A bustling market and a new gallery store opening on Saturday in Post Office Lane and BRAG Park was part of the weekend’s Milbi Festival activities.
The new gallery store at BRAG was officially unveiled with an opening celebration that showcased the renovation works.
The store and parts of the gallery underwent four weeks of work before it was finally opened to the public.
Council’s community and cultural services portfolio spokesperson Cr Judy Peters said the new-look store featured all local and handmade items for sale and custom-made furniture.
“The renovations have finally been finished and the result is amazing,” Cr Peters said.
“Our wonderful BRAG team have been hard at work and have partnered up with our friends at Community Lifestyle Support who have made us some very beautiful wooden shop furniture pieces.
“This furniture perfectly complements the new contemporary look of the store.”
Cr Peters said new suppliers had also been added, with all items available handcrafted locally.
“We are very proud to support our local artisans and designers and our gallery store has plenty of one-off-pieces available to purchase,” Cr Peters said.
The official launch coincided with The Twilight Artisan and Handmade Market in Gallery Park and through to Post Office Lane as part of the Milbi Festival.
The event featured designers, artists and makers from the region and beyond as well as a selection of food trucks/stalls.
Even organiser and BRAG Public Programs Officer Rebecca Maclean said the market lead visitors out of the gallery to meander through one of Bundaberg’s often unexplored laneways.
“Post Office Lane is quite a beautiful space which is often underutilized,” she said.
“To host the Twilight Markets here has given people the opportunity to explore another unique corner of our CBD while supporting our local artisans.”
Tradelines now on show
The market also allowed event-goers to meander through the gallery to view the current exhibition, Tradelines.
Using traditional and contemporary trade lines such as the Burnett River (Bural Bural), stock routes and the Bruce Highway as points of cultural exchange the exhibition Tradelines features First Nations artists connected by these paths from this region and beyond.
Curated by Dr Anita Holtsclaw and Dylan Sarra, Tradelines will be held across the Bundaberg Regional Galleries in Bundaberg and Childers.
It will run throughout the summer with a range of public events from workshops to artist talks, children’s programs and yarning circles.
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