New awards honour game-changing Brisbane creatives
Brisbane’s cultural renaissance needs encouraging and the launch of the inaugural Creative Brisbane Awards should do just that.
Brisbane is set to honour the game-changers behind its cultural renaissance with the launch of the inaugural Creative Brisbane Awards, delivered by the Creative Brisbane Collab.
Creative Brisbane Collab. is a city-shaping initiative uniting Brisbane’s corporate and creative sectors as one voice to champion creativity as a driving force in the city’s cultural life, community wellbeing and economic growth. Through advocacy, partnership-building and sector-wide collaboration, the Collab. works to foster and advance creativity in all its forms, strengthen connections between artists, industry and governments, empower creatives, attract and retain talent and encourage the broader community to embrace creativity.
Opening for nominations in January 2026, the new awards program will recognise the daring collaborations and creative partnerships driving Brisbane’s cultural momentum, highlighting the powerful benefits of cross-sector collaboration and investment in arts and culture.
Designed to showcase the full spectrum of creative activity within the Brisbane local government area, the awards feature 10 categories including philanthropic and fundraising partnerships, public art, workplace creativity, youth-led initiatives, First Nations-led projects, disability-led or disability-inclusive collaborations, digital storytelling and innovative cross-sector partnerships.
‘These awards celebrate the partnerships that bring Brisbane’s creative life to the forefront’
Creative Brisbane Collab. chair, Barton Green says the awards recognise the visionary projects that strengthen Brisbane’s reputation as a city where creativity and storytelling thrive.
“Brisbane is fast becoming a global city where creativity fuels innovation and community connection,” Green says. “These awards celebrate the partnerships that bring Brisbane’s creative life to the forefront – collaborations that strengthen communities, elevate creatives and showcase the power of creative investment to shape our city’s identity.”
Brisbane’s creative scene has seen remarkable growth in recent years, with festivals, public art, community-led initiatives and bold new works propelling the city onto national and international stages.
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“It is the combined talent, perspectives and resources of our creative community that continue to push Brisbane forward as a city that values imagination, innovation and storytelling,” Green says.
The awards are open to any creative collaboration taking place within Brisbane, welcoming entries from small businesses, not-for-profits, educational institutions, government agencies and individual creatives.
Each category will be judged by an expert judging panel and finalists will be announced in the lead up to the inaugural awards celebration, scheduled for April 2026.
Award categories include: Best Philanthropic or Fundraising Collaboration; Most Innovative Collaboration; Best Strategic Collaboration; Best Urban or Public Art Collaboration; Best News and/or Social Media Collaboration; Best Art in the Workplace Collaboration; Best First Nations and Industry Collaboration; Best Industry Collaboration with People with Disability or who are d/Deaf; Best Collaboration with Creative Youth; and The City of Brisbane Award for Outstanding Creative Contribution.
For more information about the Creative Brisbane Awards and to prepare to enter the awards in January 2026, visit creativebrisbane.com.au