Cairns art lovers have honoured ‘Queensland Great’ Thanakupi with more than 460 people attending the recent opening of her latest exhibition at KickArts. Read full story >

Premier Bligh last week announced $4 million in new funding to upgrade the Cobb & Co Museum in Toowoomba and create a new heritage training centre to celebrate the heritage of the Darling Downs. Read full story >

It can be challenging but it’s also fun which is why Arts Queensland had such a strong response to its first Write about Art program. Read full story >

We love to see Queensland talent do well so when Cirque du Soleil’s 65 performers took their bows on opening night in Brisbane recently, it was great to know the only Australian in the elite international cast was Queenslander Hayden Spencer. Read full story >

The prestigious Premier’s Awards for Excellence in Public Sector Management were announced in Brisbane on 9 December, with Arts Queensland winning a major award. Read full story >

Museum and Gallery Services Queensland, the industry body for museums and galleries throughout Queensland, announced the winners of the 2008 Gallery and Museum Achievement Awards (GAMAA) on 30 October. Read full story >

Fiona Stager is well known to book lovers as co-owner of Avid Reader Bookshop in West End. Now her contribution to the publishing industry has been rewarded after being named by the Queensland Writers Centre (QWC) as winner of the 2009 Johnno Award. Read full story >

Brisbane will be home to Australia's biggest arts festival from 2009 with the Brisbane Festival and Riverfestival merging into one major festival, Brisbane Festival. Read full story >

Congratulations to Queenslander Brett Dean for winning the 2009 Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition for his violin concerto, The Lost Art of Letter Writing, premiered in 2007. Read full story >

Arts Queensland’s Christmas card for 2009 was inspired by one of our own projects that will contribute to Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF) in 2009. Read full story >

Emerging Torres Strait artist George Nona, from Badu Island, is a skilled mask and headdress maker. Read full story >

The refurbishments at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) have not hampered any of the fun, with a series of amazing performances and events taking place over summer. Read full story >

Brisbane’s Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA) will give the adults some time out this summer with an exciting program of art activities centred around the Contemporary Australia: Optimism exhibition. Read full story >

The circus will arrive at the State Library of Queensland to entertain and engage children with a jam-packed school holiday program. Read full story >

The Queensland Museum South Bank has an eclectic range of activities and exhibitions for children during the school holidays, including life-size predators and a very ‘cool’ experiment. Read full story >

Want to go to the Cultural Centre at South Bank but not sure how to plan your day? Help is at hand. A summer edition of the popular Cultural Centre booklet can now be picked up across South East Queensland or viewed online. This holiday issue is bigger and better than ever, including South Bank activities for the first time. Read full story >

KickArts Contemporary Arts in Cairns is hosting two prestigious exhibitions over summer. Read full story >

Whether you work full time as a visual artist, or supplement your artistic career with other work, you can improve your knowledge and skills at this free workshop. Read full story >

This workshop is part of the Artist Business workshop series for visual artists. It covers using and preparing a business case, identifying what you can offer business, finding a potential partner, and developing a proposal and managing a relationship Read full story >

It’s back – the hugely popular Art of Good Business seminar returns in 2009! In this tough economic climate artists and arts organisations need tools, techniques and networks to secure contacts and private sector support. Read full story >

http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au
The Brisbane City Council needs your input on Brisbane's future as a Vibrant and Creative City. Brisbane City Councils Your City Your Say - Creative City, is now available online for you to explain what you think about Brisbane as a city of culture. . Read full story >

http://www.collectionscouncil.com.au/
The Collections Council is pleased to announce the launch the Collaborative Projects Showcase
The Showcase aims to inform and inspire people who are considering their own collaborative project. It also provides an opportunity for organisations within the collections sector to share their experiences.

http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/
Brisbane City Council (BCC) has a regular program to provide funding for emerging artists and cultural workers. The Lord Mayor’s Young and Emerging Artists Fellowships and Creative Sparks Grants, a joint initiative with Arts Queensland, offer assistance of up to $20,000 for each recipient.
The grants provide an opportunity for creative projects and professional development. Applications are open until 9 February 2009.

http://www.artistcareer.com.au
Developed by the National Association for the Visual Arts and the Australia Business Arts Foundation, artistcareer gives visual arts practitioners direct access to information, advice and training products to support professional and business development.
Artistcareer makes the information like tax, copyright and marketing easy by acting as a hub that provides a fast pathway to information and courses. Anyone can join, membership is free and artistcareer welcomes listings that link through to other sites. Although the site is targeted at visual artists, most of its content is relevant to all art forms.

We welcome feedback and contributions to Arts Update. Please contact the editor, Colleen Turner on (07) 3225 8841 or email artsupdate@arts.qld.gov.au