The BCEC Art Collection is one of the most significant collections of contemporary Australian art outside a major gallery or museum.

The collection began with 27 paintings by Aboriginal artists from the Papunya Tula arts centre in the Northern Territory, commissioned for Expo 1988. Papunya is recognised as the birthplace of the Western Desert art movement, which emerged in the early 1970s as artists began translating their cultural traditions and Tjukurrpa (ancestral stories) into contemporary painting.

Following Expo ’88, these works formed the foundation of the collection at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre, which opened in 1995.

Over time, the collection has grown to include significant works by leading Brisbane artists, as well as works centred on Brisbane by prominent First Nations and Australian artists. These include John Olsen, Gordon Bennett, Judy Watson, Joe Furlonger, Jon Cattapan and Michael Johnson. Works can be viewed in the entry foyers on either side of the Centre, as well as throughout key locations in the building.

As the Centre marks its 30th year, it is proud to have partnered with First Nations curator and writer Bruce Johnson McLean on the digital curation of the collection. This initiative increases accessibility for visitors and the wider community, reinforcing a long-term commitment to showcasing contemporary Australian art and sharing significant Brisbane stories.