Bendigo Art Gallery’s Learn team are excited to announce our Gallery to Go School Incursion Program will commence in Term 2.  We will be offering a range of workshops that can be delivered onsite at your school.  Workshops are available for students from P-12 with many workshops being able to be differentiated to suit a wide range of year levels. If you are interested in having Bendigo Art Gallery’s Learn team come to your school, get in touch by emailing [email protected] to start the conversation on which workshop might be best for your school or year level.

Behind the Scenes: Caring for Art 

How galleries protect, monitor and preserve artworks 

This incursion introduces students to the principles of preventative and interventive conservation through real examples from Bendigo Art Gallery’s Collection. Students examine how environmental conditions, materials, handling and time affect artworks across different artforms.

Using case studies, damaged material samples and conservation equipment such as a lux light meter, students investigate how gallery staff assess risk, document condition and plan strategies to protect artworks. The session offers a practical, behind-the-scenes insight into how galleries preserve cultural material for future audiences.

Curate It!

How exhibitions are planned, designed and experienced 

In this hands-on, practical incursion, students step into the role of curator as they design an exhibition using a flat-lay plan of a gallery space and artworks drawn from the Bendigo Art Gallery Collection. They consider exhibition design, layout, themes and audience experience as they construct a creative exhibition design.

Through three-dimensional construction, students will consider how they can create a range of viewer experiences through the consideration of artwork placement, gallery lighting, visitor flow and atmosphere.

Light & Line: Drawing and Cyanotypes from Nature 

Exploring observation and early photographic processes inspired by the natural world 

This hands-on incursion invites students to explore the natural world through two complementary artistic approaches: observational drawing and the cyanotype photographic process (subject to weather conditions).

Students begin by slowing down and looking closely at natural specimens, developing focus, curiosity and visual awareness through guided drawing exercises. They explore detail, pattern and structure while considering how artists use careful observation to understand and interpret the world around them. 
 

Colour Stories 

Exploring mood, meaning and expression through colour 

Colour can tell powerful stories. Students investigate how artists use Art Elements and Principles such as colour to communicate emotion, ideas and meaning, then experiment with creating their own expressive studies, linking visual language and personal interpretation. 

Using a range of hands-on printmaking techniques, students experiment with how the Art Elements can communicate mood and effect.

The session is highly adaptable across year levels, supporting foundational colour exploration in younger years and more conceptual approaches in secondary settings.

Inside the Gallery  

People, Pathways and Practice 

This incursion invites students to explore how a public art gallery operates beyond the exhibition space. Through guided discussion, real examples and interactive activities, students examine the range of creative, practical and professional roles that support exhibitions, collections and public programs.They consider how roles such as curation, conservation, education, marketing work together to care for artworks and engage audiences. Students are encouraged to reflect on how their interests and strengths may connect to different gallery roles, supporting career awareness and pathway planning.

This session is suitable for secondary and senior students and can be adapted to support career education, industry awareness and VCE learning contexts.