NorthSite Contemporary Arts

NorthSite Contemporary Arts A Contemporary Arts company situated within Bulmba-ja Arts Centre in Cairns, Far North Queensland.
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Located in the cultural hub of the central business district of Cairns, NorthSite Contemporary Arts is a key destination for local and tourist visitors alike who wish to experience the vibrant contemporary visual culture of Tropical North Queensland. Established in 1992 as an artists' collective, KickArts developed into a not for profit organisation dedicated to facilitating, presenting and promot

ing contemporary arts and extending the experience and cultural life of northern Australians and previously more than 2.2 million annual visitors to Cairns. Delivering a dynamic and diverse exhibition program of exhibitions and programs each year NorthSite (formerly KickArts) highlights the work of local, national and international artists. The NorthSite Store represents leading art, craft and design by local artists and from the surrounding art centres of Far North Queensland providing clientele with access to high quality and ethical works of art from the region.

Carved from Culture, Shaped by Country // Solomon Booth 'Inedible' // ON NOW!Inspired by the beauty of the Torres Strait...
25/05/2026

Carved from Culture, Shaped by Country // Solomon Booth 'Inedible' // ON NOW!

Inspired by the beauty of the Torres Strait Islands, Solomon Booth’s works honour the craftsmanship of Islander ancestors while confronting one of today’s greatest environmental challenges — plastic pollution.

Using the tactile language of linocut, Booth creates finely detailed works that explore contamination, consumption, and the fragile balance between humanity and the natural world.

'Inedible' by Solomon Booth, now showing at NorthSite Contemporary Arts in the Foyer Gallery until 13 June 2026 - find out more at northsite.org.au/exhibitions/inedible. Plus, make sure you see Solomon’s richly layered paintings translated into a large-scale animated projection on the Bulmba-Ja Facade until 22 June 2026.

Pictured: // 1 & 2. Solomon Booth, 'Awareness (xxviii)' detail, 2026, Monoprint on paper // 3. Solomon Booth, 'Awareness (xxi)', detail, 2026, Monoprint on paper.

MEET THE TEAM // 💫 Kirsty💫 // Retail queen, art lover, local business legend If you’ve spent time shopping local in C...
22/05/2026

MEET THE TEAM // 💫 Kirsty💫 // Retail queen, art lover, local business legend

If you’ve spent time shopping local in Cairns, chances are you already know Kirsty’s friendly face! With a Bachelor of Visual Arts from James Cook University, an expansive earring collection and years of experience championing Australian-made creativity, Kirsty brings a wealth of knowledge, style and heart to the NorthSite Gallery Store.

After working at the Cairns Regional Gallery Store, Kirsty co-owned the beloved ‘Makin’ Whoopee’ Gift Shop for a decade — creating a vibrant space dedicated to handmade, unique and locally designed treasures from Australian makers.

Now, Kirsty has brought her incredible eye for beautiful things and passion for supporting artists to NorthSite – and is here every Saturday from 10-4!

If you’re searching for the perfect gift, a special piece for your home, or just love discovering locally-made gems, pop in tomorrow, say hello, and let Kirsty help you find something awesome.

As always, shop any time online at shop.northsite.org.au.

Woven Through Generations: The Symbolism of the Dilly Bag // 'Navigator Spirit Ark: Arone Raymond Meeks’ // ON NOW!Arone...
22/05/2026

Woven Through Generations: The Symbolism of the Dilly Bag // 'Navigator Spirit Ark: Arone Raymond Meeks’ // ON NOW!

Arone Meeks often returns to the image of the dilly bag —woven carryall, repository of sustenance and knowledge—as a feminine vessel that holds and transmits life. The 1987 linocut titled 'Dilly bag' demonstrates how he treats the form not simply as an ethnographic object but as an emblem of kinship and cultural continuity. Through other pieces, woven fibres become lines of connection: between mothers and children, between teachers and students, between Elders and those who carry their teachings forward.

Find out more about the themes that run through 'Navigator Spirit Ark: Arone Raymond Meeks' at northsite.org.au/exhibitions/navigator-spirit-ark-arone-raymond-meeks/

Pictured // 1. Arone Meeks, 'Corridor' (detail), 2009, Synthetic polymer paint on canvas // 2. Arone Meeks, 'Dilly Bag Laura', 2009, Block print in one colour // 3. Arone Meeks | 'Dilly Bag', 1987, linocut in black ink.

This exhibition was created in partnership with The Arone Meeks Estate,
Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Co-operative and is presented as part of the citywide Cairns Indigenous Art Fair program. This project is supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland and the Visual Art, Craft and Design Framework—an initiative of the Australian, state and territory governments.

'Bombara Blanket' // MUNIMBA-JA ART CENTRE - Libby Harward // New IN-STORE!This beautiful blanket is part of the 'Bonyi ...
20/05/2026

'Bombara Blanket' // MUNIMBA-JA ART CENTRE - Libby Harward // New IN-STORE!

This beautiful blanket is part of the 'Bonyi Bajara' product range, which is an expression of Libby Harward's ongoing cultural connections, and tells the stories of her ancestors travelling across country to come together for the sacred Bonyi-Bunya Gatherings.

These gatherings have been a foundational part of Aboriginal governance and kinship from time immemorial – connecting and interweaving for reaching Aboriginal nations, languages and cultures from across the country, for millennia. Libby’s blanket maps a journey from her salt and sand island, Mulgumpin celebrating the abundance of shellfish - yuguri (pippi) and ginyinggara (oysters).

