Rick Wood Bursary and Artspace Mackay Foundation Bursary are now open!

Do you know a talented young emerging artist who would benefit from a bursary to further their career?

Artspace Mackay has two bursaries on offer, one available for a high school leaver looking to further their education in art and another for a tertiary student currently studying visual or creative arts.

Last Speed Date the Collection in 2021

Thursday, November 25, 5:30pm
The workshop room, Artspace Mackay

Our informal Speed Date the Collection night is an opportunity for the community to ‘meet’ artists’ books from the collection in an enjoyable way.

Participants will become familiar with artists’ books held in the Mackay Regional Council Art Collection in a social, interactive context.

Santa’s coming to BMA Kidspace

Tuesday, December 7, 10am - 2pm
(Live kids music entertainment and Santa arrives at noon)
The workshop room, Artspace Mackay

Join us for a very merry BMA Kidspace! Local artists and performers deliver art and music activities designed especially for toddlers and their adults. BMA Kidspace, our ever-popular toddlers' program, gives children under five a chance to explore and have fun with art in a climate of cooperative learning.

Conversations with Art

Friday, December 17, 1pm - 2:30pm
Artspace Mackay, Civic Precinct

Book in for Conversations with Art, our free monthly program led by Artspace staff, where we discuss traditional and contemporary artworks from collections around the world. Whether you’re an artist, art and language lover, beginner or expert, we’d love you to join us!

Libris entries opening this month!

Entries open November 30, 2021

Mark your calendar, 2022 Libris Awards: The Australian Artists’ Book Prize will be open for entries before you know it! Artspace Mackay’s biennial event brings together works by leading and emerging artists’ book makers from across the country. The awards are a chance to celebrate the art form and build on the gallery’s significant artist book collection.

Selected finalists’ works from the 2020 Libris Awards. Helen MUELLER Once were mangroves (detail) 2020, woodblock prints and ink wash, 59 x 27 x 5.3 cm. Image courtesy the artist; Megan TSEN Introspection 2020, ink and monoprint, 28 x 10 x 2 cm (dimensions variable). Image courtesy the artist; Linda SPOWART Herbarium (detail) 2020, watercolour and mixed media, 21.7 x 15.7 x 1.3 cm. Image courtesy the artist; Glen SKEIN OBJECT POEMS: Volume I-VII 2020, photogravure, handwritten text, 18 x 11 x 1 cm. Image courtesy the artist; Matthew NEWKIRK Small talk (detail) 2020, commercial printing, 21 x 15 x 0.5 cm. Image courtesy the artist; Gracia HABY and Louise JENNISON A hemline of sky, forest, and water through smoke (detail) 2020, set of three unopened artists’ books, edition 75/75, 18.7 x 12.2 x 1.4 cm. Image courtesy the artists; Dianne FOGWELL Inferno (detail) 2020, linocut, woodcut, and burnt drawings, 79.5 x 27.5 x 3 cm. Image courtesy the artist; Judy BARRASS 10 minutes (detail) 2020, matchbox book with various media and Perspex shelving, 64 x 58 x 35 cm. Image courtesy the artist; Jānis NEDĒLA Equilateral triangular prism II 2019, etched acrylic, printed pages of text, and mixed media, 7 x 7 x 40 cm. Image courtesy the artist; Avril MAKULA Ellsworth Kelly’s Australian summer 2020, pigment ink, Magnani and Epson paper, and book cloth, edition 1/3, 26.4 x 21.5 x 3 cm; Image courtesy the artist; Doug SPOWART Home (detail) 2020, digital press, edition: first state, 21 x 14.5 x 1.5 cm. Sydney: MomentPro. Image courtesy the artist; Michelle BLACK The big one| 604mm in 96 hours (detail) 2018, Fitroy River mud, indigo, cotton rag paper, hosho, waxed cord, spotted gum timber, and rusted wire, 130 x 15 x 14 cm. Image courtesy the artist.