Open Every Door, by Melbourne-based artist Briony Galligan, is now on the Annex Wall near the Art Gallery of Ballarat.

The hand-painted artwork - centred around a quote by the poet Emily Dickinson - was installed over five days this week.

It was commissioned by the City of Ballarat.

Influences include queer histories and artists, as well as works from the 19th century such as those by Geogiana Houghton, who produced abstract drawings at private séances.

It is the first of two works that Ms Galligan will install in the space. Next year, she will bring another artwork entitled A Lover not a Fighter to the same area.

It is the first time the artist, who studied fine art at Monash University, as well as arts, textiles and printmaking in Indonesia, has been commissioned to install an artwork outside.

She said she had enjoyed the process, which she said she had planned well in advance, using stencils and a big builder's compass to map out the piece.

"It's been really great - also the weather's been amazing this week," she told The Courier. "I have also had a lot of people to help me."

She said there had been a lot of foot traffic while the work was being done.

"It's been really good having lots of people drop in. Some people have gone past every day and seen the progress of it and been really curious about it.

"It's really nice for the conversations you have - you don't get that when you work inside at a gallery."

"Or they are not into it, or they don't get the quote, or they think it's religion - I like that too, that there's different interpretations you can make. You can enjoy it or ignore it."

The current installation will be in place in the prominent Police Lane setting for the next six months.

That location is now being used as an exhibition space for temporary public artwork.

A mural called Roots by local First Nations artist Josh Muir was the inaugural piece, put in place towards the end of last year.

In its call for submissions Creative Ballarat requested artists "demonstrate the vibrancy of the location, and to show the potential for engagement with contemporary art at the site".

They said they had "a huge number of interesting and experienced submissions" for the 2020 artwork, which Ms Galligan was ultimately commissioned to do.

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