Looking for a gift that is thoughtful, unique and supports local artists? The Creative Connections Whitsundays Community Gallery in Proserpine offers plenty of inspiration, with an ever-changing collection of original artworks and locally made gifts. Among the artists featured is Margaret Burgess, whose handmade jewellery has plenty of character. Her collection includes sea glass earrings, bracelets and earrings made from reimagined cutlery, and distinctive pendants – each pi

Last year, Lenny Pennell entered the Great Barrier Reef Festival Art Exhibition for the very first time. Twelve months later, she returned to win the People's Choice Award with Beauty in Creation. In just one year, her artistic career has grown dramatically, with new collectors discovering her work, increased online attention and exciting opportunities that continue to unfold. Lenny's journey is a wonderful reminder that an exhibition can be much more than four days of displa

Creative Connections Whitsunday members are invited to take part in a new Plein Air Challenge, held as part of the Whitsundays Writers Festival's free Stories by the Sea community event on Sunday 13 September 2026. Artists will create an original work on location at the Whitsunday Marine Club, capturing the atmosphere of the day and the surrounding coastal landscape. Visitors will have the opportunity to watch the artworks develop throughout the challenge before viewing the c

We are inviting you to be part of a fun Gallery Fundraiser during the September school holidays. We have 40+ little canvases waiting at the Gallery to be transformed into beautiful original artworks by our local artists. How it works Purchase a 20 × 25 cm canvas from the Gallery for $10 Create an original artwork in any theme and any medium – the only rule is that it must be created on the supplied canvas. Donate your finished artwork back to the Gallery. All artworks will be

Elyisan Bloom, Acylic on Canvas Art has always been an important part of Lenny Pennell’s life. As both an artist and educator, creativity is part of her everyday world, with teaching encouraging her to continually explore new materials, processes and ideas. Lenny describes her artistic style as biomorphic, organic and constantly evolving, characterised by flowing forms, repeated patterns, layered textures and shapes that appear as though they could have grown naturally. “I am

This month, we’re celebrating our wonderful Creative Day Coordinator, Shirley Wodson. Every fortnight, Shirley generously gives her time to organise CCW’s free Creative Days, creating a warm and welcoming space where artists and aspiring artists can meet, connect and create together. Participants can bring their own projects, try something new and learn more about CCW’s Gallery, exhibitions and other opportunities. With her background as an educator, Shirley also brings valua

Looking for a gift that's thoughtful, unique and supports local artists? A Creative Connections Whitsundays Community Gallery Gift Card lets your recipient choose something they'll truly love from our beautiful collection of original artworks, handmade gifts, jewellery, ceramics, prints and more. Whether it's for a birthday, celebration, thank you or just because, a Community Gallery Gift Card is a meaningful way to support local creativity while giving someone the joy of cho

What: Community Creative Space When: Monday to Friday, 9:30am–4:00pm (closed 1:00pm–2:00pm for lunch) Where: Bendigo Community Bank branch, Whitsunday Plaza, Cannonvale Creative Connections Whitsundays is delighted to present a new exhibition by Gemma Louise Pap in the Bendigo Community Bank Cannonvale–Proserpine Community Creative Space. Gemma has been a finalist in every Great Barrier Reef Festival Art Exhibition since 2024, and her latest collection continues to showcase

What an incredible four days! A heartfelt thank you to everyone who helped make the 2026 Great Barrier Reef Festival Art Exhibition another outstanding celebration of creativity, community and local talent. Now in its third year, the exhibition welcomed hundreds of visitors to the Whitsunday Sailing Club, where they experienced 85 finalist artworks by 66 artists responding to this year's theme, Beyond Beauty. From paintings and photography to sculpture and mixed media, the ex

By Glenda Brown, President, Creative Connections Whitsundays As the final artworks are packed away following another successful Great Barrier Reef Festival Art Exhibition, I'm reminded that the true value of events like these extends far beyond the gallery walls. This year, artists competed for a prize pool valued at more than $9,200 in cash and in-kind awards, in addition to artwork sales throughout the exhibition. The Great Barrier Reef Festival Art Exhibition has grown int

Creative Connections Whitsundays is delighted to announce Lenny Pennell as the winner of the 2026 Bendigo Community Bank Cannonvale–Proserpine People's Choice Award for Beauty in Creation. Unlike the major exhibition awards, which are judged by invited arts professionals, the People's Choice Award belongs entirely to the community. Every visitor to the Great Barrier Reef Festival Art Exhibition has the opportunity to vote for the artwork that resonates most strongly with them

The winners of the 2026 Great Barrier Reef Festival Art Exhibition were announced last night at the exhibition's official opening, celebrating the outstanding creativity of artists from across the Whitsundays and beyond. Now in its third year, the exhibition has become one of the cultural highlights of the Great Barrier Reef Festival, showcasing 85 finalist artworks by 66 artists responding to this year's theme, Beyond Beauty. Through painting, photography, sculpture and mixe

Lucy Seddon Brown is one of the friendly faces helping our Community Art Gallery thrive. A professional photographer based in the Whitsundays, she also loves exploring nature with her camera and enjoys painting, drawing and mixed media. As our Community Co-ordinator, Lucy has been proactively reaching out to local businesses and visitors to promote the gallery and recruit new volunteers, helping ensure the gallery continues to thrive. She also volunteers her photography skill

Some artworks tell a story through paint. Others tell a story through the people who create them. One of the finalists in this year's Great Barrier Reef Festival Art Exhibition is TARTS Tree, a remarkable collaborative textile artwork created by the Textile Arts (TARTS) group from Hideaway Bay. More than 20 artists contributed to the piece, each bringing their own creativity, skills and personality to the finished work. The TARTS have been meeting for more than 15 years, brin

By Glenda Brown, President, Creative Connections Whitsundays When you buy a piece of local art, you're taking home much more than something beautiful. You're supporting a local artist, celebrating creativity, and helping build a vibrant arts community that benefits everyone. Across the Whitsundays, artists capture the landscapes, wildlife, people and stories that make our region unique. Through painting, ceramics, sculpture, photography, textiles, glass and other mediums, the

A generous $18,500 solar system donation from Green Energy Technologies is helping power a more sustainable future for the Proserpine Community Art Gallery. When Creative Connections Whitsunday (CCW) took over the Gallery building from Whitsunday Regional Council, we knew the existing solar panel system was several years old and may not have been operating at full capacity. The building had sustained damage during Cyclone Debbie and had remained unoccupied for several years.

The countdown is on, with the finalists now announced for the 2026 Great Barrier Reef Festival Art Exhibition, inviting visitors to look beyond the surface through a vibrant showcase of artistic talent from across the Whitsundays and beyond. Returning from 30 July to 2 August at the Whitsunday Sailing Club, this year's exhibition will showcase 85 outstanding artworks by 66 artists, each responding to the exhibition theme, Beyond Beauty. Through painting, photography, sculptur

By Glenda Brown, President, Creative Connections Whitsundays Recent media coverage surrounding the Doyles Art Award has sparked an important conversation across Australia's arts community. An award-winning landscape painting has been identified as closely resembling an earlier work by another artist, prompting an investigation into how the work was accepted and whether the prize money can be recovered. Whatever the outcome of that investigation, it serves as a timely reminder

By Glenda Brown, President, Creative Connections Whitsundays Creativity is often misunderstood. Many people hear the word and think paintings, poetry, galleries or performance. But creativity is much bigger than that. It's how we solve problems, share ideas, connect with others and makes sense of the world around us. In a time when so much of our lives is becoming faster, more digital and, in many ways, more isolated, creativity matters because it brings us together. When som