About Us

The Eisteddfod Council of Queensland Inc.

Patrons
Her Excellency the Honourable Dr Jeannette Young AC PSM, Governor of Queensland,
and Professor Graeme Nimmo RFD

President
David Webster

Vice-President
Julie Sibley

Secretary
Sarah Sullivan

Treasurer
Michael Hogg

Committee

Ross BarnsWarren HaagJason Venz

Life Members

Norma Fox BEMMargaret HumphreysThelma Reisenleiter
Berniece Hicks OAMRobyn Morris OAM

What is the Eisteddfod Council of Queensland?

The Eisteddfod Council of Queensland Inc. (ECQ) is a not-for-profit association, with members consisting of community choirs, eisteddfod associations, and interested individuals throughout Queensland. Management of the ECQ is made up entirely of volunteers.

What does the Eisteddfod Council of Queensland do?

The ECQ convenes the annual Queensland Eisteddfod. By hosting the eisteddfod in a different city each year, the ECQ continues to meet its charter of “fostering the performing arts in Queensland Communities”. The Queensland Eisteddfod is the second-longest running eisteddfod in Australia, being first convened in Ipswich in 1887.

What is the Queensland Eisteddfod?

The Queensland Eisteddfod is a celebration of the performing arts held each Easter in a different Queensland city, generally featuring a wide program of Choral and Vocal items, sometime supplemented by Instrumental and Speech and Drama competitions. The Queensland Eisteddfod focuses primarily on a wide range of adult (or open age-group) competition, given the wealth of locally-run junior competitions available around the state.

The Queensland Eisteddfod movement has exhibited a loyal following over many years of competition, with a number of adult and youth choirs as well as individual competitors following the event each year to wherever it is being held. It provides a means of showcasing some of the best amateur talent in Queensland. In fact, a number of past competitors are now professional performers around Australia and abroad.

Which cities host the Queensland Eisteddfod?

A number of municipal and regional councils recognise the value that the performing arts contribute to building communities through events such as the Queensland Eisteddfod. Accordingly, the ECQ periodically invites different councils to host a Queensland Eisteddfod. As a result of loyal competitors and supporters, the Queensland Eisteddfod provides significant economic and cultural benefits to the businesses and wider community of the host city.

Host locations over the Eisteddfod’s long history have included Brisbane, Bundaberg, Caloundra, Gladstone, Gympie, Ipswich, Maryborough, Nambour, Redcliffe, Rockhampton, Stanthorpe, the Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, and Warwick.