We offer classes for all abilities in wonderful studios with ample parking, minutes from the CBD. We have a great choice of courses including Painting, Drawing, Sculpture, Printmaking, Ceramics, Website Construction, Jewellery and Children’s Art, all of which are taught by expert tutors, specialist in their respective fields. Art classes at BiA are a relaxing way to explore your creativity. They are structured and instructive, but enjoyable and energizing at the same time. A wide range of subjects and skill levels are available. Numbers in classes are kept to a maximum of 12 so that the tutor has plenty of time to speak to each student individually, as well as teaching the group as a whole. There is a great sense of community at BiA so many students continue with their classes term after term, sometimes in the same class sometimes progressing in skill level or changing subject. Everyone is welcome.
The Institute provides a non-profit creative arts centre housing studios, workshops and galleries. The Institute supports contemporary creative arts practice in an environment open to variety and continual change. As an incorporated association, it is governed by a Committee of Management and administered through the Arts Manager. The arts programs at the Institute are developed in close consultation and collaboration with contemporary artists. Running costs are covered by participants fees, studio rental and exhibition income. Special projects have been supplemented by occasional local government and state government grants. BIA plays an important role in providing access to low cost contemporary art space. The exhibition program showcases work by emerging, mid-career and established artists. The studios are open access which means they are available to professional artists and the broader community when not being used for scheduled activities. All facilities including galleries, printmaking facilities, computer laboratory, photographic darkroom, workshops and studios are available for hire. BIA welcomes and thrives on the diversity of people from all ages and cultural backgrounds.Arts programs include:
Painting, Experimental Darkroom Processes, Digital Photography, Contemporary Printmaking, Photo Silkscreen Printing, Post Modernism, Experimental Drawing, Abstraction, Cultural Productions, Gold & Silversmithing, Ceramics, Mixed Media, Contemporary Sculpture & Assemblage, Installation, Professional Arts Practice.
A quarterly workshop program includes:
Berenice Anzellotti, Peter Biddulph, Nancy Brown, Deborah Cavallaro, Mia Clark, Lizzie Connor, Sally Cox, Allin Dwyer, Renata Fojtikova, Geoffrey Harley, Stephen Newton, David Nixon, Abramo Papp, David Paulson, Dianne Peach, Nicole Sylvestre, Gwenn Tasker, Svetlana Trefilova, Glen Skien, Rod Turpin, Kay Wantanabe, Gabe Parker, Catherine Large and Maree Cunnington.
BIA membership is open to anyone interested in the activities of the Institute and supportive of its aims and objectives. Annual Membership is $25.00.
The intention of BIA membership is to encourage association, involvement with, and support for the aims of the Institute. The aim of membership is to develop a participatory group of members ie. interested ‘friends’ of the BIA who wish to contribute to the organization as well as participate in their own social/artistic functions.
* Unlimited Studio Access for Members
If you are a BIA Member you can purchase unlimited studio access at the minimal cost of $165 per person per semester (up to 20 weeks).. Come by yourself or arrange a group to meet on a particular day and time. Usage must be within office hours (unless otherwise arranged) but there is no other limit to the number of hours or days. Classes and workshops are given priority access to the use of the studios but studio access members are welcome to use the remaining available studio spaces for their own work. This applies to all studio areas (conditions apply). To take advantage of this opportunity you must be a BIA member ($25, 1 March to 28 February annually). On purchasing studio access your membership card will be endorsed for the semester.
Office hours – 9:00am to 4:00pm Monday to Thursday, 9:00am to 3:00pm Friday.
Present your BIA membership card at any of the following places and you will receive the indicated discount.
Established by artist Mervyn Moriarty in 1971, the Institute was registered as the not for profit association, ‘Brisbane Institute of Art’ (BIA) in 1988. In 1998, long time BIA student and supporter, Nona Metcalfe generously bequeathed her estate to the Institute. A building fund was immediately formed and the BIA Fund was established to receive tax deductible donations. In 1999, a long term lease was negotiated with Brisbane City Council on a building at Windsor. To maximize the benefit of donated funds, a dollar for dollar Cultural Facilities Grant was sought from Arts Queensland and the building was refurbished to accommodate art studios, workshops and gallery.
Assisted by the fund, BIA has developed into a major community arts organization in Brisbane. The annual arts program now provides part-time employment for over thirty artists and more than one thousand people participate in the art classes and workshops. The Institute also supports a busy exhibition program. Donations have been utilized to purchase equipment, refurbish studios and establish the Nona Metcalfe gallery.
Donations to the BIA Fund are tax deductible and the fund monies are used to develop the facilities and arts program. If you would like to discuss making a donation to the BIA Fund, please contact us on 3857 5377 or make a donation online.
