I even get to pretend that I'm some kind of investigative journalist sometimes, and a little while back I snuck down to the Bunbury Regional Art Galleries and invited myself to a "special media preview" of the work coming in for the South Western Times Survey. This is without question the region's premier visual arts competition, and there is no better way to gauge the state of the arts than to have a look at it. I'm pretty much a philistine but I saw what was coming in (including those that didn't survive the selection process), and I found the whole thing pretty exciting. The quality of works to my untrained eye was spectacular. It's kind of neat to see the level of excitement it generates among the staff there too. Over recent years the gallery staff have been working hard to encourage locals, both emerging and established artists to be involved in the survey, and to improve the quality of their entries. There are a number of entrants whose work didn't make the cut last year or the year before and are in this year, even though the standard continues to rise. It suggests that overall the level of art practice continues to improve.

At the other end of the scale, personal approaches were made this year to a number of established artists who had ceased to be involved. Visitors to the survey can now see those who've already made it, as well as the future of the arts in the South West.

I think of art as painting, and there are some very fine works this year in that medium, but look out for jewellery, digital photography, photography, woodwork, sculpture. There's more than you can take in in one go.

So the Survey should be enough to get you along, it'll be on show from February 11 to March 28, but we know that living here makes us spoiled and it takes a lot to get many of you out. The opening of the South Western Times survey is one of the best fun moments in the calendar. The galleries staff know how to put on a party, and this year director Diana de Bussy has gone all out. There is a street party to celebrate the opening of the survey, and as a novelty, it won't be held in the street. The grounds and the car park will have to do.

Last year there was one of Perth's finest jazz combos playing, and this year, there is to be a show by a band including four wineers of James Morrison Scholarships. These guys are all outrageously good jazz musicians, they're all heading in different directions to develop their careers, and there's every chance you won't see them all together in a band together again. Not here, not in Perth, not anywhere.

A fine exhibition of art, a glance at the future, food and wine, and a never to be repeated music show. That's a pretty strong case for why you should put this one in your diary.

February 2005