Ninbella

Ninbella is a contemporary Australian and Aboriginal art gallery and culture store on Byron Street in Bangalow, representing First Nations and non-Indigenous artists from the local area and further afield. Its focus is First Nations art, alongside a broader selection of contemporary Australian work, making it a useful stop for visitors interested in Australian stories, artists and culture rather than a conventional retail gallery experience.

The online store features works by Joseph Griffiths, including “Gucci Dogs”, “Logan City Pigeon Club”, “Jean” and “Couldn’t tell ya”. These named works provide a glimpse of the gallery’s contemporary offering, while the physical space presents work by both established First Nations artists and talented local artists. The gallery’s background also includes exhibitions of artists such as Kudditji Kngwarreye, Gloria Petyarre, Kathleen Petyarre and Joy Kngwarreye Jones, reflecting its long-standing engagement with Indigenous art.

Ninbella was opened in Bangalow in December 2017 by Grant Rasheed, whose career has moved through banking, coffee, fashion, hospitality and the arts. Before establishing Ninbella, he spent 12 years curating and developing the Prairie Gallery at the Prairie Hotel in South Australia’s Flinders Ranges. His work there included supporting Better World Arts, an organisation benefiting Indigenous communities in Australia and several overseas regions, as well as presenting exhibitions in Milan, Florence and China. That history gives the Bangalow gallery a clear personal connection to art, culture and collecting.

Visitors are welcome to take their time in the gallery and discuss art, culture and life with the team. Ninbella is suited to solo visitors, couples and small groups looking for an art-focused stop while exploring Bangalow and the Byron Bay area. It is open seven days a week at 19a Byron Street, with weekday and Saturday hours from 10am to 4pm and Sunday hours from 10am to 2pm. Ninbella also acknowledges that its business is conducted on the traditional lands of the Arakwal people of the Bundjalung Nation.