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Wednesday 9am - 3pm Thursday 9am - 3pm Friday 9am - 3pm Saturday 9:30am - 1pm Sunday 9:30am - 1pm

Northern Rivers Community Gallery

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Northern Rivers Community Gallery

The Northern Rivers Community Gallery (NRCG) & Ignite Studios operated by Ballina Shire Council. This site is monitored from 8.30am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday.

The Northern Rivers Community Gallery (NRCG) and Ignite Studios, are owned and operated by Ballina Shire Council. OPENING HOURS

9:00am - 3:00pm Wednesday to Friday
9:30am - 1:00pm Weekends

Closed public holidays

HOUSE RULES

We welcome you and your comments to our page. The purpose of this site is to:
i) direct members of the community to the Northern Rivers Community Gallery information and se

rvices
ii) build a reliable identity by adhering to the social media engagement principles of openness, relevance, accuracy and respect. iii) create social networking places for community building and interaction to facilitate and support discussion around our services, activities and resources. We reserve the right to prevent submissions that contain vulgar language, personal attacks of any kind, or offensive comments that target or disparage any ethnic, racial, religious group, gender or sexual orientation. Parties engaging on this platform must not post or share comments, photos, videos, electronic recording or other information that:
a) is defamatory, offensive, humiliating, threatening, or intimidating to council officials or members of the public
b) contains profane language or is sexual in nature
c) constitutes harassment and/or bullying within the meaning of the Model Code of Conduct for Local Councils in NSW
d) contains content about the Council, council officials or members of the public that is misleading or deceptive
e) breaches the privacy of council officials or members of the public
f) contains allegations of suspected breaches of the Council's code of conduct or information about the consideration of a matter under the Procedures for the Administration of the Model Code of Conduct for Local Councils in NSW
g) violates an order made by a court
h) breaches copyright
i) advertises, endorses or solicits commercial products or businesses
j) constitutes spam
k) would be in breach of the rules of the social media platform

Where practicable, NRCG will contact the person who uploaded the content that is to be removed and the reason(s) for its removal and their rights of review. We reserve the right to block users who contravene the above conditions. If you are blocked, you have a right of review. If you have any questions concerning the operation of this site, please contact the Gallery Coordinator at:

Ph 02 6681 0530
Email [email protected]

27/05/2026

Line of Expression | Dianne Ingram⁠
Now Showing in Gallery 3⁠

Dianne began drawing from an early age when she and her father drew together and is also inspired by her grandfather who was an artist. Her approach is process driven, leading to artworks that come from intuition, imagination, and emotion and explorations of nature. Dianne’s work reveals her personal language to express passage of time and place.

Dianne studied drawing and painting at Lismore Tafe and has completed other studies with many experienced artists including Michael John Taylor and Maxine Masterfield (America). She paints almost daily in her studio.

Dianne has held six solo exhibitions and has participated in many national juried exhibitions and art prizes. In 2025, Dianne was awarded Highly Commended in the prestigious Paddington Art Prize and Rathenart Printing Award. ⁠
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The Gallery is open Wed - Fri 9am - 3pm | Sat - Sun 9.30am - 1pm.⁠

💻️ For more information visit nrcgballina.com.au

📞 Call the Gallery on 02 6681 0530

📍 Northern Rivers Community Gallery, 44 Cherry Street, Ballina

Image: Dianne Ingram, "Line of expression" (installation view)

26/05/2026

ART THAT MAKES ITSELF | In Conversation with Paul Brown⁠ this Saturday⁠
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This Saturday join us for a special in-conversation event with exhibiting artist Paul Brown, who will delve into the evolution of his artistic practice alongside NRCG Exhibitions Officer Travis Paterson, exploring influences and ideas that have shaped his work. ⁠
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Paul Brown’s exhibition 'Colonies: The Geometric Sublime – Art That Makes Itself' is on display at NRCG from 30 April – 21 June 2026.⁠
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For more information contact the Gallery on 02 6681 0530.⁠
⁠
Where: NRCG - 44 Cherry Street Ballina⁠
Date: Saturday 30 May 2026⁠
Time: 11am - 12pm⁠
Cost: Free to attend, no registrations necessary⁠

💻️ For more information visit nrcgballina.com.au ⁠
⁠
📞 Call the Gallery on 02 6681 0530⁠
⁠
📍 NRCG, 44 Cherry Street, Ballina

Image: Courtesy of the artist.

