Exhibitions

Yuriyal Bridgeman: yubilong(mi)bilongyu

Exhibition dates: 20 September to 1 February 2026

Yuriyal Bridgeman is a leading Papua New Guinean/Australian contemporary artist, and this exhibition surveys the breadth of his art to date. Bridgeman’s work is anchored in the traditional cultural practices of his PNG community while also bringing insightful perspectives to the context of contemporary art. Born in Redcliffe, Queensland, Bridgeman now lives and works between the Redcliffe Peninsula, Meanjin/Brisbane and PNG.

Bridgeman’s artwork encompasses photography, video, painting, sculpture and installation. His photographic and video works are positioned in portraiture and social commentary, often featuring loved ones and members of his community. His paintings and sculptures, developed during his time in PNG, draw deeply from the traditions of the Yuri Alaiku men’s practices in the Simbu Province. Bridgeman is also the co-founder of the artist collective Haus Yuriyal, where he plays a key role in developing the group’s contemporary art projects.

This exhibition has been co-curated by Angela Goddard, Director of Griffith University Art Museum and respected Bougainville Elder and art curator Aunty Sana Balai.

Yuriyal Bridgeman: yubilong(mi)bilongyu is a Griffith University Art Museum touring exhibition.

70th Townsville Art Society Art Awards

Exhibition dates: 13 September to 16 November 2025

The Townsville Art Society Inc. is delighted to announce the 70^th Townsville Art Society Art Awards. Since its founding, the Townsville Art Society has hosted an annual or biennial art exhibition, and the Art Awards has become a significant event in the city's cultural scene. Taking place at the Perc Tucker Regional Gallery, this exhibition offers North Queensland artists affiliated with an Art Society an opportunity to showcase their work in a prominent gallery setting while vying for various prizes.

Launch Event

Friday 12 September 2025
6pm for 6:30pm speeches and winners’ announcements
Perc Tucker Regional Gallery

Free, no bookings required.

Judge’s Talk

With Robert Heather
Saturday 13 September 2025
10:30am
Perc Tucker Regional Gallery

Free, no bookings required.

In the Heart of the North (Part 1)

Exhibition dates: 29 November 2025 to 3 May 2026

In the Heart of the North is a rolling exhibition of newly commissioned artworks, works from the City of Townsville Art Collection and extraordinary art on loan from other cultural institutions. All evoke the distinctiveness of life in North Queensland by artists living locally or visiting from elsewhere.

The first part of In the Heart of the North includes Deeper Than Dancing (2024), a filmic love letter to Townsville-Gurambilbarra and its people, originally commissioned by Gurambilbarra-based performing arts company, Dancenorth Australia.

Mintjapuni: Ricky Emmerton

Exhibition dates: 29 November 2025 to 3 May 2026

Mintjapuni is part of Ricky Emmerton’s PhD studies at James Cook University. He has introduced the Kalkatungu words mintja (shine) and puni (to-make or to-cause) to investigate how mintja aesthetics in Indigenous art relate to spirituality. In cultural art practices, “to mintjapuni” involves painting or decorating the body, objects, or the ground to enhance spiritual power, whether for ceremonial or everyday applications. Focusing on Kalkatungu art, Emmerton identified a lack of aesthetic appreciation and critique of Indigenous art more broadly. Seeking deeper insight, he gathered firsthand accounts from Elders, community members, and other Kalkatungu artists throughout North Queensland. Through yarning and interviews, he found that Kalkatungu people—himself included—aspire to maintain cultural integrity by fostering spiritual connections with their ancestors and Country. The spiritual aesthetics of mintja serve as one powerful means of affirmation in this ongoing cultural practice.

Young Indigenous Printmakers

Exhibition dates: 29 November 2025 to 3 May 2026

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.

This year's artist mentors are Margaret Robertson and Ricky Emmerton.