The first floor of Perc Tucker Regional Gallery will be closed from Monday 19 October until Friday 30 October 2026. The first floor will reopen at 6pm on Friday 30 October 2026 for the joint launch of In the Heart of the North Part 3: The Douglas Kagi Gift, Young Indigenous Printmakers and Transitions.
Perc Tucker Regional Gallery has two floors which contain two main exhibition spaces. On display are works by North Queensland artists, national touring exhibitions and international touring exhibitions.
The Gallery is open to the public without needing a booking.
Exhibition dates: 19 September 2026 to 17 January 2027
The Short Family Collection brings together ceramic works acquired through sponsorship of the North Queensland Ceramic Awards between 1980 and 2024. First presented in 1973, the Awards have long celebrated excellence in Australian ceramics, with the Short Family’s contribution since 1980 playing a defining role in shaping its acquisitive legacy.
Through successive sponsorships, from the Fourex Clothing Acquisitive Award to the EV2 Sportswear Award, the family has built a four-decade collection that reflects the breadth and evolution of Australian ceramic practice. This selection highlights diverse forms, techniques and approaches, while their continued support through 2026 ensures the ongoing growth of this significant regional collection and the enduring strength of this cultural tradition.
Featured artists include Mollie Bosworth, Robert Burton, Len Cook, Carol Forster, Janine Grose, Chris Guthleben, Leisa Gunton, Connie Hoedt, Bonnie Hislop, Keiko Matsui, Lyndal Moor, Pru Morrison, Jenny Mulcahy, Warren Ogden, Megan Puls, Judith Roberts, Carol Rosser, Frances Smith, Rick Wood and Leonie Wood.
Exhibition dates: 31 October 2026 to 17 January 2027
Part 3 of the In the Heart of the North exhibition celebrates a significant moment in the cultural life of our region: the 2014 Douglas Kagi Gift, a generous donation of 467 artworks to the City of Townsville Art Collection. This remarkable gift represents a diverse and far-reaching survey of artistic practice, spanning both national and international artists. The 40 selected works on display highlight the breadth of the donation, ranging from contemporary explorations of form and colour to acclaimed works by recognised figures in global art. Together, they offer visitors a rare opportunity to encounter the depth and variety of this important collection, and to appreciate the legacy of the Kagi Gift within Townsville City Art Collection.
Friday 30 October 2026
6pm for 6:30pm speeches
Free, no bookings required.
Exhibition dates: 31 October 2026 to 17 January 2027
Young Indigenous Printmakers is a collaborative outreach project run in partnership between Umbrella Studio Contemporary Arts and Townsville City Galleries. The free education program gives First Nations senior students the opportunity to learn and experience lino carving, printing and editioning, and gain exhibition experience. The initiative seeks to engage, foster and promote artistic development. School groups participate in a two-day intensive workshop facilitated by a printmaking expert and a First Nations artist. Participants are introduced to printmaking techniques and assisted to explore their Indigenous Culture/s and identity. The first day of the program is held at the school and the second is spent in The Studio at Umbrella. The students’ prints are exhibited in Umbrella’s gallery or at Townsville City Galleries once a semester.
Friday 30 October 2026
6pm for 6:30pm speeches
Free, no bookings required.
Young Indigenous Printmakers is a collaborative outreach project run in partnership between Umbrella Studio Contemporary Arts and Townsville City Galleries.
Exhibition dates: 31 October 2026 to 17 January 2027
Transitions is a mentorship-driven program showcasing the creative development of emerging visual artists and arts writers from the Townsville region. Delivered in partnership between Umbrella Studio Contemporary Arts and Townsville City Galleries, the program supports five early career practitioners with one on one mentorship, professional development sessions, networking opportunities and group critiques. Mentees deepen their understanding of contemporary arts practice while refining their individual artistic or writing voices.
To celebrate Transitions and its outcomes, Perc Tucker Regional Gallery is pleased to present an end of program exhibition displaying works created by the artist mentees Drosera (Michael Klekar), Matilda Mathieu, Carly Sheil and Ekam Tra (Kate Fulton), alongside writing mentee Sonia Zabala. The exhibition presents new works developed during the mentorships and alternates annually between Umbrella and Perc Tucker Regional Gallery, celebrating the growth, experimentation and ambition of North Queensland’s next generation of arts practitioners.
Friday 30 October 2026
6pm for 6:30pm speeches
Free, no bookings required.
Saturday 31 October 2026
10:30am – 11:30am
Free, no bookings required.
The Transitions program is a partnership between Umbrella Studio Contemporary Arts and Townsville City Galleries.
To keep Townsville growing, Council is actively involved in the delivery of projects to provide vital infrastructure and exciting development opportunities.
Council is taking recovery support on the road, with a series of community events planned across some of our region’s more remote communities. Connected communities recover better - let’s do it together.
Artists are invited to submit concepts that will form the North’s premier pop-up public art festival. Spark imagination and wonder, with artworks that celebrate Queensland’s unique stories – creating connection and lasting inspiration. Entries close: 10am, Tuesday 3 November 2026.
Council’s Community Sentiment Survey is a city-wide survey that gives community members the opportunity to tell Council what is working well, what needs improvement and what matters most to them. The survey closes 30 October 2026.
Originally conceived by the North Queensland Potters Association, these awards have continued to flourish through Townsville City Gallery's partnership with the Potters Association. The 2026 biennial North Queensland Ceramic Awards are on display at Perc Tucker Regional Gallery, 19 September 2026 – 17 January 2027.
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