"Art in the Boat Shed", which opens on Monday, is the brainchild of Wanaka painter Janet Malloch.
"How it happened was a group of about five of us who regularly meet to mentor and talk about our art decided Wanaka and Central Otago already had a lot of exhibitions and we were looking for somewhere else to go."
"I suddenly realised our boat shed on Main Rd, Oban, would be a perfect location for what we want to do," she said.
All the artists from Wanaka and Central Otago who were approached agreed to exhibit and nearly all of them had a connection to Stewart Island, Ms Malloch said.
For the past few weeks, Ms Malloch and her partner Brian Anderson have removed 25 years of "accumulated layers of fishing stuff" from the boatshed but kept ropes and nets to use as a backdrop for the artworks.
A neighbour’s restored clinker boat was borrowed for a feature exhibit in the centre. Ms Malloch said it took them three car trips from Wanaka to Oban to transport more than 70 works of art by 15 Central Otago artists, including landscape photographs by Gilbert van Reenen, paintings by Nigel Wilson and pottery by Joy Paterson.
The exhibition will also include works of art by local island artists and will run for six weeks.
From each artwork sold, 10% will go towards the construction of the island’s new heritage centre.
"What has been amazing is the islanders have absolutely embraced the idea. Everyone has been so positive and businesses have really supported it."
Ms Malloch said every household on the island has been invited to the opening on Monday at 4pm.
