Arts Programs, Projects and Initiatives

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Image: Rush Festival, Jackass, 2017

Current Opportunities

Creative Recovery Mentoring Program

Gympie Regional Council recognises Creative Recovery as an essential tool in disaster preparation and recovery. In 2024 council’s Community Recovery and Resilience, Community Development, and  Arts and Cultural teams are collaborating to deliver a new Creative Recovery Mentoring Program designed to equip local creatives with creative recovery skills, community connections, and funding to develop and implement effective and meaningful creative recovery projects.

Up to four creatives will receive a stipend of $1,500 to participate in training and mentorship and develop their creative recovery project to a “shovel-ready” point, ready to implement or submit for grants. Up to two projects developed through the Creative Recovery training and mentoring program will be selected for implementation, and the artists paid an artist fee of $8,000.

Expressions of Interest are now open and close Sunday 7 April.

To find out more click here

Regional Arts Development Fund - Support for Creativity and Culture

RADF

Through the Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF) program, Arts Queensland provides partnership investment that enables local councils across the State to deliver artistic outcomes, grow employment opportunities for creative and cultural workers, and engage communities to deliver on the priorities as described in Creative Together: 2020-2030:

Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF) Round 2 applications open on Monday 12 February and close on Sunday 24 March 2024.

For more information on applying to Council’s Regional Arts Development Fund Grants program, click here

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Image: 22.96 receding, Gympie Regional Gallery, Earthbase Productions, 2022

Current Projects

Gympie Region Studio Trails 2024

Expressions of Interest for Gympie Region Studio Trails 2024 have now closed. Gympie Region Studio Trails is an annual initiative of Gympie Regional Gallery to support the cultural and economic development of the local creative sector in the Gympie region. Studio Trails gives visual artists, artisans, heritage workers and designers an opportunity to work as part of a network to share their passion across the region and beyond.

Gympie Region Studio Trails 2024 will run across four weekends in July 2024.

To find out more please read the Gympie Region Studio trails 2024 information sheet, or click here.

Arts and Cultural Strategy 2023-2028

The Arts and Cultural Strategy 2023-2028 identifies priorities to develop and celebrate arts and culture in the Gympie region from 2023-2028.. The Strategy was developed in the context of three existing documents: the Arts and Cultural Plan 2015-2025, which was endorsed in January 2015; the formal review which was carried out between April and June 2020; and the Gympie Regional Council Corporate plan 2022-2027. The Arts and Cultural Strategy 2023-2028 was subsequently developed by the Arts, Community and Culture team, in consultation with internal stakeholders.

Community Consultation on the Draft Arts and Cultural Strategy 2023-2028 and Public Art Policy 2023 was launched on 14 June and closed on 30 July. Officers then amended and refined the strategy, incorporating community feedback. The penultimate version of the Strategy was presented to Council workshop on 11 October 2023 and endorsed by Council on 25 October 2023. The Arts and Cultural Strategy 2023-2028 was officially launched on Friday 10 November. To read the final document please visit the Arts and Cultural Strategy, Policies, and Forums page.

GRC Creative Partnerships Initiative 2022 - 2023

In 2022 Council announced its Creative Partnerships Initiative, as part of its annual submission to RADF.

The Creative Partnerships Initiative requested quotes from organisations, groups, arts and cultural practitioners and workers to fund creative projects and initiatives that supported the establishment of strategic partnerships with Council and the local creative sector.

Successful applicants in 2022 were:

  • Heart and Soul Sisters: Community Mural Projects - Between 2023 and 2024 Heart and Soul Sisters are working with local artists to produce two community mural projects on amenities blocks in parks in the Gympie region. These Community Mural Projects are about giving Gympie regional children & young people the opportunity to participate creatively by leaving their fingerprint (literally) on a beautiful collaborative mural that can be admired by community members and visitors to Gympie.
  • Creative Arts Gympie Region: Duets Part Deux and Tourism Mixer - Duets Part Deux is the second iteration of the Duets project, following the success of DUETS: collaboration in creativity in 2021.  The project pairs two artists specialising in differing mediums and asks them to create a new work that utilises non-traditional spaces throughout Gympie.  CAGR will launch the festival again from the 29th of September running until the 2nd of October 2023. CAGR will kick off 2024 with a new strategic initiative to bring together local artists and tourism operators across the region in a forum that unlocks new commercial opportunities and extends the markets and audiences for local creative product. Similar to a mini arts market, the Creative Tourism Mixer will provide a platform to showcase the products and work of professional artists and artisans in our region.
     
