Celebrating NAIDOC Week at the Gallery & Museum

Celebrating NAIDOC Week at the Gallery & Museum

Cr Matt Burnett, Mayor Gladstone Regional Council will officially launch the Gladstone Regional Art Gallery & Museum’s  NAIDOC 2018: Arts and Heritage from our Collection from 6pm Monday, 9 July 2018.

Join us to celebrate our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. Traditional Torres Strait Island dance, performed by local dancers, and Welcome to Country by Aunty Neola Savage – Gooreng Gooreng Elder, will be part of the evening’s event. We hope to see you for this wonderful celebration.

NAIDOC 2018: Arts and Heritage from our Collection features the artworks by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists held in the Gallery & Museum collection; as well as a selection of images from the Heritage collection; works and stories we hold in trust.

Also on display are works by young people in the community who have been attending headspace Gladstone and Roseberry Qld’s NAIDOC Art Workshop, led by local Aboriginal artist Patricia Coleman (Bailai). Each painting has been created using totems and their meaning to Aboriginal people, as a focal point. The workshop was developed to introduce the students to Aboriginal art and culture, and to promote and celebrate NAIDOC in the Gladstone Region community.

This year’s NAIDOC Week theme is Because of her, we can! to celebrate the invaluable contributions that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women have made - and continue to make - to our communities, our families, our rich history and to our nation.

NAIDOC 2018: Arts and Heritage from our Collection  will continue until Saturday, 4 August 2018.

Local artists Belynda (Bindi) Waugh (Iman/Bundjalung) and Patricia Coleman (Bailai [Byellee]) are currently working on a pop up public art installation in the Gallery & Museum’s Air Space, to be revealed as part of the celebrations.

The Gallery & Museum is also hosting school holiday workshops for participants, aged 6 – 12 years and 13 – 17 years, providing the opportunity to create their own NAIDOC ‘totem’ poles with local Aboriginal artist Jarrod Beezley (Kabi Kabi/Bundjalung). These free workshops are happening on Thursday 5 July, all materials are provided and bookings are essential. For all enquiries, contact the Gallery & Museum on (07) 4976 6766 or email gragm@gladstone.qld.gov.au