The Artists to Antarctica programme has this year selected poet Bernadette Hall, and artist Kathryn Madill, to head off to The Ice in early December. It should be an auspicious pairing; their joint efforts have in the past produced Settler Dreaming which was short-listed for the Tasmania Pacific Poetry Award.

The programme is an initiative between Antarctica New Zealand and Creative New Zealand. ‘This scheme gives New Zealand artists a rare opportunity to explore Antarctica, refresh their spirit and gain the inspiration while living at Scott Base,’ said Antarctica New Zealand CEO Lou Sanson. And Creative New Zealand Chief Executive Elizabeth Kerr says, ‘Artists who have taken this journey have been deeply affected by the experience and have created wonderful, innovative work on their return from the Ice.’

Can’t wait to see what Kathryn comes up with, I’ve loved her creepy, ethereal work for ages. Virginian King went in 1999; I was fortunate enough to see the results of her Antarctic odyssey at Te Tuhi – The Mark, a gallery in Pakuranga. I was studying there at the time and went into the gallery space over and over again, entering a pleasurably hypnotic state surrounded by giant-sized, fluorescent, carved macrocarpa replicas of Antarctic micro-organisms hanging from the ceiling, turning slowly under black lights, the underwater soundtrack of tinny clicks and strangely soothing hoots in the background. I actually became a plankton (is plankton the singular? Plank?).

Anyway, Bernadette and Kathryn aren’t the only ones going; there’s jeweller Kirsten Haydon – first metal artist to visit Antarctica, growing international reputation; and the guy who makes those fab waka-shaped chairs, David Trubridge.

In fact, white seems to be the new black: Sir Ed Hillary is on his way to The Ice later this year to do a doco at Scott Base, and Dick Frizzell is heading down to paint in January. And of course, Bill Manhire’s beavering away on an anthology of writing about the cold continent right now in sunny Menton: The Wide White Page: Writers Imagine Antarctica is due out in late October, and we are promised ‘a treasure trove for any devotee of either the Antarctic or the imagination’.

Probably best to book one’s cruise asap, before the thundering herds of artists and celebs arrive and trample the place to bits.