MEMBERS of Moree Arts Community Centre will open their new exhibition, Traces of the Hand, at Bank Art Museum Moree on Thursday.
Traces of the Hand brings together ceramics, weaving, installation, sound and mixed-media works created through the centre and explores the relationship between making, memory and community, where each artwork carries the marks of touch, repetition, patience and shared experience.
Developed by artists from diverse cultural and creative backgrounds, the exhibition highlights the strength of regional practice and the importance of community-led creative spaces.
Curated by Moj Habibi, founder and director of Moree Arts Community Centre, Traces of the Hand features pieces by artists Auntie Paula Duncan, Sandra O’Loughlin, Tibby Duncan, Candice Paton, Eliza McInnerney, Jenny Elsley, Jenni Birch, Kim Smallmon, Linda Meppem, Kathryn Corderoy, Amanda Austin, Maddie Dahlstrom, Anna Duncan, Jane Clark, Claus Bredow and Belinda Bremner.
“This exhibition is a very special milestone for the Moree Arts Community Centre and the artists involved,” Ms Habibi said.
“As founder and director of the centre, and curator of this exhibition, I feel very proud to see how much the centre has grown over the past three years.
“What began as a small community arts initiative has become an important creative and cultural space for Moree and the wider region.
“Creativity has the power to strengthen community, restore confidence, and create opportunities for people to feel valued and included,” she said.
Traces of the Hand focuses on clay, fibre, light, and found materials transformed through thoughtful and experimental processes.
Ms Habibi said the exhibition reflects personal stories, cultural connection and the quiet power of collective making.
“At its centre, Traces of the Hand celebrates creativity as a form of connection, healing, learning, and exchange,” she said.
“The exhibition offers visitors an immersive experience that honours both individual artistic voices and the spirit of collaboration that continues to grow through the Moree Arts Community Centre.”
Over the past three years, the centre has become a welcoming and safe place where people feel connected, inspired, and supported through creativity and community participation.
The centre brings together First Nations artists, multicultural communities, local residents, young people, and older community members through workshops, exhibitions, open studio activities, and collaborative projects.
“During this time, members have participated in seven exhibitions across different galleries, including Yaama Ganu Gallery and the University Gallery in Newcastle,” Ms Habibi said.
“The centre continues to create valuable opportunities for regional artists while strengthening Moree’s cultural and creative life.
“One of the things I am most proud of is seeing people gain confidence through art, develop friendships, and discover new creative possibilities for themselves and their community,” she said.
“Art can bring people together in a very gentle and powerful way. Through creativity, people feel seen, connected, and hopeful.”
Traces of the Hand exhibition
Opening Night: Thursday, June 4, 2026
Time: 6pm
Where: Bank Art Museum Moree
Full exhibition: June 4 until July 18, 2026