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Image: Studio Trails 2022

Annual Projects

Gympie Regional Studio Trails 2024

Expressions of Interest for Gympie Region Studio Trails 2024 are now open and close Sunday 11 February.

Gympie Region Studio Trails is an annual initiative of Gympie Regional Gallery to support the cultural and economic development of the local creative sector in the Gympie region. Studio Trails gives visual artists, artisans, heritage workers and designers an opportunity to work as part of a network to share their passion across the region and beyond.

To participate, or find out more please read the Gympie Region Studio trails 2024 information sheet, or click here.

Regional Arts Development Fund

The Regional Arts Development Fund is a partnership between the Queensland Government and Gympie Regional Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland.

For more information on applying to Council’s Regional Arts Development Fund Grants program, click here

Regional Arts Development Fund - Council Initiated Projects

As part of the annual submission to Arts Queensland for the Regional Arts Development Fund, Council applies for funding to support a number of initiatives that respond to the objectives and strategic themes in the Draft Arts and Cultural Strategy.

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Image: Gold Rush Parade and Carnivale, 2019

Past Projects

Arts and Cultural Forum 2024

The first Arts and Cultural Forums for 2024 was held on Wednesday 21 February at the beautiful Gympie campus, University of the Sunshine Coast, 71 Cartwright Road, Gympie. This was an opportunity for the creative sector and general community to take a look at Creative Recovery and hear more about the new Creative Recovery Mentoring Program.

Arts and Cultural Forum 2023

The Arts and Cultural Forum was held on Tuesday 11 July 2023 at the Pavilion, as part of Community Consultation on the Draft Arts and Culture Strategy 2023-2028. Approximately 46 community members and stakeholders participated in a positive and challenging discussion ranging from the wording of the strategy, to the community’s most urgent concerns and priorities. Valuable feedback on the strategy, priorities, and actions was received and documented. The forum concluded with a performance by Linc Phelps.

GRC Creative Partnerships Initiative 2022 - 2023

In 2022 Council announced its Creative Partnerships Initiative, as part of its annual submission to RADF.

The Creative Partnerships Initiative requested quotes from organisations, groups, arts and cultural practitioners and workers to fund creative projects and initiatives that supported the establishment of strategic partnerships with Council and the local creative sector.

An Online Information Session was held on Monday 6th February 2023. The recorded session can be accessed here 

First Nations Regional Partnerships

Respectful and meaningful engagement with our First Nations people is a priority for the three neighbouring local government organisations in Gympie, Noosa and the Sunshine Coast. The three Council boundaries all fall within the Kabi Kabi Native Title Claim area; therefore, a regional collaboration is an opportunity for a comprehensive approach to effective engagement with the broader First Nation’s community.

This project aims to:

  • Establish lasting and meaningful connections with First Nations artists and cultural practitioners across the local government areas with the Traditional Owners and Aboriginal     and Torres Strait Islander people residing in the Gympie, Noosa and Sunshine Coast regions;
  • Engage key stakeholders and local government officials in Cultural Protocols Training and Cultural Awareness sessions.
  • Develop a framework to collaborate effectively with consideration and respect to engagement protocols.
  • Provide an opportunity for First Nations people and arts and cultural practitioners to inform Councils on their priorities and how to work together to achieve desired outcomes.
  • Scope and plan for a pilot project developed from the framework and to work as a catalyst for future projects.

The Tank – Gympie Gold Mining and Historical Museum

This project aims to support the Gympie Gold Mining and Historical Museum in the development and curation of the primary exhibit space located near the entry to the Museum – The Tank.

Currently this space houses a collection of artifacts, memorabilia and donated heirloom objects. The vision for this space is to curate a contemporary, dynamic and interactive exhibit with the inclusion of digital storytelling to present the chronological story of gold mining in Gympie.

Red for Remembrance 1918 - 2018 We Will Not Forget

On the 100th anniversary of the Armistice that ended the First World War, Remembrance Day 11 November 2018, we remembered all those who served, died or suffered serving our country during conflicts. This project acknowledged our region’s history and the significant contribution of Queenslanders in the WW1 campaign for their courage, integrity, resilience, mateship, teamwork, duty and sacrifice. 

This historic event was commemorated with a major event from 4pm on Saturday 10 November at Memorial Park in Gympie.

A series of short film documentaries was created as part of the project.

This project was proudly supported by the Queensland Government.

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