* IMAGE: Left: Karen Underwood's From Broken Hill To Beautiful, Vintage bottle glass collected from a bottle dump. Copper wire from a house renovation. Right: Cathy Farry with work Charm Bracelet for a Large, Magnificent Woman, Made from plastic coated aluminium (I think or steel?) sources from used cat-food containers - saved from when we had a cat, superglue.
Broken Hill City Art Gallery invites the community to the opening of Waste 2 Art 2026 on Saturday 30 May at 11am at the Albert Kersten Mining and Minerals Museum (GeoCentre).
The exhibition showcases imaginative artworks created from recycled and reused materials by artists, students, schools and community members from across the Broken Hill region, celebrating creativity, sustainability and innovative approaches to waste.
This year's theme, Shrink Your Footprint, encouraged participants to reflect on waste, recycling and the environmental impact of everyday materials, while responding to the creative challenge of producing works that fit within a standard shoebox.
Prize winners will be announced at the opening event, with awards presented across a range of categories recognising creativity, innovation and artistic skill.
Selected works from the Broken Hill exhibition will progress to the Waste 2 Art Regional Showcase and Finals, hosted by NetWaste, which will also be held in Broken Hill later this year. The regional exhibition will feature finalist works from councils across the NetWaste region, with the showcase opening and awards presentation taking place on Saturday 15 August 2026.
Broken Hill City Art Gallery and Museum Manager Kathy Graham said the exhibition continues to be one of the region's most engaging and community-driven annual programs.
"We've had a fantastic response from creative locals this year, with artists, schools and community members producing incredibly inventive works from recycled and reused materials," she said.
"Waste 2 Art highlights the creativity within our community while also encouraging important conversations around sustainability, waste reduction and rethinking the materials we throw away."
The exhibition opening will be held on Saturday 30 May 2026 at the Albert Kersten Mining and Minerals Museum (GeoCentre), Corner Crystal and Bromide Streets, Broken Hill. The exhibition will run until 17 July 2026.
Waste 2 Art is an initiative of NetWaste and is delivered locally by the Broken Hill City Council.
