned to King Island with a body of work called Sea Stories, which is a collection of artworks created from seaweed.
Bird tourism is also incredibly strong on King Island, and it ties in with the arts in many ways. Wings on King is a project centred upon finding and telling the story of King Island’s birds. Since 2017, bird enthusiasts have been encouraged to visit the island and help gather data from survey sites to identify conservation areas and ensure that endangered species are protected.
Music is yet another major part of life on King Island, and a huge drawcard for visitors.
The Festival of King Island (aka FOKI) has been attracting superb artists from all over the country for over 10 years. The two-day event, which is all about “music, surf, food and fun”, also includes yoga and local operators offering all sorts of activities. Taking place on the edge of Currie Harbour, the festival is a great way to soak up the incredible natural attractions of the island while also enjoying live performances and food stalls.
To read about the best things to do on King Island all year round, click here.
Rex flies to King Island. Head to the website or check out the route map below for more details.
