The Edge Screens at the State Library of Queensland‘s Cultural Centre in South Brisbane are running a free digital exhibition celebrating Queensland’s rich skateboarding history, just minutes from West End’s own beloved skatepark.
The exhibition, titled State of Sk8, forms part of a broader winter program at The Edge, the State Library’s creative hub at Stanley Place. It draws on research by 2025 John Oxley Library Honorary Fellow Dr Indigo Willing, whose year-long fellowship explored the stories, spaces and subcultures that have shaped skateboarding across Queensland. The digital display runs throughout the month of June, making it a well-timed cultural stop for anyone in the inner south.
For West End locals, the connection feels close to home. The suburb’s own skatepark, a well-known gathering point on the inner-south skate circuit, was one of the local facilities that the skateboarding community successfully pushed to have upgraded, with works completed in 2025.
The State of Sk8 program puts that kind of grassroots advocacy into broader historical context, tracing how generations of Queensland skaters have shaped their cities, one grey space at a time.
From the streets into the archive
Dr Willing’s fellowship, titled “Queensland Skate of Mind: Subcultural Game Changers to Olympian ‘Roll’ Models,” focused on recovering stories that have largely been left out of mainstream accounts of Queensland’s history. Her research documents how skateboarding evolved from a subculture built around repurposed concrete infrastructure into a globally recognised Olympic sport, while remaining deeply tied to inclusive community-building at the local level.
The Edge Screens, a digital display format previously used to showcase 4ZZZ Radio memorabilia as part of the State Library’s Stranded program, bring this research into a publicly visible format. The exhibition draws on material from the State Library’s own collections, community archives and the photographic work of contributors to Dr Willing’s fellowship.
Beyond the digital screens, a broader State of Sk8 program brings the culture to life at The Edge. A free public panel discussion headlines the lineup, alongside paid hands-on workshops running from 24 to 30 June. Visitors can try their hand at laser etching skateboards or designing 3D-printed mini decks.
A scene bigger than you might think
Queensland’s skateboarding story carries more weight than most people realise. Among those documented in Dr Willing’s research is Arisa Trew OAM, who at just 14 became the youngest Australian to win gold at the Paris Olympics, and holds the record for the most X-Games wins of any woman in the competition’s history.
World Skate SB competitor Dani Campbell, a member of the Songline First Nations Skateboarding team, is also featured in a newly commissioned digital history added to the State Library’s collection as part of this program.
The research also shines a light on the community builders, the women and queer skaters, the photographers, the zine-makers and the small-business owners who kept the scene alive long before the Olympics came calling.
Getting there from West End
The Cultural Centre sits at Stanley Place, South Brisbane, roughly a five-minute walk or ride from West End’s Boundary Street precinct. The Edge Screens exhibition is free and does not require booking. The State Library is open to visitors throughout the week, and The Edge’s facilities are accessible to anyone holding a State Library membership, which is free to obtain.
For the full State of Sk8 program, including workshops and the panel discussion, click here.
Published 24-June-2025
