Rainbow Exhibition 2027
LGBTIQA+ artists and curators are invited to apply for an exhibition at the Eltham Library Community Gallery.
The selected exhibition will be put forward for Midsumma Festival, Australia’s premier queer arts and culture festival, bringing together a diverse mix of LGBTIQA+ artists, performers, communities and audiences. The program shares the lived experiences of those voices at the margins, the expression of queer history and the celebration of new ideas.
The 2027 Rainbow Exhibition will recieve a project fee, curatorial and marketing support, a Council celebration event and be registered as a Midsumma event.
A project fee will be provided to artists/curators. Individual artists can apply and receive a $5,000 project fee. Individual curators will receive $1,500 and a total of $3,500 will be distributed to participating artists. If the application is by a collective of artists they will receive a total of $5,000 and will need to demonstrate a fair financial breakdown in their budget allocation.
First Peoples, artists living with a disability, LGBTIQA+ people, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.
Applications open: Sunday 1 March, 2026
Applications close: Sunday 19 April, 2026
Exhibition dates: 22 January 2027 – 28 February 2027
Location: Eltham Library Community Gallery, Panther Place, Eltham
Criteria for determining succesful proposals
– Quality of exhibition [30%]
– Eligible for Midsumma Festival [20%]
– Suitability to exhibit (exhibition considers the unique gallery space, and is suitable for all audiences – the gallery is located in a public unstaffed space at the entrance of the Eltham Library) [15%]
-Local or connection to the Shire [10%]
– Identifies as one or more of Nillumbik’s priority demographics (First Nations Person – Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, culturally or linguisitcally diverse, person with disability/chronic illness/ mental health, LGBTIQA+ and gender diverse, age (emerging artist aged 18-29) [5% each]
Note: 25 percent of the score is from responses to demographic questions
Exhibition proposals will be assessed by a panel comprising of a member of the Nillumbik Shire Council’s Arts and Cultural Advisory Commitee, a Social Planning and Equity team member, and Arts and Cultural Development team members.
For more information visit: Rainbow Exhibition 2027 – Nillumbik Shire Council
Images of past Rainbow Exhibitions:
Ayman Kaake, In Their Names (2024 Rainbow Exhibition), Eltham Library Community Gallery (ELCG), 2024. Photo Jamie Robertson
Alun Rhys Jones, Arena (2025 Rainbow Exhibition), ELCG, 2025. Photo Jamie Robertson
Tess Hider, Queer bodies (2026 Rainbow Exhibition), ELCG, 2026. Photo Greenlight Media
For more information click here
