Society president Barry Cranston formulated the idea for the calendar over six years ago.

"My wife and I were driving to Melbourne at the time, and we were discussing in the car what we could do to foster the arts society, and my wife said 'why don't you do a calendar' so she was the initial calendar girl," Mr Cranston said.

As a not-for-profit organisation, initiatives like the annual calendar assist in running costs and required renovations.

"There's a real need for generous donations over the next five years, as the society will require bigger premises because of its growing popularity," Mr Cranston said.

The Queanbeyan City Council originally owned O'Neill's Cottage but it has been used as an art gallery since 1982, and is now granted to the Queanbeyan Art Society.

"The calendar initiative not only gives the artist the opportunity to display the type of work they do, but in the past we've had artists that have got commissions from it," Mr Cranston said.

Interested in art himself, Mr Cranston had painted many local scenes including a portrait of the town's second mayor, John Bull.

"I hear from people who buy or acquire the calendar that they're amazed at the array of talent that is exhibited in the calendar and every exhibition that we have, the quality of work seems to improve immensely," Mr Cranston said.

Life-member of the Queanbeyan Art Society, Julie Ballis, commended the calendar.

"It's a credit to the President Barry Cranston, the calendar is a wonderful idea, and I am very grateful for what he does for the society," Mrs Ballis said.

"It's very diverse, and because there are landscapes alongside portraits, it's a really colourful and innovative publication."

Calendars are $5 each and are available for collection from the Queanbeyan Art Society, 6 Trinculo Place, Queanbeyan.