Pop Up Percivals to transform vacant shopfront into an art gallery
Date published: 30 May 2018
This year’s expanded Percivals Portrait Prize exhibition includes the first ever pop-up exhibition, which will transform a vacant CBD shopfront into an art gallery for the next six weeks.
The event – which opens on Saturday – will display previously unseen local art works submitted to Townsville City Council’s Perc Tucker Regional Gallery as part of this year’s portrait competition.
Pop Up Percivals also includes workshops for children to learn how to paint portraits.
Community and Cultural Development Committee Chair Cr Colleen Doyle the Pop Up Percivals will enliven the CBD and showcase the region’s artistic talents.
“We had so many entries for the Percival Portrait Painting Prize this year there was no way of fitting them all in the Perc Tucker Regional Gallery,” Cr Doyle said.
“It is wonderful to be able to showcase so much talent from a range of artists in our pop-up exhibition over the next six weeks.”
“Council crews have been working to transform the vacant commercial building into a new art gallery by erecting new walls to create more hanging space and constructing an artist’s workshop.”
Local Councillor Ann-Maree Greaney said projects such as the Pop Up Percivals entices more people and foot traffic into the city.
“The Pop Up Percivals is just one of the ways Council is working to bring people into the CBD,” Cr Greaney said.
“It’s great to be able to make better use of one the city’s vacant commercial spaces for this pop-up style exhibition, which will help draw people into our CBD.
“The exhibition gives people another reason to come into the city and see what is now on offer – people might come for the Pop Up Percivals but stay to go shopping or grab a bite to eat.”
The pop-up exhibition will be located at 398 Flinders Street – directly across from Woolworths and City Arcade.
