culture
Sunshine Coast Artists Reveal Months of Work Behind New Exhibition
Sunshine Coast artists and organisers detail the months of work that shaped a new exhibition opening this month across two regional venues.
How we reported this
A new exhibition titled Fragments of Connection opened July 8 at the Caloundra Regional Gallery with 22 works by 11 local makers, each piece developed over the past 14 months from initial sketches to final installation.
The show arrives as residents report rising interest in community events after two years of disrupted programming, with organisers citing increased requests for in-person gatherings since early 2025.
Venues and teams involved
Work began at the Old Ambulance Station arts hub in Nambour where sculptor Lena Torres and painter Marcus Reed tested materials on the building’s original loading dock before pieces moved to the Caloundra Regional Gallery for final lighting design. The pair collaborated with the Sunshine Coast Arts Collective, a group formed in 2023 that now lists 87 members and runs monthly workshops at the Nambour site.
Reed said the collective chose the two locations because the Nambour space allowed large-scale assembly while the Caloundra gallery provided climate-controlled display rooms needed for the delicate mixed-media pieces.
Numbers behind the project
Funding records show the project received a $68,000 grant from the Sunshine Coast Council’s 2025-26 arts program, covering materials, artist fees and transport between the two sites. Attendance at preview sessions reached 340 people over three nights, according to gallery door counts.
Visitors can see the exhibition daily from 10am to 4pm at the Caloundra Regional Gallery through September 14, with entry set at $12 for adults. The Nambour site hosts related workshops on the second Saturday of each month, limited to 20 participants per session.
Organisers plan to release a digital catalogue next week and will announce a second round of workshops at both locations once current bookings close.