Public Galleries Queensland

Testimonials

: Cairns Indigenous Art Fair 2025

: Regional//Regional gathering Cairns 2024

: Art Handling Workshop – Warwick Art Gallery

: Regan Pro Masterclass, M&G QLD Conference 2024 – “Belonging”

: M&G QLD Conference 2024 – “Belonging”

: ‘New York Rambling’ exhibition, Grassland Art Gallery

: Elena DJ – Chiang Rai

: Kate Douglas workshop at Mayes Cottage

: Kate Douglas workshop at Logan Art Gallery

: Photography Workshop – Benevolent Living

: Photography Workshop – Benevolent Living

: Gender Diversity Training – RMOA

Emma Collerton – Curatorial Officer, Redland Art Gallery

Attendance at Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF) (2025)

The grant enabled me to join First Nations artist and designer Delvene Cockatoo-Collins behind the scenes for her presentation of a collection of garments at CIAF’s ‘LISTEN’ performance. I have worked closely with Delvene on her survey exhibition ‘CREATE EXCHANGE: Wearing Country’ at Redland Art Gallery (RAG) and this experience at CIAF filtered into the display at RAG. The abundance of talent witnessed, brought to my attention artists with whom I would like to collaborate through exhibitions, performances or programs. Furthermore it encouraged me to reflect and ponder collaborations with other regional art galleries.

Kate O’Hara – Director, Umbrella Studio Contemporary Arts

Attendance at Regional//Regional gathering Cairns (2024)

In late 2024, I had the opportunity to attend the Regional // Regional gathering in Gimuy/ Cairns, which brought together artists and cultural leaders from across regional Australia and the Asia-Pacific. We started with a moving artist-led session by the Kgari 3 Sisters, which set a powerful tone for the day. Rhoda Roberts delivered an insightful keynote that reminded us of the strength and importance of cultural leadership in regional places. Ruth Langford (Nayri Niara, Bruny Island TAS) then shared the vision behind the Regional // Regional program – building deep and lasting connections between regions through shared stories and collaboration. It was a day full of warmth, critical conversation and connection – and a valuable reminder of the incredible work being done across our diverse regions.

Karina Devine – Director, Warwick Art Gallery

Art Handling Workshop (2024)

Volunteers were introduced to the key principles of art handling, including the importance of safety, maintaining artwork integrity and minimising handling risks. Instruction also covered essential techniques for hanging and securing artwork. Volunteers engaged in hands-on practical activities, putting their newfound knowledge to practice with actual artworks and objects in the gallery space. The workshop brought together volunteers from both the Warwick Art Gallery (WAG) and the Stanthorpe Regional Art Gallery (SRAG). We appreciate this support from Public Galleries Queensland.

Sarah Johnson – Senior Curator, Qantas Founders Museum, Longreach

Attendance at 2024 Museums & Galleries Queensland (M&G QLD) Conference – “Belonging”

The funds contributed to travel expenses to fly to Brisbane and Toowoomba to attend the conference. Working in a remote institution in western Qld and a non-profit community-generated museum, travel costs are exceedingly prohibitive. The bursary assisted with managing expenses associated with attending and presenting at the conference. Attending the BELONGING conference has provided me with invaluable opportunities to gain cutting-edge insights into current trends, best practices, and innovative strategies within the museum sector.

Tennielle Limpus – Regional Arts & Culture Officer, Maranoa Regional Council (Roma on Bungil Gallery)

Attendance at 2024 Museums & Galleries Queensland (M&G QLD) Conference – “Belonging”

My attendance at the M&G QLD Conference 2024, supported by PGQ funding, was an invaluable opportunity for both professional development and sector growth. The knowledge, networks, and strategies gained have better equipped me to serve Maranoa Regional Council, engage with the broader community, and contribute to the wider gallery sector in Queensland. Key sessions focused on fostering community connections through the arts, strategies for curating inclusive exhibitions, and best practices in gallery management. These insights directly align with my role as the Regional Arts and Culture Officer, and I am already identifying ways to apply them in our projects.

