Free art, outdoor galleries and budget-friendly weekends are taking over Brisbane as Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner invites residents rediscover the city’s creative side.
At a time when cost-of-living pressures are top of mind for many households, we’re making it easier than ever for people to enjoy Brisbane’s creativity without stretching the household budget.
Brisbane’s Outdoor Gallery is turning everyday city spaces into open-air galleries, giving residents more reasons to explore the CBD.
Spanning laneways, streets and public spaces across the city, the gallery showcases contemporary artworks in places people might miss during their daily hustle and bustle.
The current AMPLIFY ME! exhibition runs until 25 October 2026 and features works by Brisbane artists with lived experience of disability.
Presented in accessible outdoor locations, the exhibition celebrates inclusion, creativity and community while encouraging meaningful conversations about the many experiences that shape Brisbane.
Looking to choose your own adventure? Our free self-guided public art trails are making it easy to plan affordable days out while discovering more about the city they call home.
The Cultural Heritage Public Art Trail takes visitors through iconic spaces like Anzac Square, while the World Expo 88 Public Art Trail revisits artworks connected to one of the city’s most defining moments.
Other tours include the Contemporary Art and Architecture Trail and Art and the River Trail, which showcases the city’s connection to the river.
Brisbane’s up and coming artists are also on full display year-round with dedicated Street Art Walls adding personality to local neighbourhoods.
Once forgotten areas, the Street Art Walls at Ekibin Park East in Greenslopes, Ekibin Park South in Annerley, Stanton Road West in Tingalpa and Paddington Skate Park are now life-sized canvases for budding street artists to practise their craft for free.
The ever-changing artworks give residents new reasons to revisit local spaces while supporting Brisbane’s thriving creative community.
Museum of Brisbane continues to offer free exhibitions and experiences in the heart of the CBD, giving residents and visitors an affordable way to connect with the stories that built our city.
Located inside Brisbane City Hall, the museum features interactive and family-friendly exhibitions that appeal to the whole family.
Visit museumofbrisbane.com.au and brisbane.qld.gov.au for more information about free and affordable art in Brisbane.
Quotes attributable to Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner
“Whether it’s grabbing a coffee and exploring our Outdoor Gallery, walking a public art trail with friends, visiting Museum of Brisbane or discovering local street art, there are so many free ways to experience our creative city.
“At a time when families and households are carefully managing budgets, these affordable experiences help people stay connected, support local artists and continue enjoying the incredible lifestyle that makes Brisbane so special.”
Quotes attributable to Street Art Consultant and Artist Matt Tervo
“The legal street art practice walls matter because they give artists a free place to paint, experiment and keep developing their craft, with nothing more needed than their own materials, and that means the work is always changing, sometimes even within the same day.
“Most people only ever see the finished mural, but the legal walls also let the public see what usually stays hidden, from first-time painters learning the basics, to emerging artists building their voice, to world-class artists reconnecting with the process that made them fall in love with art in the first place.
“What makes these walls special is that the work is not over-curated or overly controlled, it is open, authentic and alive, and it gives Brisbane audiences a rare chance to experience real artistic practice as it happens.
“Brisbane has produced some of the best street artists in the world, and that is something this city should be proud of, because the talent shaped here now appears everywhere from regional silo trails across Australia to landmark walls in Europe and galleries around the world.
“In the lead-up to 2032, supporting this ecosystem matters, because street artists are storytellers of place, and when artists who understand Brisbane deeply are given space to work, they create public art that tells the real story of this city in a way nothing else can.”