25/05/2026

As we wrap up this year's National Volunteer Week, we take a moment to recognise the exceptional commitment and invaluable support provided by our gallery volunteers. Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to our dedicated team of volunteers.

In recognition of their contributions, Ballina Shire Council will be hosting an Appreciation Lunch tomorrow for volunteers representing the NRCG, Visitor Information Centre, and Ballina Byron Gateway Airport.

We are pleased to honor the substantial impact of volunteers within the Ballina Shire community!

23/05/2026

Applications are now open for NRCG's 2027 Exhibition Program.⁠
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This year, we are accepting proposals for a limited number of exhibition spaces in Galleries 1 & 3 for exhibitions between June and December 2027.⁠
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We welcome exhibition proposals from emerging and established artists that display innovative ideas and approaches to contemporary arts practice, and projects that will captivate and challenge our audiences.⁠
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We strongly encourage applications from First Nations artists, artists from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, Deaf and disabled artists and LGBTQIA+ artists.⁠
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Applications close 11pm Sunday 28 June 2026.⁠
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🔗 For more information & to apply, visit the link in our Instagram bio or visit the NRCG website nrcgballina.com.au

The Gallery is open Wed - Fri 9am - 3pm | Sat - Sun 9.30am - 1pm.⁠
⁠
📞 Call the Gallery on 02 6681 0530⁠
⁠
📍 Northern Rivers Community Gallery, 44 Cherry Street, Ballina

Pictured: Portrait of a Rosenthal Pot, 2025

📸 Courtesy of the artist

21/05/2026

Colonies: The Geometric Sublime – Art That Makes Itself | Paul Brown⁠
Now Showing in Gallery 4⁠

"Paul Brown has spent over six decades exploring the intersection of art and technology through systems based on mathematical logic. A pioneer of computer-based art since the 1970s, he was an early adopter of artificial life principles (a-life) and the learning systems that anticipate today's artificial intelligence." - Making Visible Abstract Thoughts: Paul Brown's Art as Process, Catherine Mason, 2026

Paul Brown is an eminent artist and writer who specialises in art, science & technology and computational & generative art. He studied art and computing in the UK at Liverpool Polytechnic and the Slade School of Art, University College London. His early work included large-scale lighting works for the likes of Pink Floyd, Meredith Monk & The House and Musica Elettronica. Brown has artwork in the collections of the Victoria & Albert Museum, UK, the National Academy of Sciences in Washington DC, USA and other public, corporate and private collections in Australia, Asia, Europe, Russia and the USA. In 2023, he received the ACM SIGGRAPH Distinguished Artist Award for Lifetime Achievement in Digital Art.

NRCG is excited to present this exceptional exhibition of digital artworks, prints, and A-Life programs with the local community and wider audiences, on show until 21 June.

For purchase from the Gallery Shop, is Paul Brown's accompanying exhibition catalogue, with essay by researcher and writer on the history of computer and digital art, Catherine Mason

Paul Brown will give an artist talk in conversation with NRCG Exhibitions Officer Travis Paterson on Saturday 30 May.

The Gallery is open Wed - Fri 9am - 3pm | Sat - Sun 9.30am - 1pm.⁠
⁠
🔗 Link in bio for more information⁠
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📞 Call the Gallery on 02 6681 0530⁠
⁠
📍 Northern Rivers Community Gallery, 44 Cherry Street, Ballina

Pictured: (1) Three Dragons, 2026; (2) Night Sky, 1996; (3) Gymnasts, 1997/2026; (4) Double Dragon, 2025.

