Celebrate First Nations stories, culture and connection
Exhibition showcases works from local and national artists
The LORE and LAND exhibition is a powerful celebration and spectacular show of First Nations culture, knowledge and connection to Country, on view at the Caloundra Regional Gallery from July 3 to August 16.
Featuring works from the Sunshine Coast Art Collection across a range of mediums, LORE and LAND invites audiences to immerse themselves in artworks that carry cultural memory, ancestral connection and living knowledge systems grounded in place, language, practice and responsibility.
The Traditional Custodians of the Sunshine Coast Country will be represented by Kabi Kabi artists Aunty Bridgette Chilli, Aunty Hope O'Chin AM, Bianca Beetson AM, Lyndon Davis, Maurice Mickelo, Kalatena Priestley and Zartisha Davis, and Jinibara artists Uncle Noel (Gulla) Blair, Jennifer Kent, Allan Kina, Jason Murphy, Enid Morris and BJ Murphy.
The exhibition not only celebrates our local artists, but also renowned First Nations artists from across Australia including Tony Albert (Girramay, Yidindji, Kuku Yalanji), Michael Cook (Bidjara), Joanne Currie Nalingu (Gungurri), Margaret Loy Pula (Anmatyerre) and the late Michael Nelson Jagamara AM (Warlpiri/Luritja) and Peggy Napangardi Jones (Warlpiri/Warumungu).
Sunshine Coast Council is proud to support this important creative and cultural activation, hosted by Caloundra Regional Gallery.
Sunshine Coast Mayor Rosanna Natoli said the exhibition was an important opportunity for us to come together through creativity and storytelling.
“LORE and LAND is a moving and significant exhibition that invites our community to connect with the depth, strength and continuity of First Nations culture,” Mayor Natoli said.
“It is a privilege to present an exhibition of this meaning and calibre here on the Sunshine Coast, and to create a space where people can gather to enjoy art and celebrate our community.”
Learn more about the exhibition on the Gallery website.
LORE and LAND exhibition launch, Caloundra Regional Gallery
Visiting the Gallery
The Gallery is conveniently located at 22 Omrah Avenue, Caloundra, within walking distance of Caloundra Library+, Bulcock Street shopping precinct and stunning Kings Beach.
Entry is free, with the Gallery open Tuesday to Friday, 10am to 4pm, and weekends, 10am to 2pm.
If you’re feeling creative, try the self-guided art activities; they offer a great way to keep the kids entertained or find inspiration.
Make a day of it with friends or family; go to gallery.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au and plan your visit.
You can also find an accessibility guide on the website, to “know before you go.”
Celebrate NAIDOC Week
The LORE and LAND exhibition opens in the lead-up to NAIDOC Week 2026, which will be held from July 5 to 12.
NAIDOC Week is celebrated across Australia each year to recognise and celebrate the histories, cultures and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
This year’s theme, “50 Years of Deadly”, marks five decades of proud, unapologetic First Nations voices and community leadership, honouring the past while empowering the present and future.
Art has a powerful way of bringing people together, opening conversations and deepening understanding.
Plan a visit to Caloundra Regional Gallery during your NAIDOC celebrations.
You can discover further NAIDOC Week events via the regional guide.
More to explore
You can also discover Old Ways, New Marks, on display at Maroochydore Library Artspace until July 11.
Led by respected Jinibara artist Jennifer Kent and featuring the First Nations Screenprint Collective, the exhibition showcases contemporary screen-print works by emerging First Nations artists.
The show offers another meaningful opportunity to connect with living culture, creativity and community during the NAIDOC celebrations.
The Artspace is located on the mezzanine level of Maroochydore Library, 44 Sixth Avenue, Cotton Tree.
Entry is free, Monday to Saturday – check the Libraries website for open hours and accessibility details.
Artwork credit: Tony Albert (Girramay, Yidindji, Kuku Yalanji) | Notorious B.E.L.L. | 2006 | Type C photograph | ed.1/5 | 100 x 100 cm. Gift of the artist through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program, 2008. Sunshine Coast Art Collection. Image courtesy of the artist. Photo by Your Life Photography.
Our valuable art collection
LORE and LAND also shines a light on the cultural value of the region’s most significant visual arts asset, the Sunshine Coast Art Collection.
The Collection features more than 1000 works spanning painting, photography, works on paper, prints, sculpture, ceramics and textiles.
Curated and maintained by Council, the Collection belongs to the Sunshine Coast community and has been developed to encourage enjoyment and awareness of the visual arts while contributing to the cultural life of the region.
Made up of significant artworks dating back to the late 1960s alongside contemporary works, the Collection has grown through artist donations, acquisitive prizes and Council’s support.
The Collection reflects the character and culture of the region while also preserving works of state and national significance through its broader Australian holdings.
The strength and diversity of First Nations artistic practice is also reflected in the Collection, with works by artists including Tony Albert, Bianca Beetson, Bridgette Chilly Davis, Michael Cook, Belle Hartnell, Hope O’Chin and others.
Together, these works help build a lasting cultural asset for the region and create more opportunities for the community to engage with First Nations stories, perspectives and creative practices.
Explore the Collection online, via the Gallery website.
Artwork credit: Joanne Currie Nalingu (Gungurri) | Glasshouse Mountains Triptych | 2002 | acrylic on canvas | each panel: 120 x 120cm. Gift of the artist. Sunshine Coast Art Collection. Image courtesy of the artist. Photo by Carl Warner.