Booval Fair Backs Community Art and New Business as Ipswich Creative Scene Grows

Booval Fair is strengthening its place in Ipswich’s creative and community life, with new business partnerships, a growing mural competition and the reopening of its in-centre gallery helping drive fresh energy across the precinct.

Rachel from Booval Fair and Laney NGU Booval say the centre is focused on supporting community initiatives while helping create more opportunities for local artists and families. NGU Booval, which opened in January as the agency’s seventh office, has already joined in several centre activities and says it plans to continue giving back to the local community over the next 12 months.

One of the major current projects is the Connected to Community mural competition, which will see six selected artists paint permanent murals in the centre’s car park in July. Organisers say the competition is designed to reflect different interpretations of community, with entries already ranging from people-focused concepts to ideas involving bees, chickens and climate themes. Entries remain open until May 29.

Booval Fair is also continuing its family-focused community programs, including its colouring-in competition and a Mother’s Day raffle being run in partnership with another local business. Rachel said these projects are part of a broader effort to keep the precinct closely connected with the people it serves.

The update comes during a busy period for Ipswich’s arts sector, with several recent launches and events drawing attention across the region. These include a new gallery opening in Kalbar, the reopening of the Booval Fair art gallery in a larger space, and the latest round of the live painting competition Art Fight, which continues to build momentum among local artists and audiences.

Another upcoming highlight is the opening of Katherine Nielsen’s exhibition at the community gallery this Friday, adding to what organisers describe as a strong run of creative activity in Ipswich.

With new businesses settling in, public art expanding and the local arts calendar filling up, Booval Fair says it is proud to keep playing a role in supporting creativity and connection in the Ipswich community.