📸 Images courtesy of the artist

19/05/2026

My Mind is an Advertisement | Nic Palmer⁠
Now Showing in Gallery 1⁠

Nic Palmer is a Northern Rivers-based visual artist working with painting across various mediums and traditional techniques. She has always relied on intuition and feeling to convey thought-provoking ideas. Nic began exhibiting in high school (ArtExpress) and later completed tertiary studies at Sydney College of the Arts and The Australian National University. She has travelled abroad (Wales and Ireland) to develop her painting skills and perspective. In 2025, she graduated from the 4th year Visual Arts Program at Byron School of Art.

This fascinating exhibition 'My Mind is an Advertisement' features oil paintings created through building reference materials using AI iPhone image-generating and editing technology, and is on show until 21 June.

The Gallery is open Wed - Fri 9am - 3pm | Sat - Sun 9.30am - 1pm.⁠
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🔗 Link in bio for more information⁠
⁠
📞 Call the Gallery on 02 6681 0530⁠
⁠
📍 Northern Rivers Community Gallery, 44 Cherry Street, Ballina ⁠

Pictured: (1) 'Fragments Internal', 2025; (2) 'Poodle Bizarre', 2026; (3) Digital Dimensions, Red Fruit', 2026.

📸 Images courtesy of the artist.

16/05/2026

Now showing in Gallery 2 | Debris
by James Bourbon

Debris presents a new series by artist James Bourbon, of large-scale black and white hand-painted banners installed as a disruptive presence within the gallery. Using scale and visual force to command attention, the works echo how advertising occupies space and shapes perception in everyday life.

Each banner is composed from fragments of discarded and outdated print material including posters, comics, newspaper clippings and ephemera. Through collage and painting, these materials collapse past and present, turning tools of persuasion into critique. The exhibition reflects on the saturation of commercial imagery and invites viewers to consider how consumer culture influences memory, identity and daily experience.

View this fantastic exhibition this weekend!
⁠
The Gallery is open Wed - Fri 9am - 3pm | Sat - Sun 9.30am - 1pm.⁠
⁠
🔗 Link in bio for more information⁠
⁠
📞 Call the Gallery on 02 6681 0530⁠
⁠
📍 Northern Rivers Community Gallery, 44 Cherry Street, Ballina ⁠

📸 Images: Courtesy

14/05/2026

ART THAT MAKES ITSELF | In Conversation with Paul Brown

A special in-conversation event with exhibiting artist Paul Brown, who will delve into the evolution of his artistic practice alongside NRCG Exhibitions Officer Travis Paterson, exploring influences and ideas that have shaped his work.

Paul’s engagement with generative systems began in the 1960s, informed by the principles of Systems Art and Art Concret, European movements grounded in Constructivism, De Stijl, and the Bauhaus. He describes his method, where elemental rules generate surprising, abundant richness of form, as the ‘Geometric Sublime’.

Paul Brown’s exhibition Colonies: The Geometric Sublime – Art That Makes Itself is on display at NRCG from 30 April – 21 June 2026.

For more information contact the Gallery on 02 6681 0530.

Where: NRCG - 44 Cherry Street Ballina
Date: Saturday 30 May 2026
Time: 11am - 12pm
Cost: Free to attend, no registrations necessary

Image supplied

💻️ For more information visit nrcgballina.com.au

📞 Call the Gallery on 02 6681 0530

📍 NRCG, 44 Cherry Street, Ballina

12/05/2026

Currently in residence at Ignite Studios, Yaegyl Country/Yamba-based, multidisciplinary artist Jennifer Rowe's art practice navigates the complex relationships between people, place, and the natural world. Through the reimagination of objects, plants, and animals, she explores the fragile balance between consumption and consequence, questioning how the ways we live shape the landscapes we inhabit.

