It has been a hugely encouraging few days for Bendigo's arts community.
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Like any sector that relies on drawing a crowd to make money, the arts and entertainment industry has suffered terribly during 2020.
The shutters have been up for months, but the last couple of weeks have offered enough evidence to suggest that the local scene is ready to roar back into life.
The biggest headline of the week came courtesy of the Bendigo Art Gallery, which announced its latest fashion-themed exhibition.
The Mary Quant showcase will bring a series of fun and bright 1960s designs to Bendigo from London.
Fashion has been the gallery's go-to topic for many years, and has delivered hundreds of thousands of visitors to Bendigo.
Unless COVID-19 gets out of control again, there is no reason to suspect that the crowds will decide to stay away this time.
Bendigo is once again accessible from Melbourne, while the return of passenger flights from Sydney next week offers the gallery another potential source of ticket sales.
Local traders will be looking forward to the March 2021 opening with relish.
Other news
It has been a big week for the gallery, with the announcement coupled with the awarding last night of its famous Paul Guest prize.
But another announcement featured in our pages today shows that the arts scene is rebounding at a more local level.
The renovated Beehive building on Pall Mall will become home to an exhibition space for First Nations and multicultural artists.
It is another string to Bendigo's bow and will only serve to enhance the city's national and international reputation.
Combined with the early stages of a live music and comedy return, there is cause to be optimistic that as painful as 2020 has been for the arts sector, the immediate future is a little more promising.
Bendigo's economic and cultural resurgence is counting on the arts to lead the way.
History would show that those involved are more than capable.