Pictured: Libby Harward | 'Bambara (Pathways) Blanket' | Recycled Cotton Blanket | 157cm x 213cm - available now in the NorthSite Store or online 24/7 at shop.northsite.org.au

NS Store CLOSED TODAY // NS Galleries OPEN FOR INSPO!The NorthSite Store will be closed today as we do some exciting tea...
18/05/2026

NS Store CLOSED TODAY // NS Galleries OPEN FOR INSPO!

The NorthSite Store will be closed today as we do some exciting teamwork behind the scenes, but the NorthSite Galleries will still be open as usual from 10am-5pm showing our incredible Arone Meeks retrospective ,'Navigator Spirit Ark', and 'Inedible' by Solomon Booth.

If you haven't popped in to see either of our current exhibitions, visit northsite.org.au/galleries/ for more info. As always, you can shop online 24/7 at shop.northsite.org.au. We'll be back again tomorrow!

Tracing spirit, story and belonging // ON NOW // 'Navigator Spirit Ark – Arone Raymond MeeksIt’s been a busy fortnight f...
18/05/2026

Tracing spirit, story and belonging // ON NOW // 'Navigator Spirit Ark – Arone Raymond Meeks

It’s been a busy fortnight filled with stirring emotions during the opening weeks of our new exhibition, 'Navigator Spirit Ark' a retrospective exhibition that traces a powerful journey of identity, belonging and cultural continuity, celebrating one of Australia’s most distinctive contemporary Aboriginal voices.

Both a tribute and a critical reflection, the exhibition positions Arone Raymond Meeks as an artist who bridged worlds, urban and remote, traditional and contemporary, individual and community.

For more, visit northsite.org.au/exhibitions/navigator-spirit-ark-arone-raymond-meeks

Exhibition created in partnership with The Arone Meeks Estate, Boomalli, and is presented as part of the citywide Cairns Indigenous Art Fair program. This project is supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland and the Visual Art, Craft and Design Framework—an initiative of the Australian, state and territory governments.

Pictured // 1. Arone Meeks, ‘First Voyage to Possession Island’ (detail), 2012, Oil on canvas, Installation View, NorthSite Contemporary Arts 2026, Lent by Australian National Maritime Museum, Gadigal Land. Optium glazing provided courtesy of Tru Vue. // 2. 'Navigator Spirit Ark' Opening, 2 May 2026.

Drifting in a sea of light // Solomon Booth Digital Animation // NOW LIVEAs day turns to night, the façade of NorthSite ...
17/05/2026

Drifting in a sea of light // Solomon Booth Digital Animation // NOW LIVE

As day turns to night, the façade of NorthSite Contemporary Arts becomes a moving canvas for the work of Solomon Booth, transforming his richly layered paintings into a large-scale animated projection. Drawing directly from the imagery and symbolism of Booth’s current exhibition on now at NorthSite, the animation brings his visual language to life through movement, light and rhythm, extending the experience of the gallery beyond its walls and into the public realm.

The work invites audiences to encounter Booth’s powerful storytelling in a new and immersive way, where ancestral knowledge, environmental fragility and contemporary realities converge across the surface of the building.

For more on Solomon's current exhibition visit northsite.org.au/exhibitions/inedible/

Pictured: Solomon Booth, 'Inedible', Installation view, 2026, moving digital animation for the Bulmba-Ja Digital Facade.

Taught by the tides // Celebrating Mothers DayThis Mother’s Day, we honour the quiet strength, care, and knowledge passe...
10/05/2026

Taught by the tides // Celebrating Mothers Day

This Mother’s Day, we honour the quiet strength, care, and knowledge passed from mother to child across generations.

In 'Mother and child (Apu-Kaz)', artist Glen Mackie reflects on the bond between a dugong mother and her baby — staying in the shallow reef waters while the calf learns to breathe deeper, swim stronger, and eventually join the wider herd.

“The mother would teach the baby to swim deeper bit by bit…” — Glen Mackie

Mackie’s bold minarr designs and flowing water patterns continue the stories and cultural knowledge of the Kulkalgal people of Iama/Yam Island, preserving them for future generations through art, memory, and storytelling.

Today we celebrate all mothers, carers, aunties, grandmothers, and those who guide the next generation with patience and love. 💙

Pictured: GLEN MACKIE | 'Apu-Kaz' | 2025 | Vinyl-cut relief print | Edition of 20

Available now in the NorthSite store or online 24/7 at shop.northsite.org.au

It was heartwarming to see so many people come together to experience the powerful works of Arone Meeks this Saturday fo...
06/05/2026

It was heartwarming to see so many people come together to experience the powerful works of Arone Meeks this Saturday for the official opening of 'Navigator Spirit Ark' and reflecting together on Meeks’ enduring impact across communities and generations. Special thanks to everyone who joined us, family and friends of Arone, Special Guest MC Gregory Phillips, Minjil, and the hardworking curatorial and team from NorthSite.

This incredible retrospective has been curated in collaboration with Boomali Aboriginal Artists Co‑operative and the Arone Meeks Estate, partnered with Cairns Indigenous Art Fair and supported by Arts Queensland.

Don't miss your chance to see 'Navigator Spirit Art: Arone Raymond Meeks' which runs at NorthSite Contemporary Arts until 19 July 2026.

Photos by THE PHOTO CORNER

Address

Bulmba-ja Arts Centre, 96 Abbott Street
Cairns, QLD
4870

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 5pm
Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 11am - 2pm

Telephone

+61740509494

Website

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