Arts Programs, Projects and Initiatives
Image: Rush Festival, Jackass, 2017
Current Projects
Gympie Region Arts and Cultural Forum June 2024
Gympie region creatives and cultural workers are invited to join us for an interactive networking event.
Enjoy a shared meal, connect with artist speed dating, and explore your network as we take the first steps towards cultural mapping in the Gympie region.
Date: Thursday 20 June
Time: 5:30-8:30
Location: Chatsworth Hall
Cost: Free. Supper provided.
The Arts and Cultural Forums are an important part of addressing the need for networking across the sector and a great chance to share your news and views.
Click here to book your free tickets.
Arts and Cultural E-newsletter
Did you know that the Arts and Cultural team produces a fortnightly e-newsletter? Subscribe now to hear all the latest news about upcoming events, workshops, grants, and opportunities across our region – or send us an email to share your creative community news, events and activities.
Or click on this link to see previous editions.
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 have collaborated to launch a new Creative Recovery Mentoring Program. Gympie creatives were offered the opportunity to submit their expression of interest to participate in training and mentorship and develop their creative recovery project to a “shovel-ready” point.
We would like to offer our congratulation to our participants: Robert Nobilia, Debra Bennet, Elli Webb, Emily Murphy-O’Neill, Tex O’Neill, and Sheryl Anderson.
The aim of the Creative Recovery Mentoring Program is to support local creatives to develop and implement effective and meaningful creative recovery projects and support community towards resilience and recovery through active participation in cultural and creative processes. We look forward to seeing the Creative Recovery Projects this talented cohort will bring to the Gympie Region.
Gympie Region Studio Trails 2024
Uncover the creative side of the Gympie region.
Take a rare opportunity to explore behind the scenes of the private studios of the Gympie region’s artists and artisans and discover a hidden side of the beautiful Gympie region. Meet the artists and share the secrets of their creative process.
Gympie Region Studio Trails is an annual initiative of Gympie Regional Council that invites visual artists, artisans, heritage workers and designers to open their studio doors and share their passions. Join us for Gympie Region Studio Trails 2024 and discover one of Australia’s most vibrant and resilient creative communities.
To find out more, and access a range of information, google maps, a quick reference guide and more, 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.
Image: Studio Trails 2022
Annual Projects
Gympie Region Studio Trails
Every July, Gympie Region Studio Trails invites you to take a rare opportunity to explore behind the scenes of the private studios of the Gympie region’s artists and artisans and discover a hidden side of the beautiful Gympie region.
Meet the artists and share the secrets of their creative process. Gympie Region Studio Trails is an annual initiative of Gympie Regional Council that invites visual artists, artisans, heritage workers and designers to open their studio doors and share their passions.
Join us for Gympie Region Studio Trails this July and discover one of Australia’s most vibrant and resilient creative communities.
Click here to find out more about this year’s Gympie Region Studio Trails.
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.
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.
- Red for Remembrance video clip
- Memorial Park and Laneway: a place of Remembrance in Gympie
- George Thomas
- Queensland's Emu Plume: the kangaroo feather
- The Home Front: the impact on families during WWI
- The Larrikin Streak: humour in adversity
This project was proudly supported by the Queensland Government.