The much-loved Merri-bek Summer Show returns to the Counihan Gallery in 2025 with a powerful and timely theme: Love in Crisis. 

Saturday 8 November 2025 to Thursday 18 December 2025
Counihan Gallery, 233 Sydney Road Brunswick VIC 3056
Free, open Wed to Sat, 11am to 5pm, and Sun, 1pm to 5pm

The exhibition brings together works by local artists exploring love, care and compassion as acts of resistance and repair in an increasingly fractured world.

Held annually at the Counihan Gallery, the Merri-bek Summer Show invites artists from across the municipality to respond to a collective idea that carries urgency or significance.

Featuring a vibrant mix of painting, sculpture, video, photography and more, the exhibition showcases the work of more than 100 artists who live, work or study in Merri-bek.

This year, the exhibition introduces a Children’s Gallery and Activity Station, inviting young people to contribute their own creative responses to the theme. Children can make postcard-sized drawings during exhibition hours, which will be displayed in the Counihan Gallery’s front windows throughout January 2026.

Artists

Aldona Kmieć, Alessia Catalano, Alister Karl, Amaya Iturri, Amelia Dowling, Amelie Vorchheimer, Andrea Draper, Ange Stock, Ange Foster, Angela Rossitto, Angela Dionysopoulos, Ardhitra Hanifah, Arie Glorie, Ashton Wastney, Batoul Ahmad, Benjamin Sheppard, Betty Musgrove, Bronwyn Calcutt, Caroline Fry, Chello O’Mahoney, Christine Tammer, Claire Sadler Jones, Dani Andree, David McCall, Deb K Williams, Deepika Rao, Duncan Young and Alex Hirst, Duncan Freedman, Eduard Ingles, Elain Della Rocca, Elaine Pierini, Elisabeth Bodey, Elizabeth Cleland, Ella Pininta, Emilion Clark, Erin Cox, Fleur Summers, Flora Georgiou, Florence Wang, Frances Tapueluelu, Frank Servello, Frankie Cini, Freya Alexander, George Duckett, Hana Othen, Heinz Boeck, Helen Anderson, Hyun-joo Kim, Iaki Vallejo, India Grant, Ingmar Apinis, Ismihan Sen, Jamie Mumford, Jane Burns, Jane Farnan, Jarmila Hava, Jean Taylor, Jeff Andersen Jnr., Jess Hall, Jessie DiBlasi, Joeli Eastell, Johanna Picton, Josh Wilson, Joy Barrett and Jennifer Williams Barrett, Julian Di Martino, Kareen Adam, Karen Standke, Kate Kelly-Johnson, Kate Archdeacon, Katerina Stevens, Kelly Flanagan, Lesley & Patrick Francis, Lewis Spiteri, Lilah Summers Dixon, Lily Santamaria, Lily Razuki, Linda Loh, LIs de Vries, Lois Basham, Luigi Marzola, Maggie Chiara Cowling, Maheen Hashmi, Margaret Bishop, Mark Wingrave, Mark McCarthy, Matt Bottos, Matthew Carey, Mei Wah Williams, Melanie Hoult, Melanie Lazarow, Michael Crowhurst, Motoko Katsuta Kitano, Mwaffaq Al Hajjar, Natasha Manners, Nazanin Moghadam, Nicky Guerin, Nicola Vance, Nicole Irwood, Nina Killham, Paul Batt, Raymond Carter, Richard McCoy, Rie Delange, Rita Sciacca, Robert Waghorn, Robert Mihajlovski, Robyn Shrives, Roshan Dhillon, Ruby Simpkin, Ruth Groves, Sandra Tobias, Setareh Hosseini, Stephanie Karavasilis, Tace Kelly, Tallulah Ainsworth, Thomas C. Chung, Tiffany An, Tom Richards.

Awards

9th Noel Counihan Commemorative Art Award: A $4,000 non-acquisitive prize awarded to an artist whose work responds to the exhibition theme and engages with social, political, or environmental ideas. Announced at the opening event on Saturday 8 November and proudly sponsored by Merri-bek City Council. This year’s Judges are Arrernte artist Georgia Cromarty, artist and academic Dr Sofi Basseghi,and Team Leader Gallery and Arts Programs Linda Short.

People’s Choice Award: A $1,000 cash prize voted by visitors and generously supported by the Sydney Road Brunswick Association. Announced after the exhibition closes.

Climate Activism Award: A $500 CERES voucher awarded to an artist whose work engages with climate justice ideas. Announced at the opening event.

For more information, visit the Merri-bek City Council website

Free public programs, no booking required:
Exhibition launch, Saturday 8 November, 2pm to 4pm, all welcome. 
Other public programs to be announced.

About the Counihan Gallery

233 Sydney Road, Brunswick VIC 3056 (inside Brunswick Town Hall).
Open Wednesday to Saturday, 11am to 5pm, and Sunday, 1pm to 5pm.

The Counihan Gallery is Merri-bek City Council’s public art gallery and presents a free program of contemporary art exhibitions. Named in honour of the Australian artist and activist Noel Counihan, the gallery reflects his legacy as a champion of social justice and free speech through its commitment to activism, sustainability, and creative expression. The Gallery also offers a public program of talks, forums, workshops and events, aiming to foster discussion and debate around new ideas and issues in contemporary art and culture.

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