Little Libris Exhibition Celebrates Mackay’s Creative Talent

A surge of local creativity has seen 17 artist books from Mackay region artists entered into the 2025 Libris Awards, setting a new record for participation. Some creations are crafted from delicate rice paper, others reflect the Mackay region’s unique environment, while some tell stories of past love.

Five of the works were selected for the main exhibition at Artspace Mackay, while 10 others will be showcased in a complementary display, Little Libris, highlighting the skill and imagination of the region’s artists.

Little Libris will be on display at the Jubilee Community Centre Exhibition Foyer Space from Tuesday, 19 August, to Friday, 29 August, between 8.30am and 4.30pm.

Artspace Mackay Director Tracey Heathwood said the exhibition showcased the creativity and craftsmanship of local artists working in the medium of artist books.

“This exhibition is a testament to the growing strength of the artist book community in the Mackay region and a wonderful opportunity for the public to engage with these unique and intimate works of art,” Ms Heathwood said.

“This is a celebration of the local entries, artist book entries, into our 2025 Libris Awards. It complements our larger awards exhibition that features works from across Australia,” she said.

“Little Libris is very much celebrating all of the local artists who submitted entries. This year we had a record number of submissions from our local artists, and we were keen to celebrate that,” she added.

“Artist books are a type of artwork. They represent or take the form of a book and are a really popular medium, especially for Artspace Mackay. Lots of people don’t realise that Mackay Regional Council has one of the largest collections of artist books in Australia,” Ms Heathwood explained.

“I love artist books for their intimacy, and lots of artists love them because it’s an opportunity to explore one idea or concept over multiple pages. There’s a natural narrative that allows detailed storytelling through this medium,” she said.

The Libris Awards are in their ninth year, marking the overall Australian awards for artist books. “But this is the first time that we've hosted a smaller exhibition of our local entries,” Ms Heathwood said.

Featured artists in Little Libris include Janet Ambrose, Charlene Attard, Matteo Calisti, Pam Finlay, Sue Houston, Traci Lietzke, Michelle McKenzie, Bonnie Shore, and Kerry Williams.

Little Libris coincides with the main Libris Awards exhibition of finalists and winners, currently on display in Artspace Mackay’s Main Gallery until Sunday, 14 September.

“Both exhibitions are a must-see for anyone interested in contemporary book arts. Little Libris runs until 29 August, while our larger Libris Awards exhibition continues until mid-September,” Ms Heathwood added.

For more information about the Libris Awards and Little Libris, visit artspacemackay.com.au

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A record 17 local artist books feature in the 2025 Libris Awards, with works showcased in both Artspace Mackay and Little Libris. Photo credit: Hannah McNamara

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