Open Studios Macedon is an invitation to step inside the creative spaces of local artists, meet the people behind the work and discover a different side of the Macedon Ranges.
For one weekend in November, artists across Macedon and Mount Macedon open their private studios to visitors, sharing their work, techniques, ideas and inspiration. From painting and printmaking to textiles, botanical art, illustration and mixed media, there’s plenty to discover as you make your way between studios.
It’s a relaxed, self-guided experience, so you can choose the artists and creative practices that catch your attention and build your own day around them.
For visitors coming from Melbourne, it’s also a great excuse to slow down and spend a spring weekend in the Macedon Ranges – with gardens, walks, local food, galleries and plenty of places to stay nearby.
Open Studios Macedon 2026 is on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November, from 10am to 4pm each day. Entry is free.
What is Open Studios Macedon?
Open Studios Macedon gives visitors a behind-the-scenes look at the working spaces of local artists.
Rather than visiting a traditional gallery, you can step into private studios, see where artists actually work and have a conversation about their creative process. The 2026 program includes artists working across painting, botanical art, portrait drawing, encaustic, textiles, printmaking, illustration and mixed media, with original works on display and available to purchase.
You don’t need to have a particular background in art to enjoy the weekend. You might be interested in textiles, illustration, drawing or making things yourself. You might simply be curious about what happens inside a working studio, want to meet local creatives or discover a technique you haven’t encountered before.
That’s part of the appeal: you can follow your own interests and see where they take you.
Meet the 2026 Open Studios Macedon artists
The 2026 Open Studios Macedon program brings together eight artists across Macedon and Mount Macedon, with the studios located within a relatively compact area.
Start in Macedon
Several studios are located around Macedon, making it easy to build a morning or afternoon around a handful of artists before heading further up the mountain.
Madeleine Bethel – Oil Painting
Madeleine Bethel works in oil portraits from her studio at 2 Windsor Street, Macedon.
Yvonne O’Connell – Drawing, Painting and Printmaking
At 9 Wimbledon Avenue, Yvonne O’Connell opens her private garden studio for Open Studios weekend. Her practice includes drawing and painting, with her work exploring portrait, figure, still life and landscape.
Craig Lidgerwood – Contemporary Botanical Art
At 8 Centenary Avenue, Craig Lidgerwood’s practice explores contemporary botanical art and the intricate forms of the natural world.
Marian Alexopoulos – Mixed Media Artist
At 81 Margaret Street, Marian Alexopoulos works across mixed media, collage, inks, paint and encaustic wax, exploring colour, line, texture and the creative possibilities of combining different materials.
Pen Pender – Botanical Textile Design
At 28 Cable Street, Pen Pender’s work brings together textiles, botanical colour and natural dyeing, with her creative practice closely connected to the natural environment.
Colleen Weste – Textile Art
At 175 Waterfalls Road, Colleen Weste works with textiles, including silk, wool, dyes, shibori and machine embroidery.
Wendy Straw – Illustration / mixed media
At 10 Scott St Macedon, Wendy is an Illustrator and mixed media artist. She has illustrated children’s books and has an interest in portraiture.
Continue up to Mount Macedon
From Macedon, continue towards Mount Macedon to visit the remaining studios.
Sue Anson – Macedon Ranges Printmaker
At 90 Taylors Road, Sue Anson works from her garden studio, with a focus on relief printmaking including traditional linocut, woodcut and colour reduction printing.
For the full artist details and latest event information, see the Open Studios Macedon listing on Visit Macedon Ranges.
Build your own Open Studios trail
There’s no need to rush between studios or try to see everything.
The studios are spread across Macedon and Mount Macedon, but are all within a short drive of each other, making it practical to group your visits by area rather than spending the day doubling back.
A simple approach is to start in Macedon, visit a few of the studios that interest you, then stop for coffee or lunch before continuing up to Mount Macedon.
You can also turn it around and start on the mountain before heading back down into Macedon.
The important thing is to leave yourself some breathing room. Studio visits are as much about the people and process as they are about what’s hanging on the wall or sitting on a table.
It’s about more than the finished work
One of the most interesting parts of Open Studios is seeing the space behind the finished piece.
You might notice materials, tools, sketches, experiments or works in progress that give you a better sense of how an idea develops. You can ask questions, talk to the artists and see how very different creative practices take shape in a home studio environment.
And because there are different disciplines represented across the weekend, you can pick and choose what appeals to you.
Like textiles? Start there. Interested in botanical work? There are several artists exploring that connection with nature. Curious about printmaking, illustration, painting or mixed media? There’s plenty to investigate.
Or simply come with an open mind and see what catches your attention.
Make a day of Macedon and Mount Macedon
Open Studios gives you a reason to explore beyond the studios themselves.
Macedon is less than an hour from Melbourne and has cafés, a local pub and places to stay close to the town centre and train station. The Macedon village guide is a useful starting point for places to eat, drink, stay and explore before or after your studio visits.
From Macedon, head up to Mount Macedon for more studios, gardens, walks, cafés and country scenery. The Mount Macedon guide can help you plan what else to see and do while you’re there.
You could make your Open Studios day as simple as coffee, a few studio visits and lunch – or build it into a broader spring day trip with a walk, garden visit or another local experience.
Before you visit, check the What’s On calendar to see what else is happening across the Macedon Ranges that weekend.
Turn Open Studios into a spring weekend
While Macedon is an easy day trip from Melbourne, Open Studios is also a good reason to stay overnight.
Staying means you can take your time rather than trying to fit every studio, meal and other activity into a single day. You can visit a few artists on Saturday, settle into your accommodation, then spend Sunday exploring more of Macedon, Mount Macedon or the wider region.
The Where to Stay guide has more than 100 accommodation options across the Macedon Ranges, including cottages, guesthouses, country properties, farm stays, hotels, vineyard accommodation, caravan and camping sites, and studios and apartments.
If you want to stay close to the Open Studios action, look at accommodation in Macedon and Mount Macedon. There are also plenty of options in nearby Woodend and across the wider Macedon Ranges if you’d like to turn the weekend into a bigger getaway.
Staying overnight also opens up more possibilities for the rest of your weekend. As the Mount Macedon visitor guide notes, an overnight stay makes it easier to explore more of the region, from Macedon and Mount Macedon to Woodend, Hanging Rock and Kyneton, without trying to fit everything into one day.
A creative weekend from Melbourne
Open Studios Macedon is less about following a set itinerary and more about finding your own way through the weekend.
Choose a handful of artists, spend longer at the studios that interest you, stop for lunch, explore Macedon and Mount Macedon, and leave room for the unexpected.
For Melbourne visitors, it’s an easy country escape with a creative focus – and staying overnight gives you the chance to experience much more of the Macedon Ranges while you’re here.
Open Studios Macedon 2026 at a glance
When: Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November 2026
Time: 10am–4pm each day
Where: Macedon and Mount Macedon
Entry: Free
Format: Self-guided studio visits
Artists: Eight participating artists across painting, printmaking, textiles, botanical art, illustration and mixed media
See the full Open Studios Macedon event listing for the latest details and event information.
Come for the creativity, stay for the weekend
Whether you have a particular creative interest or simply like seeing how people make things, Open Studios Macedon is an easy way to experience the Macedon Ranges from a different perspective.
Come for a look inside a working studio. Stay for a conversation. Follow an interest you already have or discover something completely new.
And if one day isn’t enough, make a weekend of it.
Start with the Open Studios Macedon 2026 program, then find somewhere to stay through Where to Stay in the Macedon Ranges.
