Tenth edition of Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art opens at QAGOMA

The internationally acclaimed art exhibition - Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art - has opened at the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) and is celebrating its landmark tenth edition (APT10).

APT10 features 69 artworks by emerging and established artists and collectives, comprising more than 150 individuals including Cairns-based Torres Strait Islander artist Grace Lilian Lee, who created a three-and-a-half-metre kinetic dhari (headdress) sculpture infused with references to her Mer Island culture and environment.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the APT series had been a signature event for Queensland’s art scene since its introduction in 1993 which has attracted 3.7 million visitors and notes “APT10 is one of the world's most significant and inspiring collections of contemporary Asian and Pacific art which explores the diverse stories and cultures of our region.

“ATP10 brings together artists and collectives from more than 30 countries from across wide and diverse geographies.

“Blockbuster funded exhibitions advance cultural tourism, boost the economy, and extend Queensland’s profile as a global cultural hub ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympics and Paralympics when our arts experiences will be showcased on the world stage.

“I encourage everyone to go along and see this free exhibition showcasing these incredible works.”

Queensland Minister for the Arts Leeanne Enoch said the last APT series in 2018 was a great success and added “APT9 attracted 718,000 visits, contributing almost $35 million to Queensland’s economy and generating more than 288,000 visitor nights.

“This is a significant injection into our local economy and supporting events like this is critical to our economic recovery.

“We have so far provided $42.5 million worth of initiatives for the Arts and Cultural sector in our COVID response which includes $22.5 million Arts and Cultural Recovery Package designed to help stabilise local arts companies, reactivate venues, secure jobs and enable COVID-safe arts experiences across Queensland.

“The 2021–22 Budget continues this support with more than $90 million invested in the Arts sector including a further $6 million over three years from 2022-23 for blockbuster funding to enable QAGOMA to attract more of these incredible exclusive exhibitions to Queensland.

“The arts contribute $8.5 billion each year to the state’s economy and support more than 92,000 jobs for Queenslanders and we’ll continue to do everything we can to support it through these challenging times.”

“We’re encouraging visitors to enjoy Brisbane’s great art institutions and local culture, as well as the city’s many tourism experiences.”

The 10th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (APT10) runs from 4th December 2021 until 25th April 2022. For more information visit qagoma.qld.gov.au/whats-on/exhibitions/apt10