‘NARRATIVES; A Constellation of Stories,’ returns to Maleny for its third year, transforming The Little Red Cottage art + ecology into a artist showcase until Sunday, May 10, 2026.
The annual exhibition brings together more than 20 artists in a celebration of storytelling through visual art and experimental book forms.
Presented alongside the Sunshine Coast Hinterland Writers Festival, this year’s exhibition explores the meeting point between literature and visual expression, featuring handmade artist books, sculptural works and intimate paper-based pieces that encourage slow looking and personal reflection.
Now in its third year, Narratives has become a fixture on Maleny’s arts calendar, highlighting the artist book as a distinct contemporary artform in which structure, sequence, text, image, printmaking and material choices combine to shape meaning.
Together, the works form a broader conversation about memory, place, imagination and connection.
Karen Shaw of The Little Red Cottage art + ecology said the exhibition continues to attract growing interest from artists and audiences.
“Artist books offer such a personal and engaging experience for viewers. People are often surprised by how inventive, moving and varied they can be.
It’s exciting to see Narratives grow each year, with returning visitors, new artists and increasing recognition of artist books as a contemporary artform,” she said.
With its welcoming gallery setting and close connection to the Writers Festival, Narratives invites visitors to experience books not only as reading material but as artworks to encounter visually and reflect upon.
The exhibition runs daily from 10am to 4pm, closed Tuesday and Wednesday May 5–6, at The Little Red Cottage, 20 Coral Street, Maleny.
The exhibition is part of a broader push to strengthen Maleny’s reputation as a creative hub in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, drawing both local residents and visiting audiences seeking immersive cultural experiences.
Running until Sunday May 10 2026, Narratives invites visitors to experience artist books as living narratives, where story, form and material converge.
