The North Australian Festival of Arts (NAFA) will bring internationally acclaimed participatory artist Jessica Wilson to Townsville this September, with her exhibition I See You Like This opening at Townsville Shopping Centre as part of NAFA 2026.
Running from Thursday 1 October – Sunday 25 October 2026, the free exhibition invites children to transform a parent or significant adult into a playful work of art — capturing their unique perspective through Wilson’s internationally recognised I See You Like This project.
Deputy Mayor Suzy Batkovic, football greats Ray Thompson and Jake Granville, and radio personalities Kate Jeboult and Guy ‘Cliffo’ Clifton are among the familiar local identities participating in the exhibition. Alongside other members of the Townsville community, they will be seen in a creative, playful and colourful light. The portraits are equally hilarious and heartfelt.
“I loved watching the girls use their creativity and imagination. It was also great to watch them work and interact with Jessica Wilson. They enjoyed taking the lead, and I loved seeing what they came up with,” Cr Batkovic said.
“I’m looking forward to taking the girls to Townsville Shopping Centre to see their work on display and what everyone else has created.”
Presented in Townsville Shopping Centre, the vibrant exhibition celebrates imagination, family and the creative voice of children. Every portrait reveals not only an extraordinary artwork, but a moment of trust, connection and rebellion — offering audiences a funny, surprising and deeply heartfelt look at family life through a child’s eyes.
Artist Jessica Wilson said of working with the Townsville community, “I’ve collaborated with thousands of children around the world, in the special process that underpins I See You Like This, and I am continuously in awe of kids’ aesthetic choices. I have particularly loved working with these diverse families here in Townsville, in what has turned out to be an extraordinary set of portraits. They reflect the rich creativity of these children as well as the beautiful relationships they each share with their parent or close adult.”
Visitors are invited to wander through the collection and discover what happens when children become the artists, adults become the canvas, and everyday family connections are transformed into unforgettable works of art.
I See You Like This is a free, all-ages exhibition and forms part of NAFA’s partnership with Townsville Shopping Centre.
Event details:
What: I See You Like This, an exhibition by Jessica Wilson
When: Thursday 1 October – Sunday 25 October 2026
Where: Townsville Shopping Centre
Cost: Free
Find out more here.
Townsville City Council and Arts Queensland are major funding partners of the North Australian Festival of Arts.