Community Chooses 2026 People's Choice Award Winner

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, making this one of the exhibition's most meaningful honours.

Proudly sponsored by Bendigo Community Bank Cannonvale–Proserpine since 2024, the award celebrates not only artistic excellence, but the powerful connection between artists and the people who experience their work.

This year's exhibition featured 85 finalist artworks by 66 artists, each responding to the 2026 exhibition theme, Beyond Beauty. Throughout the four-day exhibition, hundreds of visitors explored the collection before casting their vote for the artwork that captured their imagination.

Congratulations to Lenny whose work, Beauty in Creation, clearly struck a chord with visitors and has now joined a growing legacy of People's Choice winners.

Previous recipients include:

2025

Brigitte Peel – Unity Comes From the Moon & the Sea

2024

Linda Forrester – Radiant Depths

2023

Melissa Stone – A Mother's Love

Creative Connections Whitsundays thanks everyone who visited this year's exhibition, took the time to vote, and supported the artists. Every vote helps celebrate the artwork that connects most deeply with our community.

We also extend our sincere thanks to Bendigo Community Bank Cannonvale–Proserpine for its continued support of the People's Choice Award and its commitment to recognising and celebrating local creativity.

(Image: Community Bank chairman Mark Henry presenting the award to Lenny).