Entertainment
31 August, 2026
Festival seeing double
A COLOURFUL exhibition featuring large-scale inflatables will take over the Cairns Art Gallery’s Court House Building and Lawn as part of this year’s Cairns Festival.
‘Craig & Karl: Double Vision’ opens at the Cairns Art Gallery on 3 September with a free launch party celebrating the three-decade collaboration of Queensland-born artists Craig Redman and Karl Maier.
Over the past 30 years, the internationally acclaimed duo have transformed public spaces from Times Square in New York to Canary Wharf in London and Hong Kong with their distinctive graphic style.
Double Vision traces the pair’s creative journey from their Queensland beginnings to their status as globally recognised artists and designers, while examining themes of identity, community and imagination.
Cairns Art Gallery Director Angela Goddard said the exhibition marked an exciting milestone for the region.
“There is something special about welcoming Craig and Karl’s first regional Queensland exhibition to the Court House, a heritage building about to be transformed by their colour and joy. We cannot wait for Cairns audiences to experience it.”
The free launch party will be held on Thursday, 3 September, from 5pm to 9pm across the Cairns Art Gallery’s Court House Building and Lawn.
The evening will feature DJ Bcharre and Ruby Chew, roving entertainment from VOiiD Collective, pop-up performances, large-scale inflatables and festival activations celebrating the exhibition’s opening.
The exhibition is one of the headline visual arts experiences at this year’s Cairns Festival, with the Court House Building and Lawn set to be transformed by the artists’ work.
Craig & Karl: Double Vision is free to attend and will run from Friday 4 September 2026, to Saturday 16 January 2027, at the Cairns Art Gallery Court House Building.
