ArcFest 2025 was a fun time

An ArcOpen volunteer tells all

May 05, 2025

It was a humbling, rewarding experience to support the miniature display painting competition at ArcFest which was held last weekend (3-4 May) at Sandown Racecourse in Victoria.

Outside of ArcOpen there were multiple tournaments running, exhibitors showing off their wares, classes in session and spaces to chill out and paint.

The following is my attempt to break it all down from my perspective.

40K on display

Saturday morning, the Warhammer 40K players showcased their armies before the games commenced. I was lucky to snap some shots.

But wait, there’s more!

More!

WARSURGE

The team behind the miniature agnostic wargame WARSURGE were among the exhibitors. They treated players to a small demonstration game where they used a band of heroes to fight a dragon.

Check out the free app and give it a go.

Nic of Three Brothers Grim. Image: WARSURGE.

Pro tips from Adrian Prada

Adrian Prada pictured second from right.

On Sunday there was a free class about improving your photography skills to take better pics of your minis. The session was recorded and should appear online … eventually.

I found the session quite informative as it covered lighting setup, the difference between soft light and hard light, camera settings and even clever use of the Lightroom app on mobile and Canva.

There were other professional classes running throughout the weekend and I heard they were all amazing.

Melbourne Figure Painters Collective

The MFPC meet regularly at The Gaming Arena and they also invited fellow painters to grab a brush and join in at Arc.

Follow them on Insta.

ArcOpen was awesome

Firstly, for those who entered the ArcOpen painting competition, thank you for your patience. There were some minor technical difficulties over the weekend but it’s thanks to the incredibly supportive and passionate group of participating hobbyists who helped to maintain an overwhelmingly positive experience.

Digital registration is ideal. And with more tinkering it could be a very efficient tool for next year. Having said that, please do share your feedback – the good and the bad. Having used ArcScore first-hand I have my own notes to share with the TOs to improve the user experience. Next year will be bigger and better I’m sure.

The ArcOpen team for 2025 included Dean, Eugene, Richard, Adrian, Andrew, Luke (me) and Ben. Image: Eugene.

A look at the entries

Professional photography is on the way. Others, of course, have also taken photos of the ArcOpen minis. Keep an eye on the official ArcFest socials for updates.

Shoutout to Juniper Bout for taking out People’s Choice which also happened to be my favourite entry.

“Juniper’s work ‘A Slice of Commorragh’ captured hearts and votes with its clarity of vision and skillful execution.”

Best in Show and Single Miniature – Gold

“Huge congratulations to Liam Howell … A Gold Medalist in the Single Miniature category, this piece was a standout – packed with atmosphere, rich texture, and masterful storytelling.”

I had an of opportunity to take photos with my phone (apologies for not applying Adrian’s pro tips here … volunteering was the priority). Behold!

Note: The official ArcOpen/ArcFest images have been sourced via the event organiser’s social media channels.

Adrian Prada, who took the photos over the weekend, supplied the files raw to the event organiser and is not responsible for those social media edits.

“Over the coming weeks, we’ll be showcasing medal-winning and commended entries across the categories. It’s our way of celebrating the artists who poured their passion, talent, and time into making ArcOpen such a visual feast.”

~ArcFest