Alison Shaw – Tambo Arts Council Inc (Grassland Art Gallery)

Exhibition and community workshops by artist Miriam Innes (2023)

The exhibition, ‘New York Rambling’ is a large-scale drawing project which wraps around the gallery walls and offers its viewers an authentic New York experience. Adding further value to this project, Miriam worked with local community members to create a Tambo streetscape as a legacy artwork from this exhibition. Members of the community participated in a workshop with Miriam Innes to create a drawing depiction of Tambo’s streetscape. The work was created on paper along one wall of the gallery and the resultant artwork is 2.4m in length.

Elena Dias-Jayasinha – Associate Curator, Museum of Brisbane

Attendance at the Thailand Biennale, Taipei Biennial, Yokohama Triennale and Biennale of Sydney (2023-24)

Attending the biennales enabled me to build international and national networks beneficial to the Museum. In anticipation of my trip, I leveraged my existing contacts and reached out to artists and curators throughout the region. In total, I made more than 30 new connections. These networks are poised to cultivate future collaborations – a crucial endeavour for MoB as it continues to explore Brisbane’s place in local, national and international contexts. Travelling to the biennales bolstered my knowledge of contemporary Asian and Asian-Australian art. I had the chance to investigate contemporary Asian art within the geographical context of its creation, and situate the practices of Asian and Asian-Australian artists in regional and global dialogues.Through these experiences, I have been able to strengthen MoB’s in-house expertise, and gained confidence in sensitively leading programs that amplify the voices of Asian diasporic communities in Australia, particularly Brisbane.

Kate Douglas – Independent Artist in collaboration with Logan Art Gallery

Delivery of artist talk and workshops at Logan Art Gallery (2023)

In November 2023 I received a $500 bursary from PGQ to deliver an artist talk and two workshops at Logan Art Gallery. The public programming was to support my solo exhibition ‘Remnants of the Past’ which showed from the 1st December 2023 – 20th January 2024. Each workshop was booked to capacity. The PGQ bursary helped the community in a number of ways. It gave the public the chance to learn unique skills and engage with a professional artist in a relaxed, casual setting. It gave them an opportunity to ask questions and receive feedback on their works. Ultimately the wider gallery sector also benefits from this funding – gaining information and ideas from the outstanding public programming schedule at Logan Art Gallery, and the way it successfully brings art directly to the community.

Karen Stephens – Exhibition Supervisor, Outback Regional Art Gallery (Waltzing Matilda Centre)

Digital Transformation for the Creative Industries course (2022)

Digital strategies are vital for our remote gallery and museum. Since attending the online course, the Outback Regional Gallery launched a monthly online e-newsletter and incorporated digital platforms as a strategy to reach broader audiences and generate a greater visibility for artists living remote through online galleries. The Digital Transformation for Creative Industries course was an incredible opportunity to develop new skills and new ways of thinking. Learning to think in a ‘digital mindset’ and seeing how digital media and platforms are being utilised outside their intended purpose was inspiring as well as hearing about emergent technologies from industry leaders.

Alison Moss – CEO, Benevolent Living

Onsite Seniors Sunprint Black & White Photography Workshop (2022)

“During our inaugural Artist in Residency with William Debois he ran a Cyanotype sun print workshop with our residents and an Artist Talk with residents and the public. The sun print workshop was an incredible experience for our residents to create intricate and unique pieces of artwork using a medium they had never experienced before. These beautiful works accompanied William’s Sacrifice: a portrait project exhibition which was in situ in our Long Gallery from October 2022 through to January 2023. The exhibition and workshop offered a great example of how an artist’s work and impact can achieve community extension beyond the usual formal settings. While Sacrifice is a travelling exhibition which has shown in both metropolitan and regional galleries, it really found an important (albeit temporary) home in Benevolent Living’s Long Gallery.”

