Sanctuary: 25 Years of Hazelhurst Arts Centre

_{Image: Hiromi Tango, Obi’s Dream: Childhood Memory (Shichi-Go-San Rite of Passage) (detail),  2025. Photograph by Alex Chomicz.}

3 May to 14 September 2025

In celebration of its 25th anniversary, Hazelhurst Arts Centre presents Sanctuary: 25 Years of Hazelhurst Arts Centre.

Varied and captivating, Sanctuary showcases 25 artists who represent the strength and diversity of Hazelhurst's storied history. The artworks included, ranging from vibrant paintings to thought-provoking sculptures, demonstrate the Centre's history of excellence and signal a diverse and engaging future for the exhibition program.

The exhibition, which explores themes of retreat, respite, and contemplation, underlines the gallery as a welcoming and accessible space. In their 1989 publication The Good Place, American sociologists Ray Oldenburg and Karen Christensen introduced the concept of "Third Places"—social spaces beyond home and work that foster connection and community.

These spaces are open, welcoming, and accessible, providing a setting for conversation, debate, laughter, and shared experiences. Hazelhurst Arts Centre is one such space, created through the dedication of visionary artists and organizers. Sanctuary honours their foresight and celebrates the importance of these communal places.

The exhibition's title comes from the name former Hazelhurst resident Ben Broadhurst gave to the small building at the back of his property, which he used as a spiritual retreat for reading and meditation. It is on this location that Hazelhurst Arts Centre now stands.