QPAC

We pay our respects to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ancestors of this land, their spirits and their legacy. The foundations laid by these ancestors give strength, inspiration and courage to current and future generations, both First Nations and non-First Nations peoples, towards creating a better Queensland.

Around the world people are increasingly understanding the role of creativity in all aspects of our lives, from art to business.

For many people, it’s a return to what we innately understood as children – how to create and play. It’s a skill many of us lose or stop practicing in adulthood.

Regularly flexing creative muscle as children and adults builds arts literacy – the ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate and assess in varying arts forms and contexts.

QPAC’s Out of the Box Festival is all about children aged eight years and under. Children are at the centre of Out of the Box – as creators, artists, audiences and critics. The Festival is a biennial event and every program is full of connected arts and education experiences.

Since it began in 1992, Out of the Box has welcomed more than 1 million children and families, many from diverse cultural backgrounds and locations from around Queensland.

Out of the Box gives voice and agency to children, encouraging them to explore their own lives, families, communities and the world around them.

Professor Judith McLean says:

“For a child to be able to learn, to think, and to be an agent of their own lives in the community, they need a space where they can just be, where their parents are around but not centre, where the child can experience the world in their own time.”

In addition to this space, children need opportunities to connect and engage, says Jane Jennison, one of the creators of Jarjum’s Life Museum, a series of pop-up museums created and curated by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.

“Art has the power to express who we are and to make extraordinary change. My belief is that personal stories will change the world, and art is the most important, useful way to present people’s personal stories.”

QPAC’s Dr Barbara Piscitelli AM is an educator and researcher, expert in children’s learning through arts and culture.

“You can never underestimate the value of exhibiting a child’s work of art. Whether it’s in their local community, in a public place, or in the big smoke in a very public venue with hundreds of thousands of people able to view it. It makes them believe that they are valuable in society,” she said.

As we look to reignite our own creative spark, it’s vital we ensure children and young people don’t lose theirs.

QPAC’s Out of the Box and the children of around the state benefit greatly from the generosity of Queenslanders who want to support art and creativity by donating to this project.

For more information, contact QPAC's Development Team.
E: development@qpac.com.au
P: (07) 3842 9018