Partnership Projects

Australian Wearable Art Festival Artists

The Australian Wearable Art Festival (AWAF) is Australia’s premier wearable art event – an immersive celebration where fashion, sculpture, movement and storytelling collide on the runway. Now entering its sixth year, AWAF has grown from a grassroots creative project on the Sunshine Coast into a nationally recognised arts event attracting artists, audiences and industry attention from across Australia and internationally. The Festival provides a platform for visionary artists who transform recycled, repurposed and unconventional materials into extraordinary wearable artworks that

PARADOS

Parados Education, in partnership with the Sunshine Coast Arts Foundation, is creating something quietly powerful—spaces where young people find their voice, reconnect with the natural world, and see themselves as artists, storytellers, and caretakers of place. This work matters now more than ever. Many of the young people we support struggle to thrive in traditional, high-pressure systems. They are the thinkers, the feelers, and the observers. They are deeply attuned to their environments, yet often feel invisible in spaces that

Open Studios Sunshine Coast

Open Studios Sunshine Coast 2026 is one of two major annual programs presented by Arts Connect Inc., a membership-driven not-for-profit organisation dedicated to supporting and strengthening the region’s vibrant arts community through collaboration, mentoring, workshops and shared creative practice. Alongside its sister event, Sculpture on the Edge, Open Studios offers a rare and engaging opportunity to step inside the creative world of the Sunshine Coast. Over several days, some of the region’s most talented artists open their studio doors to the public—inviting

Sunshine Coast Hinterland Writers Festival

Nestled in the heart of the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, the Sunshine Coast Hinterland Writers Festival celebrates storytelling amid stunning natural beauty. With inspiring workshops, lively panel discussions, book launches and signings, the festival fosters connection and ignites imagination. 2-4 MAY 2026: A Constellation of Stories Every voice a star. Every story a light. We all live beneath the same sky, yet our stories are shaped by different places, cultures, histories, and imaginations. At SCHWF, writers from diverse backgrounds gather to

Outspoken Maleny

Outspoken arose, quite simply, from the idea that, living here in the regions, we were isolated from the larger literary and political world. Tyyni and I wanted to see if we could persuade some of Australia and the world’s most exciting writers to come here and to speak with us, in person. Well, writers, it turned out, have responded very positively to the invitation. As of November 2025 we have been operating continuously for fifteen years. In that time we

Horizon Festival

Horizon Festival is an annual arts and cultural festival exploring the intersections of art, people and place on Kabi Kabi and Jinibara Country, Sunshine Coast. Horizon Festival is more than a program of events. It is the feeling of salt air and sunset light. It is live music spilling into the street. It is artists and storytellers, dancers and chefs, musicians and performers bringing fresh energy to familiar places. It is laughter in local streets, late nights at gigs, and

keeper project nambour road crossing image by linda storee smith

The Keeper Project – Maroochydore 2026

RED CHAIR, a Sunshine Coast performing arts company dedicated to community engagement, is bringing its celebrated, socially engaged live art project, The Keeper Project, to Maroochydore on Gubbi Gubbi country in 2026. Following successful iterations in Coolum, Nambour and Caloundra, your generous support will see this ambitious project engage ten local artists to serve as ‘Keepers,’ each performing a unique three-week creative ritual in a public space. Running over 30 weeks, The Keeper Project is an inherently participatory experience designed

Long Listen: Global Sounds, Local Heart

Support the Sound of Change Welcome to Long Listen, a festival of brave, bold, and brilliant listening experiences. After three transformative festivals in Eudlo, Palmwoods, and Mapleton, Long Listen returns 2–5 October 2026, offering four days of concerts, conversations, and cultural experiences across the Sunshine Coast Hinterland. More than a festival, Long Listen is a playground for artistic curiosity, a celebration of connection, and a platform for daring new work. Founded by Louise King, each annual program champions Australian art music, eclectic genres, and

D.I.V.E. Theatre Collective

D.I.V.E. Theatre Collective is a multicultural, Sunshine Coast-based company that creates immersive, thought-provoking performances. We blend physical theatre, dance, and visual arts to tell stories that explore social themes. With a diverse ensemble of artists, we break traditional theatre boundaries by using multiple languages and interactive spaces. Our shows are devised collectively, drawing inspiration from the community, aiming to foster discussion and new perspectives. We believe theatre should be a shared experience that challenges, connects, and inspires. ABOUT OUR WORK

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