Straddie Arts Trail Is Back This Weekend For Its Biggest Year Yet
island art
By Kiri Johnston | 14th August 2026There are plenty of reasons to escape to Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island) for the weekend, but this August, art is joining the island’s beaches, bushland and laid-back charm on the itinerary.
Celebrating its fifth year, the Straddie Arts Trail returns from 14–16 August for what organisers are calling its biggest and most diverse program yet, bringing together more than 70 creatives across 33 stops throughout Dunwich, Amity Point and Point Lookout.
Across three days, studios, galleries, cultural spaces and unexpected corners of the island will open their doors for exhibitions, workshops, artist residencies, photography, ceramics, textiles, film and more.
Leading this year’s program is acclaimed Quandamooka artist Delvene Cockatoo-Collins, who will take up residence at the North Stradbroke Island Museum to present work inspired by family histories and the museum’s collections, while sharing her creative process with visitors.
Celebrated Ngugi artist Elisa Jane Carmichael will also present Held in Blue with artist Renata Buziak, exploring Island stories through cyanotypes, biochromes and collaborative textile works. Visitors can also stop by QUAMPI, Minjerribah’s new First Nations-owned arts and cultural centre, during the final weekend of its current exhibition.
Elsewhere on the island, emerging artist Lauri Anderson will present new work from Seventeenth Door Studio alongside Kieron Anderson, while long-time island painter Robyn Olsen takes up residence at Amity Point’s Soul Lodge Gallery.
Internationally awarded ceramic artist Michaela Kloeckner will feature at the Dunwich Apartments residency, while Michele Kordic’s layered landscapes will find a temporary home at the Taproom at Straddie Brewing Co.
Dr Kathy Townsend
Design also takes centre stage with The Tidal Archive 2026, bringing together Cath Carroll, Sunfolk Swimwear’s Sarah Van Der Ryst and ceramicist Melany Cordier for a collection of ceramics, textiles, swimwear and objects inspired by island life and the sea.
The weekend kicks off with an opening-night rooftop screening of Subdivision at Straddie Brewing Co, complete with a Q&A featuring members of the film’s creative team.
And because no island weekend should be spent rushing between stops, there’s plenty to discover along the way. Whale season adds another layer to the weekend, with pods regularly spotted off the island’s eastern beaches between trail stops. Think lunch and high tea at North Stradbroke Island Golf Club, the annual Minjerribah Photography Awards, local markets, hands-on pottery and some of the island’s favourite food spots.
One particularly charming stop is the Hidden Treasures Art Show, where original artworks by established artists, students, families and first-time creators are sold anonymously for just $20. You won’t discover whose work you’ve bought until after choosing your piece, with proceeds supporting Dunwich State School.
“The Straddie Arts Trail is about more than art. It’s about sharing stories, creating connections and celebrating the people and places that make this island so special,” Creative Director Cath Carroll says.
With 33 stops to explore, the best approach might be not to rush it at all. Stay for the weekend, follow the trail between townships and see Minjerribah through the work of the people who call it home.
DETAILS What: Straddie Arts Trail 2026 When: 14–16 August 2026 Where: Dunwich, Amity Point and Point Lookout, Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island) Plan your trail and explore the full program at iamstraddie.com.au
