A preformance by dancers from the Ngurra Bu Aboriginal Community will be a feature of the annual Sculpture in the Vineyards exhibition opening, at Noyce Brothers Wines, Wollombi, at 4.30pm.

The 60 exhibitors were chosen from applications by almost 100 artists from throughout Australia.

Curator Todd Fuller, from Branxton, said he was impressed by the works which included ceramics, steel, fibres, glass, wood and a variety of composite plastics.

While local artists Kelly Ann Lees, Will Maguire, Joanna O’Toole, Jacqueline King and Jimmy Rix were involved Mr Fuller said he would love to have seen Singleton and Muswellbrook artists enter.

“Sadly no-one from Singleton and Muswellbrook are represented and that’s a pity as there are some exciting artists quietly working away in the area,” Mr Fuller said.

“Wollombi attracts many tourists over the summer period and this exhibiton is a way of showing the world what we can do.

“This year’s contemporary works range from figurative to animal, abstract and formal.”

The exhibition will be displayed at Undercliff Winery, Stonehurst Cedar Creek, Noyce Brothers Wines, Wollombi Wines and The Gate Gallery.

In addition to the outdoor sculpture display, 20 of the artists will have indoor works at The Gate Gallery.

The exhibition will also include workshops by artists and a series of twilight tours of Wollombi area rock carvings next month by Aboriginal elder Uncle Paul Godon.

Sculpture in the Vineyards is the result of an art exhibition which began in 2002 and took on its current name in 2006.

This year it carries a $6000 first prize, $3000 second prize and the chance for an artist to have a solo exhibition at Cessnock Regional Art Gallery.