As a publicly owned non-collecting gallery funded by Noosa Council, the Noosa Regional Gallery is known nationally for its innovative exhibitions, programs and events involving local and international contemporary artists.
The Noosa Regional Gallery was originally found on the second floor of the Council Offices, overlooking Noosa River. An extraordinarily active and dedicated voluntary group, the Noosa Gallery Society, were responsible for the operations, curatorship, promotion and fund-raising for this new creative space.
Their calibre was obvious from their first exhibition, The Hinton Collection - showing works by Norman Lindsay, Sydney Long, Margaret Preston, Tom Roberts and Sir Arthur Streeton. The following year saw exhibitions of Papua New Guinea art and etchings by Arthur Boyd.
In 1984 the Noosa Gallery Society decided it was time to achieve official regional gallery status – making them the only regional gallery in South East Queensland. This required persuading the Council to hire a Gallery Director and agree to upgrading the facilities.
It took some convincing, but in 1986 the Gallery's first Director, Merton Chambers, was appointed. The Gallery Society continued to raise funds while volunteers carried out daily operations. The Gallery program was expanded to include music and film, and a dynamic exchange of artists from Canada, Japan and other states of Australia was created and fostered.
With regional gallery status there was now greater pressure for appropriate facilities to be organised. So, in 1989, the gallery was moved to its current location on the ground floor. A unique program of exhibitions relating to the community was created. Exhibitions by major Australian contemporary artists were opened alongside those by local artists, and international artists travelled from far and wide to work ‘in residence’ here.
Kevin Wilson (director of Noosa Regional Gallery between 1995 and 2005) and the Gallery staff assisted Bark Design Architects with their successful tender for the design of the Caloundra Art Gallery. Noosa Regional Gallery also played a significant role in the establishing the Cooloola Shire Public Gallery, with Kevin Wilson acting as consultant and the Noosa Galley Society contributing towards setting up a Friends group.
The Noosa Regional Gallery’s current director, Christine Ballinger, was appointed in 2006. Since then, the Noosa Regional Gallery Society has become ‘the friends’ and the Gallery’s volunteer base continues to grow.
The Noosa Regional Gallery’s regularly changing international, national and local exhibitions reflect and support excellence in visual art.
Our workshop program offers artists and designers a host of hands-on opportunities to develop their professional practice in new and exciting ways.
Locally handcrafted glassware, jewellery, ceramics, textiles, woodworked pieces, and cards are sold from our busy Gallery Shop (Coming Soon) – where we often hear that intended gifts are kept instead…
We would like to acknowledge the Gubbi Gubbi people, as the Traditional Owners of the Noosa area.
Join our volunteer team - and help in the way that suits your interests and abilities:
To join up, please contact us
To learn more about becoming a Friend of the Noosa Regional Gallery: click here
Become a member and you can take part in our special Friends program, a fun way to learn about art with others who have similar interests.
Membership is open to anyone interested in the visual arts - as an appreciator or as an artist.
If you would like to be more involved, join our volunteer team - and help in the way that suits your interests and abilities:
Alternatively, you may wish to support the Gallery by financial donation – financial support is always needed and greatly appreciated.
By joining the Friends you are not just supporting the Noosa Regional Gallery - you are assisting the growth of a greater cultural awareness in Noosa.
Become a Friend by simply filling out our form and sending it to us:
Friends membership form
or contact us
