Ask three people what held their attention in an exhibition and you may get three quite different answers. One noticed the material. Another wondered how the work had been assembled. Someone else kept thinking about where it had been placed.
That is a good reason to visit SWELL with friends. There is plenty to talk about before anyone agrees on a favourite, and hearing from an artist can give the conversation another direction.
How the work gets made
The 2026 SWELL programme is over. Its Currumbin run lasted 11–20 September, with the free In Situ artist talks taking place at the Fringe in Wallace Nicoll Park. The organiser’s record of those conversations gives an idea of the range visitors could explore.
Ceramic artist Jo Norton spoke about her practice and building a life around making. Fiona Haynes from Monte Lupo Arts brought a discussion of collaboration, while a panel hosted by Sarah Tait considered AI, 3D printing, robotics and art. Drew McDonald reflected on the path from fitter and turner to artist.
A talk could be the centre of an outing rather than an extra to squeeze between sculptures. Hear the person first, spend time with the exhibition afterwards, then see whether their explanation changes what you notice. People in the same group can take different things from the same conversation.
There was also room for a lunch break without needing everyone to move through the work at an identical pace. A packed meal from the apartment made it possible to sit down together and compare impressions before another walk.
The next exhibition is scheduled for 10–19 September 2027, as set out in SWELL’s artist application information. Its speakers and discussion programme are not yet announced. The 2026 names above describe what has finished, not people booked for the return.
When the new list appears, pick the conversation that actually interests your group and build the day around its time and location. Currumbin is a separate journey south from Fern Street, so allow for transport, parking or connections and finding the venue. SWELL’s new visitor guidance should determine those details.
Bring the conversation back to Fern Street
Marriner gives an art trip somewhere for the discussion to continue. A 180 m² apartment has space for people to sit around a table, put a programme down and make a meal together. There are just two apartments on each floor, which suits a group settling in for several days.
That extra time can hold another exhibition visit if the next programme gives you a reason, or a morning when no one needs to be anywhere. Northcliffe Beach is across the road, and a private balcony offers somewhere to read or think through what you saw.
Choose a two- or three-bedroom layout that works for the people travelling. All apartments have their own cooking and laundry facilities. Cooling comes from fans and cross-ventilation, so consider that alongside the different room and outlook choices when planning a spring stay.
The outdoor pool is heated saltwater, with a spa, sauna and steam room for an afternoon closer to the building. There is a covered BBQ area too, if the group would like to move dinner somewhere else without arranging another outing.
Explore a Fern Street stay for your art group, then return to the organiser for the next talk listings. A shared interest can start the trip; the different opinions around the dinner table can give it much of its character.
