About

SWELL presents high quality outdoor art and cultural events, connecting people, art and place.

Our signature event is the SWELL Sculpture Festival held annually on Currumbin Beach in mid September. Now in its nineteenth year, the ten-day festival brings over 50 works by nationally and internationally renowned artists to a free public exhibition on the beautiful beaches of Australia’s Gold Coast. The event delights a large and diverse audience of visitors annually and also inspires with master classes, art activities for children, sculpture workshops and a music stage showcasing the local music scene.

The festival is now an established part of the Gold Coast’s identity, its whimsical diversity and sharp comment contributing significantly to the region’s cultural and artistic spirit. Year round, SWELL undertakes curated programming with artist residencies, installations and activation elsewhere throughout the Gold Coast and beyond. Through a high-level curatorial approach we coordinate and host new and exciting recognised national and international artists for exhibitions, the creation of stand alone public art or rejuvenation of spaces, to attract substantial audience engagement and artistic inspiration.

SWELL also contributes to arts and cultural education training and development through mentorship for emerging artists, indigenous artists, children and young people and involves tertiary students in real world learning experiences. Guided by a board of directors, SWELL is led by Natasha Edwards and Dee Steinfort and is a not-for-profit organisation with DGR and TCC status. SWELL is committed to supporting the growth of artists by showcasing and promoting their work. Through our work we celebrate and engage with the natural and cultural heritage and landscape around us, while aiming to create joyful leisure time with artistic experiences. Our desire is to strengthen the community spirit and identity of the Gold Coast in all we do.