Let your artistic sparks fly for Festival design competition 

Published on 05 December 2025

When art smashes into life, sparks fly. That's the energy behind council's 2026 Mackay Festival of Arts theme: 'Pop Collision'.

This year, the TJ Picture Framing Design Competition takes centre stage with exciting news – local business TJ Picture Framing has signed on as sponsor for 2026 and 2027, reinforcing the festival’s strong community roots and commitment to local creativity.

Mayor Greg Williamson said the partnership was a fantastic boost for the festival and its artists.

“Each year the program cover sets the vision for the whole festival – providing the look and feel of all of our marketing assets,” Mayor Williamson said.

“Thanks to TJ Picture Framing, we can continue offering a paid opportunity for local artists to become the face of Mackay’s largest arts festival, showcasing the incredible talent we have in our region,” he said.

Now in its third year, the competition is more than just a design brief – it’s a chance to gain exposure, contribute to the cultural identity of Mackay and celebrate what makes our festival unique and iconic.

Artists, graphic designers, freelancers, hobbyists, beginners – and everyone in between – are invited to create an artwork that captures the explosive concept of "Pop Collision" in a riot of clashing colours, mismatched characters and carnival chaos.

The winning design will feature on the 2026 Mackay Festival of Arts program cover, appear across all marketing channels, and earn the artist a $1000 cash prize and two VIP tickets to the official program launch event.

Entries close Monday, December 15, 2025.

Unleash your creativity, embrace the chaos and show us what happens when art collides with life. Enter now and be part of something unforgettable.

For more information and to enter the TJ Picture Framing Design Competition, go to www.themecc.com.au/designcomp