ABSTRACT
Young children have been a main focus of attention at the Ipswich Art Gallery since 1999 when they opened Australia’s first dedicated gallery space for young children. The Ipswich Art Gallery was established in 1980, and underwent a major renewal and expansion in 1999. The children’s programme at the Ipswich Art Gallery is known for its innovations and child-centred practice. Visitation to the Ipswich Art Gallery is consistently high with more than 100,000 people taking time to see what is happening at the gallery; it is one of the most visited galleries in regional Australia. In 2008, the Ipswich Art Gallery developed a contemporary art exhibition and public programme for babies and toddlers. At that time, there were very few play-based programmes for this age group in art galleries. The exhibition Bright and Shiny incorporated some key artworks selected for their capacity to focus very young children’s attention on the aesthetic qualities of the exhibition theme.
