Alongside our curated program of major site-specific works, Umbrella and PUNQ are inviting expressions of interest to propose major works for this year’s festival.
About the Festival
Festival Dates: 2 – 18 August
PUNQ is a biennial place-making festival which activates and engages with spaces, histories, and futures through art. It celebrates the distinct landscapes of North Queensland to inspire cultural exchange and reimagine expectations, transform perceptions and provide unique creative experiences for locals and visitors alike.
The festival presents immersive journeys across North Queensland on Gurambilbarra (Townsville), Yunbenun (Magnetic Island), Warrgamay, Nywaigi & Bandjin Country (Hinchinbrook) and Gudjal Country (Charters Towers).
The festival elevates innovative and exciting arts and cultural practices of the region, while also providing a platform for regional artists to reach new audiences. The site-specific commissions program features major projects produced by established local, national and international artists, set in significant natural and human-made environments of the North Queensland region.
About the Site-Specific Commissions in 2024
Umbrella is inviting artists to express their interest in creating new works for the festival in 3 locations:
– Yunbenun / Magnetic Island – Townsville
– Warrgamay, Nywaigi & Bandjin Country / Hinchinbrook
– Gudjal Country / Charters Towers
(Preference will be given to concepts sited outside the Townsville region in high traffic areas.)
Artists are encouraged to present ideas that respond to the histories, presents and futures of sites within these locations. All artforms are eligible. The festival is looking for high quality, innovative and critically engaged projects.
Image: Jill Chism, Preserve/Conserve – Invocation #3: Openness – Going with the flow, 2021, Ephemeral salt-printing performance in situ Cape Pallarenda on Wulgurukaba & Bindal Country (Townsville). PUNQ 2021 Commission. Photograph: Aaron Ashley