GAMAA 2025 - Museums and Galleries QLD

2025 GAMAA Winners, Highly Commended & Finalists. Photograph by Sarah Marshall, Jiriki Photography, courtesy of Museums & Galleries Queensland.

2025 Gallery and Museum Achievement Awards

The Winners, Highly Commended and Finalists of the 2025 Gallery and Museum Achievement Awards (GAMAA) were proudly announced by Museums & Galleries Queensland (M&G QLD) on Tuesday 9 September, at a special awards presentation hosted by Museum of Brisbane.

We thank everyone who submitted a nomination to this year’s GAMAA and encourage you to continue your great efforts and to consider nominating in the future.

Congratulations to all the Winners, Highly Commended and Finalists for their outstanding achievement in being selected for the 2025 Gallery and Museum Achievement Awards.

Winners, Highly Commended & Finalists

Projects

Organisations with 1-6 FTE Paid Staff

Minister for Education and the Arts, Hon John-Paul Langbroek MP, presenting Sarah Johnson and Tony Cullen with their award for Qantas Founders Museum. Photograph by Sarah Marshall, Jiriki Photography, courtesy of Museums & Galleries Queensland.

Winner

Qantas Founders Museum for Yayoi in the Outback

Highly Commended

North Stradbroke Island Museum on Minjerribah for Ngali Dullan – We Remain

Finalists

The Condensery – Somerset Regional Art Gallery for Volatile Terrain

Griffith University Art Museum for Yuriyal Bridgeman: yubilong(mi)bilongyu

Noosa Regional Gallery for Imaginate featuring Pip & Pop: Sunshine Daydream

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Projects

Organisations with 7+ FTE Paid Staff

Minister for Education and the Arts, Hon John-Paul Langbroek MP, presenting Imelda Miller and Dr Jim Thompson with their award for Queensland Museum. Photograph by Sarah Marshall, Jiriki Photography, courtesy of Museums & Galleries Queensland.

Winner

Queensland Museum Kurilpa for Say Our Name: Australian South Sea Islanders

Highly Commended

HOTA Gallery, Home of the Arts for Writers Revealed

Finalists

Bundaberg Regional Galleries for Zapatos Rojos (Red Shoes)

Ipswich Art Gallery for Arriving Slowly: Exploring the Abstract

State Library of Queensland for Neon

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Engagement

Organisations with 1-6 FTE Paid Staff

Minister for Education and the Arts, Hon John-Paul Langbroek MP, presenting Julie Pratt and Kate Teed with their award for Gympie Regional Gallery. Photograph by Sarah Marshall, Jiriki Photography, courtesy of Museums & Galleries Queensland.

Winner

Gympie Regional Gallery for Guy Denning: Works on Paper

Finalist

Clermont Museum for Clermont Museum Open Day

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Engagement

Organisations with 7+ FTE Paid Staff

Minister for Education and the Arts, Hon John-Paul Langbroek MP, presenting Melissa Blight with the award for Museum of Brisbane. Photograph by Sarah Marshall, Jiriki Photography, courtesy of Museums & Galleries Queensland.

Winner

Museum of Brisbane for Micro Museum

Highly Commended

Living Museum of Logan for Tattoo: Story Lines

Finalist

Bundaberg Regional Galleries for The Closet

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First Nations

Open

Minister for Education and the Arts, Hon John-Paul Langbroek MP, presenting Vicki McDonald, Sophie Chapman, Holly Riding and Reuben Hillier with their award for State Library of Queensland. Photograph by Sarah Marshall, Jiriki Photography, courtesy of Museums & Galleries Queensland.

Winner

State Library of Queensland for Deaf in Dance: Feeling the Beat

Highly Commended

Gympie Regional Gallery for Barambah Pottery: The Story Continues

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Sustainable Practices

Open

Minister for Education and the Arts, Hon John-Paul Langbroek MP, presenting Ann Baillie and Edith Cuffe OAM with their award for Abbey Museum of Art & Archaeology. Photograph by Sarah Marshall, Jiriki Photography, courtesy of Museums & Galleries Queensland.

Winner

Abbey Museum of Art & Archaeology for Abbey Museum Art Gallery & Café Extension Project

Finalist

The University of Queensland Art Museum for Sun Stadium: Public Artwork at UQ St Lucia

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Volunteer Museum / Gallery of the Year

Minister for Education and the Arts, Hon John-Paul Langbroek MP, presenting Andrew Johns and Chris Morley with their award for the Queensland Air Museum. Photograph by Sarah Marshall, Jiriki Photography, courtesy of Museums & Galleries Queensland.

Winner

Queensland Air Museum

Highly Commended

Commissariat Store Museum of The Royal Historical Society of Queensland

The Royal Theatre Winton Museum, Winton Movies Inc.

Finalist

Ipswich Hospital Museum

Vera Scarth-Johnson Gallery

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Individuals

Volunteer Staff

Winner

Nick Stokes – Museum Volunteer, Queensland Transport Museum

Highly Commended

Nigel Cox – President & Curator, Gaythorne RSL Sub Branch

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Individuals

Paid Staff

Winner

Claire Griffiths – Frontline Coordinator (Museums), Isaac Regional Council (2022-2025)

Highly Commended

Leitha Assan – Exhibitions & Public Programmes Manager, Gab Titui Cultural Centre

Effie Skoufa-Klesnik – Registration (Loans and Acquisitions), The University of Queensland Art Museum

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2025 GAMAA Winners, Highly Commended & Finalists. Photograph by Sarah Marshall, Jiriki Photography, courtesy of Museums & Galleries Queensland.

Media

Winners, Highly Commended and Finalists announced at the 2025 Queensland Gallery and Museum Achievement Awards

2025 GAMAA Trophies: (L-R) Laurence Gibson, Kirbaji (Dugong), 2025; Vanessa Cannon, Kakan (Black Palm), 2025; Vanessa Cannon, Kurriyala (Carpet Snake), 2025. Photograph by Sarah Marshall, Jiriki Photography, courtesy of Museums & Galleries Queensland.

Trophy artists

The Winners received exquisite trophies individually crafted by artists Laurence Gibson, Lorna Shuan, Gregory Salt and Vanessa Cannon, from the Yalanji Arts Collective, Kuku Yalanji Country, Mossman Gorge, Far North Queensland.

The 2025 GAMAA trophies are generously supported by Brian Tucker.