Escape the weekend thrum of esplanade pacing tourists and busy, local beaches; as August shrugs off the last mornings of winter, the Galleries of the Sunshine Coast open their doors and invite the cultured, curious and inspired to wander the diverse displays and ponder the media rich stories of moving exhibitions. Take a break, a few hours to rejuvenate your creative batteries and appreciate the simplicity and elegance of the following five displays, just a short car ride away.

Noosa Regional Gallery

Making a limited and specialised debut, Aurukun: Stories of the Wik People exhibits a carefully selected collection of Indigenous art-forms, threading together an ancient, biographical tapestry of the Wik People, of northern Cape York. Art is utilised as a historical tradition, capturing and communicating the first webs of reconciliation, honouring the connection between Indigenous Australians and the sacristy of their land.

Sunshine Coast Art Prize 3D (29th of August – 20th of October)

The annual Sunshine Coast Art Prize (SCAP) is a boiling pot of Australia’s most talented artists, measuring contemporary and experimental works against a stringent criteria. You will be treated to interpretive and impressive works, as contenders in the 3D category vie for $15,000, determined to enter the winners circle in the eighth year of this influential regional competition. You’ll never think of art in the same way again.

Caloundra Regional Gallery

Telling Lives (10th of July – 18th of August)

A photograph stirs a thousand words and a multitude of stories; imagine life documented over a decade, visually narrating the transitions, triumphs and tribulations of your existence. Teena Saulo dived into rural South East Asia for ten years, uncovering the honesty and tenacity of simple lives, understanding the life-cycle of her subjects and documenting them without filters or preconceptions.

Right Back @ U (10th of July – 18th of August)

Communities are composed of voices, experiences and micro tales reserved for quiet nights between friends or the public facing streets. Right Back @ U is a megaphone of authority and veracity, celebrating the extensive abilities of emerging artists living with disabilities. RB@U is an opportunity to fully engage with society at every level, texturing your own reality with the interpreted experiences of others.

Butter Factory Arts Centre

Coastal Collage (18th of July – 10th of August)

The Sunshine Coast is a coastal strip of seclusion, colours, sounds, creatures, leaves, vines and flowers; peering beneath of the surface, the natural stories of our wonderful region reflect the transformative essence of the land. Coastal Collage is a collection of ceramic pieces, representing the diversity of the Sunshine Coast; each piece is a chapter in skill, displaying the finest firing techniques, mixture of clays and artistic vision of creating an inclusive journey through this enigmatic medium.

Of course, this is by no means an exhaustive list of the region’s best exhibitions. The Sunshine Coast Gallery collective is a temporary home to many dynamic and innovative collections, tapping into the synergies of the local area and beyond.