Great Barrier Reef Festival Art Exhibition Returns for 2026
- Creative Connections Whitsunday Inc
- May 11
- 3 min read
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 talent across the region. In 2025, the exhibition attracted more than 1,200 visitors, with 150 guests attending the opening night alone.
Creative Connections Whitsundays President Glenda Brown said the exhibition continues to grow in both scale and participation.
“The exhibition is now a key event on the Greater Whitsunday arts and culture calendar. Now in its fourth year, it continues to grow in both scale and artist participation each year.”
Beyond Beauty
The 2026 exhibition theme is Beyond Beauty.
The theme invites artists to look beyond the surface and explore what lies deeper, truer, and more meaningful in the world around us. Beauty may draw us in, but Beyond Beauty asks what happens when we move into story, emotion, memory, mystery, and revelation.
Entries in 2D, 3D and photography are invited from artists aged 16 years and over living across the Great Barrier Reef region, from Agnes Water to Cooktown.
Submissions close 29 June 2026.
“The exhibition provides a wonderful opportunity not only for professional artists, but also for new and emerging artists — particularly younger artists — to showcase up to two artworks,” Ms Brown said.
The exhibition will feature a curated selection of more than 80 artworks, including paintings, sculpture, and photography.
As part of the Great Barrier Reef Festival, there will also be a dedicated Reef Theme Award for artists who wish to explore reef-inspired subjects. While this special category celebrates the festival’s connection to the reef, artists are free to respond to Beyond Beauty in ways that feel authentic to their own practice.
$8,000 Prize Pool
The exhibition offers a total $8,000 prize pool, including the prestigious Whitsunday Regional Council Best in Show Award, with the winning work forming part of Council’s art acquisition.
Awards include:
Best in Show — $3,000, sponsored by Whitsunday Regional Council
2D Award — $1,000, sponsored by Tassal Seafood
3D Award — $1,000, sponsored by Vision Surveys & Sunbird Electrical
Photography Award — $1,000, sponsored by Ray White Whitsunday
Local Artist Award — $1,000, sponsored by Airlie Allied Health
People’s Choice Award — $1,000, sponsored by Bendigo Community Bank
Framing Award — $200, sponsored by R&K Kenyon
Creative Connections Whitsundays acknowledges the ongoing support of these sponsors who make the exhibition possible.
Judging and Curation
The judging panel will be led by Glenda Hobdell (LaBudda) — artist, educator, researcher, and Director/Curator of Gallery 31 at CQUniversity. Based in Mackay, Dr Hobdell’s practice spans installation art, transmedia storytelling, and collaborative arts practice, and she is widely recognised for championing creative learning and regional arts development.
“The upcoming '2026 Great Barrier Reef Festival Beyond Beauty Art Exhibition' offers a valuable opportunity to witness the next wave of artistic ambition emerging across our regions. I look forward to engaging with works that reflect thoughtful inquiry, creative courage, and a deepening sense of place,” said Ms Hodbell.
The curation panel includes:
Caz Hanks, Visual Arts and English teacher, St Catherine’s Catholic College, Proserpine
Glenda Vickers, Whitsundays-based artist, educator, and arts therapist
Cr Jan Clifford OAM, representing Whitsunday Regional Council
Artists can find entry details and further information via Creative Connections Whitsundays website.
Support a standout cultural event
Creative Connections Whitsundays is seeking sponsors to support the Great Barrier Reef Festival Art Exhibition Opening Night.
The opening night typically welcomes around 150 guests and is supported by a targeted four-week promotional campaign across media, digital platforms, and community networks.
Guests include local artists, arts and culture supporters, community members, business leaders, government representatives, and media — positioning the event as a high-profile celebration of creativity and a regional highlight on the Whitsundays cultural calendar.
For sponsorship opportunities, please contact exhibitions@creativeconnectionswhitsunday.com
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