25 August 2025

Graceville Art Festival announces inaugural art prize

The Graceville Art Festival, now in its fifth year, is introducing a new monetary art prize for 2025.

Run by Lutheran Services’ Graceville Centre and staged at St Luke’s Lutheran Church, Nambour, the festival is a standout event for the Sunshine Coast community.

The festival invites artists with a lived experience of mental health or disability from across the Sunshine Coast and beyond to submit their creative works.

Lutheran Services Regional Manager, Susan Dwyer, said the festival was an opportunity for artists to share their stories, showcase their talents, and connect with the wider community in a supportive environment.

“The annual festival is a vibrant celebration of creative expression and community collaboration,’’ Ms Dwyer said. “This year we are excited to introduce our inaugural monetary art prize. Submissions are now being accepted until September 24, and we encourage artists who meet the criteria to enter.”

For more than 50 years, the Graceville Centre has provided mental health and disability services, and accommodation at its Nambour site.

The  festival, including workshops, market stalls and entertainment, will be open to the public from October 8-12, aligning with Mental Health Week.

The three award categories this year include the Graceville Art Prize, Heart Prize and Inclusive Photography Prize. Submissions are open now online.

The Graceville Art Prize awards $2,000 in prize money to an artwork that explores mental health and lived experiences through this year’s theme “Earth, Sky, Sea, and Me.”

The Inclusive Photography Prize awards $700 in prize money, sponsored by My Supports, to an individual artwork chosen by a judging panel.

Artists can submit their work via the official festival website:

https://donate.lutheranservices.org.au/event/graceville-art-festival/home

The Graceville Art Festival is proudly sponsored by Sunshine Coast Council, Crown Furniture, Bendigo Bank, Nambour and Districts Lions Club, My Supports, Fleetcare, NLE Commercial, and Nambour RSL.