2026 Exhibition Program

Albany Town Hall GallerIES

A DECADE OF PRIDE  

21 Feb - 25 Mar | Albany Town Hall 

A Decade of Pride marks the tenth anniversary of the Albany Pride Festival, one of Australia’s most significant regional Pride celebrations. Curated by James BL Hollands, this retrospective exhibition brings together festival posters, artworks, personal stories and creative contributions that document a decade of visibility, advocacy and community connection in the Great Southern. Together, these works reflect the growth of Albany Pride and honour the people, creativity and resilience that have shaped the festival over its first ten years.

Abettors of the Zeewijk - James BL Hollands

In 1727, two marooned teenagers, Adriaan Spoor and Pieter Engelse, were isolated on separate islands and left off the coast of WA, because of accused crimes of homosexuality. In this exhibition, Hollands displays imagined images of 81 of the faces of the corpses of the men who sailed away, leaving the two to die alone.

Hollands takes stills from his last film, Trill Death Cult -– a film about queer vision, and the invisibility of the queer dead, and inverts it to ask - what happens to the people who watch oppression, what happens to the viewers of atrocities, what happens to those who are complicit within the process of death, what happens to people who kill because of ideology at the moment of their death. Rather than the queer dead being objectified, Hollands reverses the polarities and turns the camera on people who seek political and religious persecution, and we observe their nameless corpse faces.

Hollands creates a visual portmanteau, inverting and redrawing his last film’s stills, and printing them on tracing paper with UV ink and luminous spray paint, placing them on walls, evoking cave painting, Three Six Mafia’s skull T-shirts and the Kryptonian interdimensional super prison of Superman’s Phantom Zone.

Expertly and collaboratively lit by Luke Simpson, Simpson reanimates Hollands’ work within the space, creating a room of the living undead. Hollands and Simpson take these stills and turn them into breathing corpse shadows of a seminal moment in WA history.

Artist Talk: Saturday 21 Feb, 11am 
Albany Town Hall
217 York Street, Albany
Open: Tue-Sat 10-5pm

---

GREAT SOUTHERN ART AWARD 2026  

4 April - 7 May | Albany Town Hall 

Join us at Albany Town Hall for the 2026 Great Southern Art Award - a vibrant celebration of art, creativity and innovation across the Great Southern region.

This dynamic exhibition showcases the exceptional talent of local artists, providing a professional platform to present their work to a broad and engaged audience. Open to established, emerging and young artists living in the Great Southern, the exhibition embraces artistic expression across all visual art forms.

A diverse range of award categories recognises excellence at every level, including dedicated prizes for young creatives. The prestigious City of Albany Acquisitive Award will see the winning artwork acquired into the City of Albany Art Collection.

Visitors are also invited to vote for their favourite artwork.

Awards:

City of Albany Acquisitive Award

$5,000 – Sponsored by City of Albany

Open to all entrants

18+ Categories

Painting Award (2D) – $1,000 | Sponsored by City of Albany

Works on Paper Award (2D) – $1,000 | Sponsored by City of Albany

Print Award (2D) – $1,000 | Sponsored by J & S Castlehow

First Nations Award (2D & 3D) – $1,000 | Sponsored by Great Southern Specialist Centre

3D Award – $1,000 | Sponsored by City of Albany

Popular Choice Award – $500 | Sponsored by Paperbark

Youth Categories (5–18 years)

Under 12 Years

Best 2D Artwork – $150 | Sponsored by City of Albany

Best 3D Artwork – $150 | Sponsored by Albany Signs

Popular Choice – $150 | Sponsored by Albany Art Supplies

12–18 Years

Best 2D Artwork – $250 | Sponsored by Best Office Systems

Best 3D Artwork – $250 | Sponsored by Albany Signs

Popular Choice – $250 | Sponsored by Albany Art Supplies

We gratefully acknowledge and thank all sponsors for their generous support of the Great Southern Art Award.

Kids Art Activity

Gallery Explorers – ‘Find and Tick’

During the exhibition, children are invited to participate in this free interactive activity. Explore the gallery, locate the listed items and tick them off as you discover each artwork.

Public Program

Join the Arts & Culture Public Programs Officer for an insightful guided talk exploring this year’s winning artworks. Discover what set these pieces apart, gain an understanding of the judging process, and hear about the artistic techniques, themes and creative approaches that captured the judges’ attention.

These engaging sessions offer visitors a deeper appreciation of the exhibition and a unique opportunity to learn more about the artists and their award-winning work.

Saturday 11 April, 10.30am – Focus on the Youth Winning Artists

Saturday 18 April, 10.30am – Focus on the Adult Winning Artists

Exhibition: 4 April - 7 May 2026

Albany Town Hall

217 York Street, Albany

Open: Tue-Sat, 10-5pm

During the School Holidays, open Mondays 10-5pm