Winner

State Library of Queensland

Deaf in Dance: Feeling the Beat

Deaf in Dance: Feeling the Beat celebrates the Deaf Indigenous Dance Group (DIDG)—trailblazers in cultural expression, accessibility, and advocacy for d/Deaf First Nations communities. Presented at kuril dhagun from 28 May 2024 to 22 June 2025, the exhibition was the result of a deeply respectful, co-designed process between DIDG, community representatives, accessibility experts, and the State Library of Queensland (SLQ).

For over 28 years, DIDG has empowered d/Deaf Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through dance, storytelling, and cultural connection. This exhibition honoured their legacy through digital stories, collaborative artworks, and photography, while also advancing SLQ’s commitment to inclusive practice and audience engagement.

Highly Commended

Gympie Regional Gallery

Barambah Pottery: The Story Continues

Gympie Regional Gallery presented the beautiful exhibition, Barambah Pottery: The Story Continues, from November 2024 to January 2025. Developed in partnership with the Ration Shed Museum, Cherbourg, this project exemplified leadership in regional collaboration, cultural engagement, and truth-telling through art. 

Barambah Pottery, founded in Cherbourg in the late 1960s, holds a vital place in Queensland’s Indigenous art history. The exhibition honoured this legacy by showcasing 97 historical works, 21 archival photographs, 16 contemporary pieces, and 10 newly commissioned portraits of current artists. It celebrated the resilience and creativity of the Barambah Potters, past and present, and highlighted the revival of pottery practice through the community-led ReFire Project.