Arts and Heritage
From heritage grants to support for local arts projects, the Bundaberg Regional Council 2025-26 Budget is creating opportunities to celebrate arts and culture.
Council will develop a new grant program, with a total of $100,000 committed, to assist owners of heritage buildings.
Council’s Arts and Heritage portfolio spokesperson Councillor John Learmonth said the grant program recognised the importance of historic buildings to the special character of the Bundaberg Region.
“The heritage streetscapes of our regional CBDs are loved by visitors and locals alike,” Cr Learmonth said.
“In supporting property owners to maintain the region’s heritage and character, Council acknowledges the challenges associated with maintaining these older buildings that are valued by the wider community.
“Council will be reviewing the application guidelines and eligibility criteria ahead of the opening of funding applications in coming months.”
In a boost for the local arts community, Council will match funding secured from Arts Queensland for the Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF), providing a total $104,500 funding pool this financial year for projects led by local artists and community organisations.
Cr Learmonth said RADF was important for enriching the region’s diverse and vibrant arts landscape.
“The Regional Arts Development Fund is such a great resource for our community, supporting artists and organisations to present engaging projects in the region,” he said.
Bundaberg Regional Galleries will continue to broaden its horizons with funding in this financial year of $35,000 from the Australian Government’s Visions of Australia and a further $38,871 from Arts Queensland’s Touring Queensland Fund to take its exhibition ‘The Brothers Gruchy’ to four interstate galleries.
Curated by Bundaberg Regional Galleries in 2020, ‘The Brothers Gruchy’ showcases the work of acclaimed digital artists Tim and Mic Gruchy, who grew up in Bundaberg.
Cr Learmonth said the exhibition would travel to South Australia, Tasmania and two regional galleries in Queensland this financial year as part of a three-year touring program for the exhibition.
“The tour is a significant achievement for Bundaberg Regional Galleries as one of only a few regional galleries to get funding in the 2024 round of Visions of Australia funding.
“It shows that regional galleries have important stories to tell, and that those stories can resonate on a national level.”
Find out more about the 2025-26 Budget here: Budget | Bundaberg Regional Council
