Winner

Mayor of Ipswich, Teresa Harding, presenting Jocelyn Flynn, Logan Bobingie and Aunty Sana Balai with the award for UQ Art Museum. Photograph by Sarah Marshall, Jiriki Media. Courtesy of Museums & Galleries Queensland.

UQ Art Museum

Public art on campus: SUNA (Middle Ground)

UQ Art Museum was declared winner in this GAMAA category for Public art on campus: SUNA (Middle Ground), a landmark installation by Papua New Guinean artist Yuriyal Bridgeman that transformed The University of Queensland campus into a space for dialogue, cultural exchange and community connection.

Inspired by the artist’s family home in Papua New Guinea’s Waghi Valley, SUNA (Middle Ground) invited visitors to gather, reflect and learn through shared experiences. The large-scale installation created a welcoming environment for intercultural exchange, exploring themes of identity, community, place and belonging through contemporary art.

Through its ambitious vision and collaborative approach, SUNA (Middle Ground) demonstrated the capacity of public art to build understanding, strengthen partnerships and create opportunities for genuine cultural exchange.

Highly Commended

Mayor of Ipswich, Teresa Harding, presenting Erin-Taylor Healey, Bronwyn Wolski and Bianca Beetson with the Highly Commended presentation for Queensland Museum. Photograph by Sarah Marshall, Jiriki Media. Courtesy of Museums & Galleries Queensland.

Queensland Museum

First Nations Undergraduate Student Research Program

Queensland Museum was recognised as a Highly Commended recipient for their First Nations Undergraduate Student Research Program, an innovative initiative creating culturally safe pathways for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students into the Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums (GLAM) sector.

Designed and led by Queensland Museum’s First Nations team, the program combines paid research placements, mentoring, cultural learning and professional development to support emerging First Nations leaders while strengthening organisational cultural capability.

By investing in First Nations knowledge, leadership and workforce development, the program is helping to build a more inclusive and culturally responsive museum sector. The initiative provides students with meaningful career pathways while demonstrating the important role museums can play in advancing reconciliation and supporting the next generation of First Nations cultural leaders.

Finalist

Mayor of Ipswich, Teresa Harding, presenting Lauren Turton with the Finalist presentation for Artspace Mackay. Photograph by Sarah Marshall, Jiriki Media. Courtesy of Museums & Galleries Queensland.

Artspace Mackay

2025 Libris Awards

Artspace Mackay was named a finalist for the 2025 Libris Awards Program, recognising its national leadership in artists’ book practice and its commitment to fostering innovation, excellence and professional development within this specialised artform.

The comprehensive program featured the prestigious Libris Awards exhibition, the abbe Artists Book Conference, the Artists Book Fair and a reimagined Tertiary Artists Book Prize, creating a dynamic platform for artists, educators, collectors and audiences from across Australia. Through its diverse activities, the program celebrated the breadth and creativity of contemporary artists’ book practice while strengthening engagement with the medium.

Through its holistic approach to programming, the 2025 Libris Awards Program strengthened national creative networks, expanded audiences’ awareness and appreciation for artists’ books and reinforced Artspace Mackay’s reputation as a leading centre for contemporary arts practice and innovation.