The Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation has officially opened a vibrant First Nations-designed, owned and operated arts and cultural centre that will showcase Quandamooka arts, culture and story-telling.
QUAMPI features a regional-standard gallery with permanent exhibitions of Quandamooka art, and workshop spaces, a talking circle, Elders space, café and gift shop, whilst also hosting local and international First Nations artists to exhibit their works.
It will also be the new 'home' of the popular Quandamooka Festival, which is being held on Minjerribah this weekend (September 13 and 14).
Designed through a collaborative effort between the Quandamooka community and the acclaimed architecture firm Cox, QUAMPI integrates elements of the land and sea - rammed earth, shells, and native timbers - symbolising the deep connection to the environment that has sustained the Quandamooka people for tens of thousands of years.
QUAMPI is a major initiative of Minjerribah Futures, a Queensland Government program that has successfully transitioned the MInjerribah economy from the cessation conclusion of sand mining. It is on the island foreshore, replacing previous mining barracks.
QYAC chair Cameron Costello said QUAMPI will reimagine and reshape the tourism landscape on Quandamooka Country as Queensland prepared to host the Cultural Olympiad and Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
"A cultural centre on Minjerribah has been a dream of the Quandamooka community for decades, with initial designs by Oodgeroo Noonuccul (Kath Walker) – today we are proud that we have seen that dream come true. It's truly a magnificent milestone in the ongoing cultural resurgence of the Quandamooka people," Mr Costello said.
"QUAMPI will not only put us on the map in terms of recognising our growing arts and cultural programs, it will be a real economic driver for the region, creating, secure jobs and career pathways for our Quandamooka people and the wider community."
QUAMPI is an integral part of QYAC's Mara Millen Yagabili (Many Hands Create) Arts and Culture Strategy and is overseen by highly-accomplished Quandamooka Artistic Director, Ms Avril Quaill and her team.
"With design input from the Queensland Gallery of Modern Art, QUAMPI is a AAA-rated facility capable of loaning art works and artefacts from state and national cultural institutions," Ms Quaill said.
"We are very excited that QUAMPI has come to life, opening its doors to the public for the first time during the Quandamooka Festival.
"QUAMPI is a beautifully-designed facility with gallery and event spaces, comparable to Australia's best regional art museums, where visitors to Minjerribah can experience and appreciate more about Quandamooka Peoples' ancient and contemporary cultural and artistic expressions."
It is hoped the $17 million investment in the state-of-the-art gallery by the Queensland and federal governments (through the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation) would now help preserve and honour Quandamooka history, language, and heritage.
"Indigenous art is used as a way of storytelling, it is also an expression of culture, identity and life," ILSC board chair Ian Hamm said.
The opening event featured a smoking ceremony led by Quandamooka Elders, Traditional dance performances, an Oodgeroo Noonuccul poem recitation by Joshua Walker and the unveiling of QUAMPI's inaugural exhibition, with more than 70 works by Quandamooka artists on loan from Redland Art Gallery for the opening.
QYAC acknowledged Origin's contribution of a 53.5kW solar system to help reduce QUAMPI's carbon footprint and deliver significant energy bill savings.
"We're thrilled to contribute to QUAMPI's success through smart energy solutions that will help to lower the facility's energy costs and move towards net zero," Origin small and medium business general manager Jonathon Mattock said.
