Narratives: A Constellation of Stories
Friday 1 May to Sunday 10 May 2026
Now EXTENDED to Sunday 24 May 2026
Open daily 10am-4pm
Narratives returns to The Little Red Cottage from Friday 1 May to Sunday 10 May 2026, bringing together more than 20 artists in a rich exhibition of contemporary artist books and paper-based works.
Presented alongside the Sunshine Coast Hinterland Writers Festival, this year’s exhibition, Narratives: A Constellation of Stories, celebrates the many ways stories can be held, shaped and shared through art. Visitors can expect handmade artist books, sculptural book works and intimate paper pieces that invite slow looking, close reading and quiet reflection.
Now in its third year, Narratives has become a valued part of the Maleny arts calendar. The exhibition highlights artist books as a distinct artform, where structure, sequence, text, image, printmaking and material choices all help shape meaning. Some works unfold page by page. Others stretch the idea of a book into sculptural or visual form. Together, they create a wider conversation about memory, place, imagination, and connection.
Narratives offers a different way to experience books, not simply as objects to read, but as artworks to encounter and reflect on. The exhibition also continues a natural connection with the Writers Festival, bringing visual storytelling and literary culture into conversation.
Karen Shaw of The Little Red Cottage says the exhibition continues to grow in both reach and recognition. “Artist books”, she says, “often surprise viewers with how inventive, moving, and varied they can be, and each year Narratives draws returning visitors as well as new artists and audiences.”
Whether you are already drawn to artist books or discovering them for the first time, Narratives: A Constellation of Stories offers a thoughtful and engaging exhibition experience in the heart of Maleny.
Participating artists
Barry Smith, Barb Hart, Fiona Dempster, Jennifer Eurell, Judy Barrass, Karen Shaw, Kathy Sheehan, Katie White, Ken Munsie, Kim Herringe, Laur Anderson, Liz Farrell, Marie Farr, Michelle Vandermeer, Noela Mills, Peter McLean, Rae Bassett, Sandra Pearce, Sue Poggiollii, Suzie Haddock, Thomas Hamlyn Harris
