The Story of the InStudio Art Trail

The InStudio Art Trail began with a simple but powerful idea: to invite people beyond the gallery walls and into the creative spaces where art is imagined, shaped and brought to life.

Its origins date back to 2011, when Toowoomba & Golden West Tourism, in partnership with Queensland Museums and Cobb+Co Museum, launched a new initiative called Handmade in Country. As part of the program, community groups were invited to submit proposals for a mentored and partially funded “Studio Safari”,  an arts and crafts trail designed to celebrate the region’s creative talent.

Margaret Donkin, representing Crows Nest Community Arts & Crafts, and Kerri Seccombe, representing Toowoomba Regional Council’s tourism branch, saw the opportunity to create something special for the local arts community. Together, they developed a proposal for a self-drive trail that would begin at Cobb+Co Museum in Toowoomba and wind its way through Highfields, Crows Nest and Kingsthorpe before returning to Toowoomba.

Along the route, visitors would be invited to step inside six working artists’ studios, visit the Crows Nest Community Arts & Crafts shop, and experience Cobb+Co Museum as part of the journey. It was a chance to meet artists face-to-face, see where they worked, hear their stories and gain a deeper appreciation for the skill, passion and dedication behind each piece.

The proposal was selected as the most outstanding submission, and the first trail was successfully held in early 2011. Its popularity made one thing very clear: people loved the opportunity to connect with artists in their own creative environments.

Encouraged by this success, Crows Nest Community Arts & Crafts continued the trail independently, with plans to run the event twice a year and feature six to eight artists on each trail. From the very beginning, Progressive Community Crows Nest, the community funding arm of Heritage Community Bank, came on board as a sponsor. Toowoomba Regional Council also became a strong and consistent supporter through its community funding programs.

For the first four years, the trail was held twice annually before becoming an annual event. The third weekend of August was chosen as its permanent place on the calendar, with a different group of six to eight artists featured each year. Participating artists either lived within the region stretching from Blue Mountain Heights to Crows Nest, or had a strong and meaningful connection to the area.

What made the trail truly unique was its emphasis on opening home studios. Visitors were not simply viewing finished artworks; they were stepping into the places where creativity happens. They could see tools, materials, works in progress and the beautiful, often personal spaces that inspire each artist’s practice. Where a home studio was not suitable for visitors, alternative exhibition spaces were arranged, ensuring artists could still be part of the experience.

In 2021, the trail celebrated its 10th anniversary with a bold expansion. Rather than limiting participation to a small group, organisers invited all artists who wished to be involved. The response was overwhelming. Thirty-five artists took part, and the trail grew to span all four weekends of August. Many artists opened their home studios, while community halls in Cabarlah, Perseverance, Crows Nest and Goombungee provided welcoming exhibition spaces for others.

Today, the InStudio Art Trail continues to grow in scale, reputation and community spirit. What began as a small, mentored arts trail has become one of the region’s most anticipated annual cultural events.

Each year, it celebrates the rich artistic talent of the region, creates meaningful connections between artists and visitors, and invites the community to experience art in a more personal and memorable way.

The InStudio Art Trail is more than an event. It is a journey through creativity, place and people, and it continues to go from strength to strength with every passing year.