As the weather turns cooler and the winter woollies come out, it’s a great time to enjoy some of the many arts and cultural activities here on the Central Coast.

Grant Molony, based in Long Jetty, is a local indigenous painter and photographer and is also a proud ambassador of the ‘This is the life’ campaign promoting the Central Coast.

“The arts scene on the Coast is really starting to flourish,” he says. “There seems to be a growing interest in the arts within the community. It’s great to see the enthusiasm and support from locals and visitors.”

Growing up in Berkeley Vale, Grant has been making art his whole life. Looking through his remarkable catalogue of diverse work, Grant dabbles in photography (surfing, commercial and wedding), painting, and illustration.

With his family all still living in the Central Coast area, Grant claims he can’t imagine living anywhere but here.

“It’s home, it’s where my origins are, plus a beautiful place where I’m excited to raise my family”.

Grant was recently invited to take part in the Bondi Mural Project and in May was a mentor artist for Central Coast Grammar School as part of the Sean Lonergan Schools Project.

“I'm so proud of the students to see the work come to life and now hang proudly at the #gosfordregionalgallery titled Pieces. The work is a study of our uniqueness yet our connection to one another; the pieces or layers that come together to make us who we are.”

There are many artists, writers and performers living on the Coast, and that artistic energy is translating into new collaborations, art development programs and new arts facilities.

• The Gosford Regional Gallery has a great program in June. In addition to Grant’s school project, June exhibitions include a show of new work by local artist Patrick Carroll, inspired by the great Australian tradition of ‘roadside chuckouts’.   Works include painting, sculpture and mixed media incorporating digital media. Carroll has been a professional artist since 1974 and is represented in numerous public collections.
• On 24 June why not take part in the 5 Lands Walk which is packed with sculpture, art, ceremonies and indigenous culture.  Make a weekend of it with the 5 Lands Art Studios Trail open on Sunday 25 June and travel a beautiful trail from the bush to the beach to visit artists in their working studios.
• At The Art House in Wyong, see the annual public exhibition of work entered into the Central Coast Council’s photography competition “Exposure”. Amateur and emerging local photographers have gained the industry’s attention with 145 of the most outstanding images to be exhibited during the public exhibition from 10 to 25 June 2017.
• Also at The Art House take a sneak peak of NAISDA Dance College’s new season from 28 to 30 June 2017 with its Ngangga Ya (Speaking to the Future) performance.  Enjoy inspirational stories of resilience, preservation and reawakening of cultural heritage, as told by the next generation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander performers.  Proudly dancing on Darkinjung land, NAISDA Dance College is one of eight elite, national training organisations in the performing arts and is at the forefront of shaping Australia’s artistic and cultural talent.

To find out more about arts and culture on the Coast, visit www.thisisthecentralcoast.com.au/about/culture

You can also follow the Central Coast on Instagram @thisisthecentralcoast or Facebook @thisisthecc and subscribe to the This is the Life e-news at www.thisisthecentralcoast.com.au/contact-us

Post and tag your favourite Central Coast photos with #thisisthelife and #centralcoastnsw.

About This is the life - This is the life is a digital marketing campaign that promotes all things good about the Central Coast, to help change the way people think about our region and support growth. It is supported by Central Coast Council.