The QAGOMA Foundation Year in Review and Christmas Celebration

Justice Bradley; QAGOMA Foundation President, Mr Tim Fairfax and fellow committee members; Chair of the Queensland Art Gallery Board of Trustees, Emeritus Professor Ian O’Connor and fellow Trustees; QAGOMA Director, Mr Chris Saines; distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen.

I also acknowledge the traditional custodians of the lands around Brisbane, the Turrbal and Jagera peoples, and extend respectful greetings to Elders, past, present and emerging.

Graeme and I are delighted to be here this evening.

When I was sworn-in as Governor on 1 November, I made a pledge to do all I can to promote the health and wellbeing of Queenslanders.

With this objective in mind, both Graeme and I were pleased to recently become joint Patrons of the QAGOMA Foundation, an organisation which does so much to extol the benefits of the arts in our community.

For those who create and for those who discover, the visual arts have an extraordinary power to nourish, balance and enhance wellbeing.

I know that creative expression has provided many Queenslanders with some much-needed peace and calm over recent times.

Meanwhile, preserving, displaying and promoting artworks from the past, present and into the future, requires great skill and vision.

Now more than ever, galleries around the world need to be on the lookout for innovative and sustainable opportunities to showcase artistic expression.

In 2021, we saw QAGOMA admirably rise to that challenge with a calendar of phenomenal exhibitions of exceptional quality and variety, and which were enthusiastically embraced by Queenslanders.

From journeying through 500 years of European art history to exploring the rich cultures of our near Asian and Pacific neighbours through the 10^th Triennial, Gallery visitors enjoyed – and continue to enjoy – a tantalising feast of artistic expression this year.

These and many other successful Gallery initiatives would simply not be possible without the generous assistance of the QAGOMA Foundation and its benefactors. 

With the support of the Foundation, including via its most successful ever digital appeal, QAGOMA was this year able to exceed its target for the value of new works acquired by philanthropic support, while expanding its research library and access to its digital and online collections.

These are remarkable achievements, which directly improve the wellbeing of the people of our State.

On behalf of all Queenslanders, I congratulate all members of the QAGOMA Foundation and its administrators for their achievements this year.

I further thank the board, staff and volunteers of QAGOMA for advancing the Galleries’ mission ‘to engage people with art and artists through memorable and transformative experiences’.

Graeme and I wish you and your families a very Merry Christmas and a safe and happy New Year. Thank you.