Escape ARTfest 2014 will be officially launched at a Scottish Highland-style gathering on the banks of Ulladulla Harbour at dusk on Friday September 19.

Young musicians and circus performers will take part in Harbourbeats, a Call to Art from 5.30pm.

The launch will signal the start of the two-week festival, jam-packed with 119 creative events incorporating the theme: Edge.

ARTfest coordinator Julie Sydenham said the festival was bigger, better and brighter than ever, with a record number of exhibitions and workshops, ranging from visual arts and sculpture to literature and performance.

Galleries, businesses, eateries and public spaces throughout the district will host exhibitions and special events from this weekend until the October long weekend, with something for everyone.

“I encourage people to get out and celebrate the creative talent that we have in our area,” Julie said.

“There’s so much on, that if you’re not completely exhausted by the end of ARTfest, you haven’t really tried.”

As well as a host of regular events, Julie said this year’s festival would see plenty of creative happenings in open spaces around town, including pianos for people to walk up and play as well as artwork hanging in trees and front yards.

While it was too late to enter the many competitions, she encouraged people to sign up for workshops to unlock their creativity or to get involved in one of the concerts or activities such as the Ulladulla Art Trail or Pekakucha at the Milton Theatre.

Following Friday’s harbourside opening, the first of many prizes will be announced at the launch of the Alley Archies at the Dunn Lewis Centre from 7.30pm.

The annual art competition has a $1000 prize pool and subjects must be residents of the Milton-Ulladulla district.

Julie said the Archies, as well as all of the art and writing competitions this year, had been well supported, with entries on display at venues around town, including downstairs in the civic centre and the Little Gallery in Milton.

“We have a lot of first time entries this year, which is great,” she said.

“It’s always great to see more people exploring their creative side.”

Samantha Kneeshaw of Conjola has entered her oil painting of Vivienne Burns in the Alley Archies after picking up a pallet that had been untouched for 21 years.

“I haven’t painted using oils since I was 19,” she said.

“Two years ago I photographed Viv and was going to paint her - and I’ve finally done it.”

Her painting depicts the mobile hairdresser with five hands as she cuts Samantha’s daughter’s hair.

“Viv is such as character and I thought she would make a great local subject,” Samantha said.

The school teacher and marine scientist has enjoyed getting her paints out and said she would also feature as a subject in the Alley Archies, having been painted by Warren Priest.

There’s a busy weekend ahead for the district, with the return of the popular Rock Quiz music and trivia night at the Milton Theatre as well as the Milton Voice finals and Poetry readings at the Commercial Hotel.

The impressive RIPE sculpture exhibition will also open at Cupitt’s Winery at 3pm on Sunday, with more than $4,000 prize money up for grabs.

• A program of this week’s ARTfest events, as well as feature stories from some of the events, is published on page 20 and 21 in today’s Times. The remainder of the festival program will be published in next week’s Times or pick up a program from venues around town.