Amy Johnston – Audience Engagement and Learning Team Leader, Rockhampton Museum of Art (RMOA)

Gender Diversity Training: Creating safe spaces (2021)

“The provision of Gender Diversity Training has been an extremely important addition to the professional development of our staff and volunteers at Rockhampton Museum of Art. The ongoing and lasting effect of being offered this training will be seen across all aspects of the art museum and is important across all areas of our team, not only with welcoming visitors and working with gender diverse artists and colleagues but also to the day-to-day operations and processes that we follow. As volunteers were invited and attended this training it has a flow on effect to the understanding that they take out into the community as well as their interactions with visitors to the Gallery. After receiving feedback from PGQ the organisation approached a local provider from CQ University, Dr Gemma Mann, Rockhampton Museum of Art is now in conversation with Dr Mann to offer the training more broadly across the Communities and Culture sector of Rockhampton Regional Council.”

Amy Johnston – Audience Engagement and Learning Team Leader, Rockhampton Museum of Art

Photography training from Carl Warner (2020)

“The provision of a two-day workshop with a highly respected and qualified Collection photographer is invaluable to our Regional institutions, the ongoing and lasting effect of being offered this training will be seen long into the future through the document and digitisation of Collections at Rockhampton, Gladstone and Mackay. This training will be shared across our Engagement and Learning Team, and will have a wide impact on how we present our organisation online in the future”

Bianca Acimovic – Director, Rockhampton Art Gallery

Staff best-practice conservation training (2019)

“Conservation training was identified by management as necessary and valuable to the upskilling and professional development of arts and museum collection workers at our gallery. RSM Conservation developed and delivered the training in Rockhampton in March 2019. The workshop has brought Rockhampton Art Gallery staff, volunteers, and broader collecting institutions (including the Archer Park Railway Museum) onto the same page with high-expectations of care and handling requirements when in contact with collections. Thank you PGQ for generously supporting this initiative!”

Tracey Heathwood, Director – Artspace Mackay

National Public Galleries Summit, Sydney (2018)

“In March 2018, I was fortunate to receive an individual PGQ bursary to attend the National Public Galleries Summit ‘Art & Artists’ at Carriageworks and other cultural venues across Sydney. The summit coincided with the the 21st Biennale of Sydney, providing me with the opportunity to experience an international contemporary art event and to build my knowledge of current contemporary art practice.”

Bribie Island Community Arts Centre
Display Improvements at the Community Arts Centre (2018)
“The PGQ Professional Development Bursary we received was for display improvements at Bribie Island Community Arts Centre. The funding was used to purchase four moveable walls and also to repaint existing plinths to improve the appearance of the gallery. Looking ahead, the Bribie Island Community Arts Society through the PGQ funding is now able to look at inviting touring exhibitions, musical performances, and local community groups to make use of our gallery. Thank you PGQ!”

Megwyn McKavanagh – Easton Pearson Archive Coordinator, Museum of Brisbane
Study/conference tour, UK (2018)
“The bursary allowed me to secure flights to the UK to study at the V&A Textile Research Centre and the Fashion Museum, Bath to improve my knowledge and skills in specialist textile management, to assist to improve the way the Museum of Brisbane manages the Easton Pearson Archive. This opportunity allowed me to review different models of public access, and assist the Museum of Brisbane in developing a system of public access for the Easton Pearson Archive. My attendance at the British Museum Digital Memory Conference and the Collection Trust Conference allowed me to improve my knowledge and understanding in these complex and ever-changing areas of collection management. Thank you for your confidence and willingness to help me achieve my personal professional career goals.”

Joanne Braddy – Independent artist
Joanne Braddy received funding (2017) from the annual PGQ professional development bursary program to assist her develop an artist talk program in partnership with the Caboolture Regional Art Gallery to accompany her exhibition The Darkness That Opened My Eyes.
“Thank you PGQ for helping facilitate this opportunity with Caboolture Regional Art Gallery, the Artist Talk was amazing and the artworks looked great”.

Alison Shaw – Art and Cultural Officer, Grassland Art Gallery
Touring exhibition, In Depth Glass (2017)
“Tambo Arts Council Inc. received funding from PGQ to support the costs of the exhibition fee for Jo Bone’s touring exhibition, In Depth Glass. Along with the exhibition, Jo Bone (the artist) travelled to Tambo and delivered a workshop that was attended by participants from Blackall and Tambo. The ‘In Depth’ exhibition supported the goals of the Arts Council to provide a varied program of exhibitions that attract visitors and community members alike to experience and engage with the arts. Presentation of this exhibition helped to maintain the Grassland Art Gallery’s position as a leader across the region. Thank you PGQ for helping to facilitate this exhibition.”