Embedded in her Trawlwoolway heritage, Rowe’s work reflects on connection and responsibility, reimagining materials into quiet acts of care and renewal. Created through a carbon-neutral practice, her work invites contemplation and awareness—illuminating the intertwined forces of culture, ecology and humankind.

Jennifer Rowe is completing a Master of Visual Art from Griffith University, and holds a BA Arts and Design from Southern Cross University. She was a Koori Mail Art Prize Finalist in 2024 and winner of the SCU Chancellor’s Art Prize in 2023. Jennifer exhibited at Northern Rivers Community Gallery in 2024 alongside Laeten Taylor with their joint exhibition 'Birds of a Feather'.

💻️ For more information visit nrcgballina.com.au

📞 Call the Gallery on 02 6681 0530

📍 Ignite Studios, 60 Crane Street, Ballina

08/05/2026

Colonies: The Geometric Sublime – Art That Makes Itself | Paul Brown
Now Showing in Gallery 4

My artworks are created by digital colonies of artificial agents—small programs that use artificial intelligence and artificial life (A-Life) to interact. Each agent observes its neighbours and adjusts its behaviour based on the colony’s overall state. From these simple rules, something larger emerges: patterns, movements, and forms that no single agent could produce alone. It’s a kind of art that makes itself—where the final image is not directly designed, but grows from within the system. I began working with these generative systems in the 1960s, influenced by Systems Art and Art Concret—European movements rooted in Constructivism, De Stijl, and the Bauhaus. I call this approach ‘The Geometric Sublime’, where simple rules give rise to an immense and unexpected richness of form.

The title of the show also recognises Australia’s post-colonial legacy, and I acknowledge the traditional owners of the land where I live and work: the Minjungbal people, the Arakwal people, and the Widjabul people of the Bundjalung Nation. I pay my respects to their elders – past, present and emerging. The art of First Nations people has been an ongoing source of contemplation and inspiration for me.

Paul Brown will give an artist talk in conversation with NRCG Exhibitions Officer Travis Paterson on Saturday 30 May.

The Gallery is open Wed - Fri 9am - 3pm | Sat - Sun 9.30am - 1pm.⁠

💻️ For more information visit nrcgballina.com.au

📞 Call the Gallery on 02 6681 0530

📍 Northern Rivers Community Gallery, 44 Cherry Street, Ballina

Image 1: Paul Brown, "Two Unique Cubes", 2026
Image 2: Paul Brown, "4^16 Revisited", 2025
Image 3: Paul Brown, "Primary Diagonal", 2005

All images courtesy of the artist.

07/05/2026

🧜‍♀️Looking for a special gift for Mother's Day? 💃

The NRCG Gallery Shop is stocked with a range of beautiful bespoke, hand-made gifts from local makers, creators and artistans, as well as a select range of wonderful art books.

Browse the range of ceramics from Jacqui Sosnowski, hand-made wooden spoons and kitchen tools from Spoon Gal aka Frankie Sharman, famous Prawn Earrings by local artist Kate Stroud, newly stocked pottery/art bags form the Artist Nest, jewellery from Edit + Bill and hand-printed wares from artist Rachel Dunn. ⁠
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⁠gal⁠
brand⁠
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The gallery is open Wed - Fri 9am - 3pm | Sat - Sun 9.30am - 1pm

💻️ For more information visit nrcgballina.com.au

📞 Call the Gallery on 02 6681 0530

📍 Northern Rivers Community Gallery, 44 Cherry Street, Ballina

Address

44 Cherry Street
Ballina, NSW

Opening Hours

Wednesday	9am - 3pm
Thursday	9am - 3pm
Friday	9am - 3pm
Saturday	9:30am - 1pm
Sunday	9:30am - 1pm

Telephone

+61266810530

Website

https://www.nrcgballina.com.au/v1/

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