The Canberra Art Fair at Exhibition Park this weekend is the brainchild of artist Margaret Hadfield.

The decision to go ahead with such a massive undertaking came out of a discussion between Hadfield and her friends, Joanne and Mike Hogan a well-known designer and signwriter, about how much they missed the old Canberra Outdoor Art Show, associated with the long-lost Canberra Festival.

Nothing since that she believes has given local artists an opportunity to exhibit their works and services, providing them with income. In fact, when she first she moved to this region. Hadfield made a welcome $2000 at the show.

The outdoor location was perfect, she says, adding, “my paintings were never bothered by moisture.” That will be no problem this time round, as the event is in the capacious Fitzroy Pavilion at EPIC.

Run out of the Artists Shed community in Fyshwick, assisted by Dennis Mortimer of The Bunker in Queanbeyan and Bob Stephens, of Aarwun Gallery in Gold Creek, who describes the event a “a wonderful celebration of art and creativity,” the fair is being run by artists for artists.

It’s been a massive achievement, with 62 people and organisations exhibiting, including artists from Sydney, Wollongong and the North Coast and names such as Mark Wall, Janet Gerrard, Carolyn Reid, Sally Dunbar, photographer Simon Sawell and recycling whizkids Bryan Fitzpatrick, who makes mobiles out of laundry basket lids.

It wouldn’t have happened without the organisational and computer skills of Hogan, who, immobilised by an unexpected hospital infection, figured that he could be put to use from behind a terminal.

He estimates that he’s been taking up to 34 phone calls in one day.

“It wasn’t easy at first,” Hogan reports. “I emailed galleries around town and got just a couple of replies, then 132 schools with no replies, then 250 emails to galleries and artists as far as the south coast and just got 10 or 12 replies from that.”

“But then suddenly, just over a month ago when it looked as if interest was drying up, people started ringing up.”

It won’t be just sales, and while we’re talking, artist Caroline Jefferson pops in to fine-tune plans for her facepainting and bookmark sessions for kids.

There’ll be regular painting lessons by Hadfield and Benjamin van Eldik and Capital Radio will also broadcast live from the Fitzroy on Saturday.

“There’s been an incredible influx in the last four weeks,” Hadfield enthuses.

And, yes, she would do it again. In fact, if all goes well, plans are afoot to run a Canberra Art Far twice a year.

Canberra Art Fair, 2025, Fitzroy Pavilion, Epic, September 5-7. All details at caf.com.au