The region is home to many talented artists and a collaboration between the Manning Regional Art Gallery and Fairfax Media's Manning River Times, is seeing their stories and studios shared.

More than a year in the making, the resulting exhibition ‘Studio Spaces of the Mid North Coast’ will be officially opened at the Manning Regional Art Gallery this Saturday, April 7, at 6pm.

"As a 30th anniversary celebration of the Manning Regional Art Gallery, we're celebrating gallery achievements and recognising the skills and diversity of local artists with the exhibition," said gallery director, Rachel Piercy, who is curating the show with Jane Hosking.

Those artists are Ali Haigh, Jane Hosking, Peter Hugill, Yvette Hugill, Stephen Michael King, Kaz Madigan, Wendie Patch, Jana Pearceova, Rick Reynolds, Raechel Saunders, Russell Saunders, Peter Schouten, Andy Snelgar, Rod Spicer, Steve Williams and Shona Wilson.

"We're going behind the scenes to see them in their own creative spaces and studios and see how they work,” said Rachel. “It’s a fascinating peek for local art lovers who will be familiar with many art works produced by the artists.”

The partnership with the Manning River Times and Fairfax Media has seen journalist Lauren Green and photographer Scott Calvin visit each artist in their studio over the past 12 months, producing profile stories for the exhibition and online publications. 

Scott's portrait photographs are on exhibition, while film of the interviews provides a multimedia narrative during the viewing experience.

Rachel said putting this exhibition together has been so revealing, a series of future exhibitions is planned. 

In the lead-up to the exhibition, a number of the artists have come together to create unique drinking vessels that will be sold at the official opening as a Friends of the Gallery fundraiser. 

Also opening is ‘The Amber Rooms’, featuring the work of four Newcastle-based artists.

Entry to the official opening of ‘Studio Spaces of the Mid North Coast’ and ‘The Amber Rooms’ is $10 (adult), $7 Friends of the Gallery.

The exhibitions will be open from Wednesday April 4 until Sunday May 13 and entry to both is free.