Programs, attractions and events

Have you been inspired by a great painting, created art at a local arts space, or enjoyed a performance at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre or at an arts festival near you?

Then you’ve probably taken part in one of the many creative experiences that we have supported.

Programs and activities

• Tourism and Events Queensland - Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ) is a statutory body of the Queensland Government and its lead marketing, destination and experience development and major events agency
• Theatre
  • Queensland Theatre—plays, comedies and theatrical performances in Brisbane
  • Judith Wright Arts Centre —contemporary dance, music, visual arts, circus, multimedia, Indigenous theatre, youth arts and screen culture
  • QUT Gardens Theatre
  • La Boite
  • Brisbane Powerhouse
  • Metro Arts
  • JUTE Theatre
  • Blue Roo Theatre Company
  • Playlab
• Music and performance
  • Queensland Symphony Orchestra
  • Opera Queensland
  • Queensland Ballet
  • Australasian Dance Collective
  • Dancenorth
  • Camerata
  • Circa
  • Flipside Circus
  • Queensland Youth Orchestras
  • Southern Cross Soloists
  • Bulmba-ja Arts Centre
• Visual art
  • QUT Art Museum
  • UQ Art Museum
  • Artisan
  • Umbrella Studio contemporary arts
  • NorthSite Contemporary Arts
  • Institute of Modern Art
• Museums
  • Museum of Brisbane
  • Queensland Maritime Museum
  • Queensland Museum
  • The Workshops Rail Museum
  • Cobb+Co Museum
  • Museum of Tropical Queensland
• Your local council may also list activities in your area.

Activities for children

• The Corner is the State Library of Queensland’s program for children under 8 years old. With their parents and families, children can be creative and experience a digital exhibition, online games and reading activities at the South Bank building or online.
• Out of the Box Children’s Festival is the Queensland Performing Arts Centre’s  biennial festival for children aged 8 and under.
• Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art have an art centre for children at the gallery.

Creative spaces for students and young adults

• The Edge is a digital culture centre in South Bank where you can explore your creativity. Hire space or equipment to experiment across the arts, science and technology.
• Visible Ink is part of Brisbane City Council’s program where young people aged 12–26 can hire equipment or space for their creative projects.
• Linx Youth Space is a place for young people living near Wynnum and Manly to hang-out and get involved in art, music and competitions.
• Many local libraries have spaces just for youth.
• Your local council may also offer spaces for young people.

Programs for migrants and refugees

• Brisbane Multicultural Art Centre (BEMAC) gives people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, migrants and refugees a chance to experience and create art.
• Gold Coast Magic is a community arts organisation that supports artists on the Gold Coast.
• Multicultural Australia helps new refugees settle in Brisbane, Rockhampton and Toowoomba.

Attractions and things to do

Queensland Cultural Centre—South Bank, Brisbane

Queensland Cultural Centre is a popular destination for locals and visitors looking for the best in arts and culture. Here, home-grown talent takes centre stage alongside international exhibitions and productions.

You can see some of the world’s best art, learn about Queensland’s history, experience Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts and culture, or just watch the world go by, as well as enjoy a meal with family at restaurants at the precinct or spend some time in the retail outlets.

For more information on what you can do at the Queensland Cultural Centre, visit the:

• Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art
• State Library of Queensland
• Queensland Performing Arts Centre
• Queensland Museum and Scienecentre.

Access for people with disability

Arts and cultural venues in Queensland are making venue access easier for people with disability.

Check with your local venue before visiting. The following venues have facilities for visitors with disability.

• Queensland Art Gallery/ Gallery of Modern Art has guided tours for visitors with special needs
• Queensland Performing Arts Centre has services and facilities to help those with individual needs attend performances and programs.
• State Library of Queensland offers access to people with disability to its services, facilities and resources.
• Queensland Museum has information on how to access the different museums.

Carers of people with disability may be eligible for a Companion Card that gives carers free entry to arts and cultural venues participating in the scheme.

View ways to get out and about and enjoy arts and culture.

Festivals and events

Festivals are about coming together as a community to experience and explore arts and culture and to celebrate shared history and identity.

Around the state

• QMF presents music trails across Queensland.
• Brisbane Festival is an annual arts festival in Brisbane.
• Woodford Folk Festival is an annual celebration of music, the arts, the environment and culture.
• Swell Sculpture Festival is an annual outdoor festival that shows off the beauty of the Currumbin coastline as the backdrop for innovative works of art from national and international artists.
• Australian Festival of Chamber Music is one of Queensland’s longest-running festivals in Townsville with chamber musicians from across the globe enlivening the city with music for 10 days each year.
• Cairns Indigenous Art Fair is a unique event that merges an art market with a celebration of Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.
• Anywhere Theatre Festival features performances in unexpected spaces and places.
• Brisbane Writers Festival is an annual event with a reputation for its friendly atmosphere and popular program.
• Queensland Poetry Festival promotes a poetry culture in Queensland with an annual 3-day festival.
• Laura Dance Festival is a biennial event in Cape York Peninsula. Its aim is to pass on culture across the generations and showcase the strength, pride and uniqueness of Aboriginal people.
• Bleach Festival celebrates the natural beauty and lifestyles of Queensland’s beach culture through music, theatre, dance, visual arts and outdoor events supporting local arts and culture.
• Bigsound is Australia’s leading new music festival and industry conference held annually in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley.
• Artisan Fayre is a family arts event with boutique stalls, entertainment and creative workshops held annually in November on Mount Tambourine.

In your local area

Visit your local council for information about festivals in your area.