Marking Time
30 Years of the UniSC Art Collection
9 February — 18 April 2026
Presented for UniSC’s 30th Anniversary year.
Over three decades, the UniSC Art Collection has grown alongside the University itself. From early acquisitions reflecting a young institution's ambitions, to recent works that respond to place, sustainability and contemporary practice, the Collection is more than a catalogue of individual works; it is a living archive that keeps time with the institution and its communities.
With more than 1,000 works, the UniSC Art Collection is now the most extensive public art collection on the Sunshine Coast. To mark UniSC's 30th anniversary, Marking Time presents over 100 works drawn from the Collection. The exhibition highlights key areas of the Collection, including contemporary Australian Indigenous art, contemporary photography, local stories and Queensland art. Together, these works trace how UniSC's collecting priorities have expanded in response to shifts in contemporary art practice and evolved with the institution's changing landscape and priorities.
The title gestures to the act of keeping records and the way art registers the passage of time. Marking Time is a pause for reflection, an invitation to look back, look closer, and look forward, and to acknowledge and celebrate the generosity of the many individuals who have supported the growth of UniSC and the Collection.
Art Chats
Free, no bookings required
Join us for a series of fast-paced, lunchtime talks during Marking Time: 30 Years of the UniSC Art Collection.
12.15pm, Tuesday 24 February
An introduction to Marking Time
We will cover the exhibition's key ideas, highlight standout works, and unpack how the UniSC Art Collection has grown over three decades. Think of it as the trailer before the feature film.
12.15pm, Tuesday 3 March
How did they make that?
Ever stood in front of an artwork and thought, "Okay…but how did they actually do that?" Drawing on examples from Marking Time: 30 Years of the UniSC Art Collection, this tour will go behind the scenes to explore the materials, processes, and creative problem-solving that go into making a work of art.
12.15pm, Wednesday 11 March
How did it get there?
Have you ever looked at an artwork on campus and thought, "How did it get there?" Drawing from examples in Marking Time: 30 Years of the UniSC Art Collection, we will guide you through how artworks enter the UniSC Art Collection, from acquisitions and commissions to gifts and bequests, and why we collect what we do.
12.15pm, Thursday 26 March
The secret life of artworks
Artworks have lives of their own. This tour shares fascinating conservation and research stories, from environmental challenges and material quirks to verifying authenticity. We'll also cover how we care for works in the UniSC Art Collection so they can be experienced for generations.
12.15pm, Wednesday 8 April
Collection connections
Artworks love a good conversation. Drawing from examples in Marking Time: 30 Years of the UniSC Art Collection, this tour uncovers surprising links across time, place and ideas. You’ll leave seeing the Collection less as individual works and more as a network of relationships.
12.15pm, Tuesday 14 April
An introduction to Marking Time
We will cover the exhibition's key ideas, highlight standout works, and unpack how the UniSC Art Collection has grown over three decades. Think of it as the trailer before the feature film.
Sam Cranstoun Albert_Siepert_Points_Out_Highlights_of_Apollo_10_Liftoff_to_Belgium_King_and_Queen_GPN-2002-000010 2023. Pencil on paper, 105.5 x 152cm. UniSC Art Collection. UniSC Contemporaries commission supported by the De Deyne Family, 2025. Photo: Carl Warner. © Sam Cranstoun.