Anna Gillison – Galleries Officer, Tablelands Regional Council
Volunteer training for the William T. Cooper Retrospective (2017)
“In preparation for the William T. Cooper Retrospective, the Tableland management team identified a need to retrain their volunteers so that they were not only more confident but also professional when dealing with an increase in visitor traffic over the period of the exhibition. While we are very fortunate to have a really great team of volunteers, many of these volunteers have been with us a long time and needed a refresher as well as some additional support. We saw this as ideal opportunity to train the current volunteers as well as encourage new volunteers to sign up. The volunteer training prepared our gallery team for its biggest exhibition yet, and also future exhibitions to come. It is with thanks to the PGQ professional development bursary that we were able to contract curator Justin Bishop (Director of KickArts) to deliver the volunteers training workshop. The outcome of this training workshop was very well received”.

Robyn Daw – Cultural Services Program Leader, Logan City Council
ICOM conference Museums and cultural landscapes, Milan (2016)
“In July 2016 I was invited to present ‘Celebrating our city’s riches: three stories from Logan’ at the ICOM conference Museums and cultural landscapes in Milan. Only a few people from Australia attended as distance and cost can be prohibitive. The PGQ bursary of $1,000 I received was invaluable. My talk prompted many questions about community engagement practices and the programs we deliver. It reinforced to me that Logan Art Gallery, along with other Australian galleries, are leading the way in this space”.

Virginia Rigby – Senior Curator, Gold Coast City Gallery
Australia and New Zealand Museums Galleries Australia Conference, New Zealand (2016).
“I found the opportunity to attend the historic first joint conference with Australia and New Zealand Museums Australia extremely productive on a number of levels. The opportunity to engage with the sector broadly was inspirational – and something that is very important for someone coming from a smaller organisation with limited daily access to this level of collegiate discussion. I was lucky to receive a $1,000 bursary to assist me attend the conference. Thank you to the PGQ bursary program for the opportunity”.

Alison Shaw, Tambo Arts Council (Grassland Art Gallery)
“Tambo Arts Council were very grateful to receive an PGQ organisational bursary (2015) of $1,500 towards the exhibition fee for Francis Reiss’s touring exhibition, ‘On the Sheep’s Back’. In this captivating exhibition, photojournalist Francis Reiss documents the life and times of a rural enterprise at Burren Burren Station in New South Wales. The enduring images of Rex White and his family, taken in 1951, offer a glimpse of the 30,000 acres and 5,000 sheep that symbolise a successful farm at the height of the wool boom in Australia”.

Justin Bishop – Director, KickArts Contemporary Arts Cultural Services Program Leader
Museums & Galleries Queensland conference, Ipswich (2015).
“An PGQ Bursary of $500 enabled me to attend the conference through covering the Conference Registration and partial airfare costs. I was fortunate to reconnect with statewide colleagues including the Gold Coast City Art Gallery Director Tracy Cooper-Lavery and Karina Devine from the Southern Downs region. This was advantageous given my recent appointment as Director of KickArts Contemporary Arts. The conference gave me the opportunity to raise awareness of KickArts Contemporary Arts programs and upcoming exhibitions and events – highlighting the strength of Far North Queensland artists”.

Deborah Bailey – Cobb+Co Museum, Queensland Museum
Getty Leadership Institute Museum Executive Program, Claremont Graduate University, California (2015).
“The Getty Leadership Institute experience was invaluable to me as a leader and a Museum Director. I am very grateful to PGQ for the $1,000 bursary and the support it provided in helping me afford to attend the course”.

Diana Warnes – Curator, Rockhampton Art Gallery.
Volunteer Gallery Attendant at the Australian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale (2015).
“Undertaking the role of Volunteer Gallery Attendant was a unique opportunity to participate in promoting contemporary Australian art to an international audience. I learnt a variety of skills, including: exhibition display; curatorial decision-making; participatory audience engagement; networking; and how to communicate with diverse audiences. The $1,000 PGQ bursary provided much needed to support towards my flights and accommodation expenses”.