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