SOME in Portland’s art community will be harbouring a secret over the coming weeks - the details and location of the highly anticipated return of art and fashion event ‘Abandoned’.

As with much of the rest of the events world, the locally organised fundraiser has been on hiatus since 2019 but returns on Saturday, November 12, with tickets still available.

The one-night event will feature a variety of installation works made by local artists from ‘discarded, unused, deserted, forsaken and ultimately abandoned objects’, as well as performances, and food and drink in the speakeasy area.

Artists involved include Rory Carter, Gene Stewart, Damian Goodman, The Op Shop Archaeologist, Vicki Reynolds, Carmel Wallace and Chris Webb, Andrew Walsh, Andy Govanstone, Phil Cousins and Heather Richardson.

The op shop runway parade, which was the highlight of many from the last event, will be returning with Tina Biggs, Andrew Bryant, Velia Terrance, Therese Coffey and Emma Van Smale curating upcycled outfits that highlight the waste created by the fashion industry.

Event curator Megan Jarrett said she was eager to follow up the well-received first edition of Abandoned, and the longer than expected wait has only increased the excitement for the reprisal.

“A lot of people were really keen to go again, and were asking when we were going to have another one,” she said.

“There was a bit of pressure, but we were geared up to go because we had such a great response, but it’s probably lucky we had a couple years off to sort of refresh the idea.”

“It’s certainly not tired yet, and there seems to be a huge appetite for it from what we’ve seen.”

Tickets were already 70% sold as of last Wednesday, with attendance capped at 200.

Although there is plenty of work involved in wrangling artists, preparing the site, and the countless other organisational tasks on her list to complete over the next two weeks, Ms Jarrett says that once they found a suitable location, the hardest part has been keeping the secret.

Between the artists, helpers, fencing contractors, OHS officer and nosey local newspapers, there are a lot of people who need to know the location ahead of time, but they understand the value of the surprise on arrival.

“The anticipation is really a big part of the fun,” Ms Jarrett said.

“When you've got all these creatives and you get them all together, no one knows exactly what's going to be like until on the night.

“It’s an explorative experience, you find things, when you come in you discover this place that most people don’t know about.”

“Discover some different artists with some emerging artists. Yes, just a place of creativity, and it’s just fun as well.”

Artists Vicki Reynolds and Chris Webb, who have recently moved to the area and are collaborating on a work for the event, say they are “chuffed” to be involved.

Ms Reynolds says she has enjoyed the way the abandoned theme and unusual site have pushed their boundaries.

“It’s certainly not the white cube [of a typical gallery]”

“It’s got the creative process really trundling along nicely…it’s inspiring with its history and its grunginess”

Like Ms Jarrett, they are keeping their work a surprise for on the night, but are working around themes of waste and the environment.

They were having their first look around on Thursday, which Mr Webb said had helped clarify their ideas on what exactly they were going to make.

“We've got that picture of what it’s going to look like in our minds now, next we’ve got to put it all together,” he said.

As well as giving local artists an inspiring canvas to show their talents, Abandoned is raising money for local organisation United Way Glenelg, and funds will be directed to local Community Art Projects.