Nurturing young Queensland creatives

The Queensland College of Art and Design (QCAD), one of Australia’s largest visual art and design schools, engages with high schools across Queensland to nurture emerging creative talent. Our work with schools reflects the vibrant creative opportunities on offer at our Brisbane and Gold Coast campuses, where students learn hands-on from leading researchers and industry experts.

Our 2024 program includes Cairns, Rockhampton, Gin Gin and Mackay and builds on the success and outcomes of the program in Longreach, Rockhampton, Bundaberg/Gin Gin and Cairns held during 2023.

2024 Calendar

Regional Programs

ProgramDates Nominations due*
Cairns 18 - 19 May 2024 3 May 2024
Gin Gin 15 - 16 June 2024 26 April 2024
Rockhampton 10 - 11 August  2024 17 May 2024
Mackay 7 - 8 September 2024 21 June 2024

* Nominations due date may be subject to change. Exact dates TBA.

Nominate students for the 2024 program

What are our Regional Outreach Programs?

These programs support the significant creative talent that is emerging across Queensland, through workshops and exhibitions for high school students and their teachers.

The programs connect visual art, design and technology-focused students with our expert staff, creating a two-way dialogue that inspires students and exposes their early work to leading creative practitioners from QCAD.

Our workshops support growth in practice skills, knowledge and future career opportunities in creative industries.

All workshops are also open to teachers and school support staff looking to engage in Professional Development opportunities.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do the workshops entail?

Who is the program for and how does my school get involved?

When is a Regional Outreach Program coming to my town?

What information is recommended for teachers to add to the nomination form?

How will we know who has been selected for the program?

What visual arts areas will participants be covering during the QCAD Art and Design Schools Program?

Can I find out who the QCAD lead staff are and what workshops they will lead?

What level of creative input do the students/participants have?

Can schools/teachers/students have input into the workshops or staff who attend?

On what days does the program run, and what is the start/end time?

What should participants bring and wear?

What do students receive during the program?

How much does it cost for participants to attend?

Are meals included?

Who organises the accommodation and transport for participants?

Program Content & Structure

DAY 1

9.00 AMParticipant Registration.
9.30 AMWelcome. Meet the program participants and QCAD Lead Staff and listen to an overview of important information relating to the weekend.
10.00 AMProject Pitch. Each QCAD Lead Staff member will pitch their workshop to the group. Hear details about what skills  (materials, tools, hands on making) and knowledge (concepts, theory, connections to professional work) their  workshop will focus on and what the outcome of the project might look like. Each workshop provides an opportunity for participants to individually or collaboratively produce a resolved (or experimental) outcome.
10.30 AMProject Work. (This session includes meal breaks.) Participants and QCAD Lead Staff will move into individual spaces to engage with their projects. First steps may include discussion about the wider concepts relating to the project, creative thinking or concept development, identifying skills, interests, strengths, challenges and motivations. Participants will be guided through hands-on activities and skill building demonstrations, supporting the production of a completed creative outcome.
3.30 PMWrap Up. Participants will reflect on the day’s highlights and discuss the overview for tomorrow.
4.00 PMHome Time.

DAY 2

9.00 AMParticipant Registration.
9.15 AM Welcome Back. QCAD Lead Staff will provide an overview of the day’s schedule.
9.30 AMProject Work. (This session includes meal breaks.) Participants will move back into their project groups and continue working on their outcomes. QCAD Lead Staff will collaborate with participants to support the resolution of their work and experiment with new skills and knowledge. To prepare for family and friends arriving in the afternoon, participants will have the opportunity to begin setting up the exhibition, showcasing their outcomes from the weekend.
3.30 PMExhibition. Family, friends and community members are invited to see the outcomes from the weekend and speak to participants about their experience.
3.50 PM Wrap up. Participants and QCAD Lead Staff will celebrate the end of the program.
4.00 PM  Home time.
  • Please note that start and end times are confirmed. However, other times are approximate and may be adjusted according to the needs of the group.

Visual Arts

  • Sculpture
  • Mural painting
  • Projection art
  • Still life drawing
  • Painting
  • Jewellery
  • Photography
  • Cultural Protocols for Indigenous art and design
  • Audio art and sound machines
  • Public art
  • Weaving

Design

  • Virtual Reality Immersive Design
  • Graphic design, branding (visual communication)
  • Design Thinking or Creative Thinking
  • Product design and 3D printing
  • Model making
  • Interior design
  • Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator
  • After Effects
  • Typography
  • Poster design
  • Collage

Find out more about studying at QCAD

Workshop examples

Close up on hands mixing colours with paint

Find Your Voice

This self-reflective creative activity allows participants to consider and articulate who they are, where they are in the world and how this influences their creative practice. Participants will explore the importance of creative practice to both themselves, and how it contributes to wider society. Facilitators will also present their own pathways into creative industries and highlight the diversity of employability/career options connected to creative arts in Queensland and beyond.

Two students work on jewellery and small objects while a staff member looks on behind them

Jewellery, Small Objects, Wearable Art & Stories

Led by Dr Liz Shaw, participants of this workshop will explore materials, processes, and language of wearable small objects across a range of materials and methods - determined by the participants and facilities available. With a focus on found objects and sustainability, this hands-on workshop will combine art, design and technology to respond to the designed world, our inner selves, our culture and community.

Group of students in bright design studio gathered around a table

Design, Media and Branding

Led by Dr David Sargent, participants of this workshop will investigate a range of industry sectors and brands, unpacking what they look like, why they have been designed that way and how they work. The group will collaboratively design a new, unique product or service and a brand identity. Conversations will focus on sharing ideas about how we are influenced by brands and advertising and the power that designers have to produce ethical community orientated outcomes.

Current student enquiries

1800 154 055

Future student enquiries

1800 677 728

Griffith International

Griffith International site

Location and delivery address
South Bank campus
Queensland College of Art and Design
Griffith University
226 Grey Street
South Bank, QLD 4101
Location and delivery address
Gold Coast campus
Queensland College of Art and Design
Griffith University
Parklands Drive
Southport, QLD 4222

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