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

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

When: 30 July – 2 August 2026 Where: Whitsunday Sailing Club, Airlie Beach Creative Connections Whitsundays is proud to announce the return of the Great Barrier Reef Festival Art Exhibition — a regional highlight and one of the standout events on the Greater Whitsunday arts and culture calendar. Over the past three years, Creative Connections Whitsundays has proudly presented the exhibition as part of the Great Barrier Reef Festival’s program, showcasing the depth of creative

Exciting news! The Great Barrier Reef Art Exhibition is set to make a comeback in 2024, finding a new home at the beautifully refurbished...