Media Release
ANDY GRIFFITHS CREATES NEW POWERHOUSE EXHIBITION WITH A CHALLENGE TO YOUNG WRITERS
Powerhouse is calling on the next generation of storytellers to unleash their creativity with the launch of a state-wide writing challenge alongside the museum’s newest exhibition, Powerhouse Materials: Paper, created by bestselling children’s author Andy Griffiths.
Opening today, this free-to-enter Young Writers’ Challenge asks NSW primary school students to create original tales—in the form of stories, comics, lists, maps or illustrated narratives—that are inspired by objects featured in the exhibition. Submissions will be celebrated at a special event in March 2026 at Powerhouse Castle Hill, when Andy will read aloud selected outstanding student stories in front of the invited submitting writers and their families.
The exhibition, opening on 22 November 2025 at Powerhouse Castle Hill, is an exploration of paper as a material—from the everyday to the extraordinary. Andy has handpicked a mix of paper-based objects from the Powerhouse Collection—from papier-mâché ventriloquist dolls, Bollywood movie posters and anatomical eyeball models—to spark the imagination of visitors and young writers alike. These will appear alongside paper-related items selected by Powerhouse curators including typewriters, specialist writing tools and paper-cut objects, revealing the surprising role of paper across cultures, technologies and time.
One of Australia’s most popular children’s authors, Andy is best known for the Just! series and his Treehouse books, which have sold over 10 million copies globally. His signature humour and creativity are at the heart of this new exhibition, the latest in the Powerhouse Materials series, which invites a guest curator to explore the museum’s vast collection of over 500,000 objects through the lens of a single material. The first in the series was led by actor and advocate Chloe Hayden earlier this year, focusing on textiles.
The exhibition will open with a full day of free programming on 22 November from 10am-3pm featuring talks by Andy and curators, behind-the-scenes collection tours and a self-guided program and activity book, filled with creative drawing prompts, story starters, and imaginative tasks. An accompanying public program will include school holiday writing workshops and summer weekend theatre and poster making sessions.
Powerhouse has also collaborated with Story Factory to deliver a suite of opportunities for NSW public school teachers during term four. The program includes a teacher professional development day with a keynote from Andy Griffiths and a creative writing workshop with Story Factory, curriculum-aligned classroom resources to support teachers delivering the writing challenge in schools and student excursions to the Powerhouse Materials: Paper exhibition.
Children's author and Powerhouse guest curator Andy Griffiths said, ‘I’ve spent a lifetime amassing a large collection of interesting and unusual objects that regularly inspire me to write outlandish stories. But my collection pales into insignificance compared to the vast collection of every type of object that Powerhouse has. So, it was a joy to be given the keys to the kingdom and invited to choose items for my upcoming exhibition around paper from ventriloquist dolls to puppet theatres to Bollywood movie posters and papier maché eyeballs and feet … I had a ball … and I hope you feel as inspired and bamboozled and disturbed (in a good way) by my chosen objects as I am.’
Powerhouse Chief Executive Lisa Havilah said, ‘This exhibition and the Young Writers’ Challenge are a celebration of the power of story. Andy’s approach to storytelling has inspired generations of young readers and we are excited to collaborate with one of Australia’s most renowned authors.’
Powerhouse Materials: Paper is open every weekend from 10am-4pm at Powerhouse Castle Hill. For more visit: http://ph.au/4q72TiD (opens in new tab)
For more information about the Powerhouse Young Writers Challenge visit: http://ph.au/3KLTA7S (opens in new tab)
POWERHOUSE MATERIALS: PAPER X ANDY GRIFFITHS PROGRAM DETAILS:
POWERHOUSE YOUNG WRITERS’ CHALLENGE
Submissions open: 20 October 2025 - 1 February 2026
Open to: NSW primary school students
Are you the next Andy Griffiths? Do you have a story to tell?
The Powerhouse Young Writers' Challenge invites NSW primary school aged children to produce a creative story, inspired by objects selected by Andy Griffiths from the Powerhouse Collection.
More info: http://ph.au/3KLTA7S (opens in new tab)
Inspiration and examples — Super Short Stories by Andy Griffiths: http://ph.au/48LBXiz (opens in new tab)
EXHIBITION LAUNCH: POWERHOUSE MATERIALS: PAPER X ANDY GRIFFITHS
Saturday 22 November 2025
10am–3pm | Free
Join us for the launch of Powerhouse Materials: Paper (opens in new tab) with renowned children’s author Andy Griffiths, the mastermind behind the best-selling book series Just! And the Treehouse series.
- Andy Griffiths Talk – 10am & 1pm (plus book signing and meet-and-greet)
- Curators Talk – 11.30am & 1.30pm
- Behind-the-Scenes Collection Tours – 12.30pm & 2.30pm
- Self-guided Activity – Pick up a free self-guided activity book, designed with Andy Griffiths and filled with drawing and writing prompts
- Treehouse Post Box – Leave a letter for Andy
More info: http://ph.au/3IIBNxN (opens in new tab)
POWERHOUSE MATERIALS: THEATRE AND POSTER MAKING
Every Saturday & Sunday
20 Dec 2025 – 1 Feb 2026
10am–4pm | Free
Create your own characters, setting and story for a hand puppet theatre show and matching collage poster, inspired by objects selected by renowned children’s author Andy Griffiths from the Powerhouse Collection (opens in new tab).
More info: http://ph.au/4oaQokk (opens in new tab)
SUMMER WRITING WORKSHOPS
22-23 Jan 2026 | 29-30 Jan 2026
10am–4pm | $20
Ages 9-12
Aspiring writers aged 9–12 are invited to a series of summer writing workshops. Inspired by the objects in the Powerhouse Materials: Paper (opens in new tab) exhibition, young writers will hone their technical and creative writing skills by participating in skill-building activities and short writing challenges. To finish the program, participants will craft a longer piece of writing with support from expert facilitators, which can be submitted to the Powerhouse Young Writers' Challenge (opens in new tab).
More info: http://ph.au/3W0c7zE (opens in new tab)
Media Contacts
About Powerhouse
Powerhouse sits at the intersection of arts, design, science and technology and plays a critical role in engaging communities with contemporary ideas and issues. We are undertaking a landmark $1.2 billion infrastructure renewal program, spearheaded by the creation of the new museum, Powerhouse Parramatta; expanded research and public facilities at Powerhouse Castle Hill; the renewal of the iconic Powerhouse Ultimo; and the ongoing operation of Sydney Observatory. The museum is custodian to over half a million objects of national and international significance and is considered one of the finest and most diverse collections in Australia. We are also undertaking an expansive digitisation project that will provide new levels of access to the Powerhouse Collection (opens in new tab).
About Andy Griffiths
Andy Griffithsis one of Australia’s most popular children’s authors. His Treehouse series has sold over 10 million copies, won 80 children’s choice awards and 10 Australian Book Industry Awards, including Book of the Year for The 52-Storey Treehouse in 2015.
The Treehouse Series is published in more than 35 countries. Five of the books in the series have been adapted for the stage and have all had sell-out seasons at the Sydney Opera House, as well as highly successful seasons in the Netherlands, New Zealand and America.