Mudgee raises a glass to art for the 12th Sculptures in the Garden this long weekend

Held since 2011, the exhibition offers artists an opportunity to exhibit their works alongside local, regional, metropolitan and interstate artists, while also being in the running for prizes. This year's event has been extended thanks to its burgeoning popularity, running until October 23.

More than 200 sculptures and outdoor art works will be on display each day at Rosby Wines, Gallery & Sculpture Garden, just a 15-minute drive north of Mudgee.

On the music front, Matt Boylan-Smith and friends will perform on weekends. The Sydney Bach Society will take to the stage from October 8-23 from 10am-4pm daily.

Sculptures in the Garden Curator, Kay Norton-Knight said it is great to see the event grow into the must-attend occasion it has become.

"It's more of a community event now - not for profit event. This is its twelfth year and people are expecting more and more, it's pretty hard to keep up with it," Kay laughed.

W"when we first started 12 years ago, there weren't a lot of sculpture exhibitions happening. So we've got a bit of competition, but we do plug the emerging artists, the beginners as well, as long as the quality is good... that's our main focus is the quality, that must be pretty good... they can actually range from $150 to $30,000. So the quality must be there."

Opening hours are 10am-4pm each day. Admission is $5 per person.

Proceeds go to two groups: the Mudgee Support Group of Guide Dogs NSW/ACT; and a local arts initiative to develop the sculpture walk in Mudgee's Lawson Park and public art throughout the region including along Mudgee's sculpture walk which will grow again this year.

A total of $25,000 in prizemoney is available: