Bleeding Heart Gallery

I’m a recent convert to Bleeding Heart café for my morning takeaway coffee fix. A change of job has meant exploring new places in search of a decent caffienne fix.
My experience of Bleeding Heart so far has been nothing but great. The staff are lovely, the location is special and the prices are really reasonable. Located in a heritage building stuck between its concrete neighbours Bleeding Heart Café sits in an old Queenslander style building with beautiful old trees around the wide wooden balcony. You can choose to sit outside and linger over your coffee or take away, perhaps with their own branded envirocups.
What I love though is that they serve good quality coffee beans (from Toby’s Estate) and don’t charge through the nose for the choice of soy milk. Add to this that the profits of this location are donated to different charities in the city week to week and your purchase not only makes you feel good for your tastebuds, but also for your heart and soul.
I’m yet to check out the gallery itself but can’t wait to have a bit more time to linger and explore this beautiful spot in the CBD.

I love Bleeding Heart and it is easily the thing I miss most about working in the city. It’s located in a beautiful old Queensland and is part café, part craft store, and part art gallery. The coffee is good (and the price is even better), but the muffins are AMAZING. Seriously, don’t bother going to muffin break or anywhere like that, come here for your muffin needs.
The staff are amazing and always down for a chat. There is always some sort of event going on here each week as well. It’s a great little space that Brisbane really needs more of.

Nestled within the skyscrapers that tower over the Brisbane CBD is this beautiful and iconic Queenslander which really represents the classic history of housing in this fine state.
I love coming here every so often to meet up with friends. It’s such a relaxed environment and the staff always have a smile on their face. The best part is knowing that the profits made from my cuppa coffee and cake here go towards charities and community projects!
Did I mention is has WiFi? There aren’t many small cafes that offer that same wireless luxury as Bleeding Heart does. Great for those corporates and vacationers during lunch time or the classic aussie morning and afternoon tea!

A really fantastic venue for all things creative. Even if all you can extend to the creative choosing of which coffee and sweet to have from the café. If I got married in this city this is where it would happen!

Excellent venue always interesting stuff here.

I loooove this place. Bleeding Heart Café is a stunning old Queenslander in the heart of Brisbanes CBD. It’s a cute café + bar in the front, a spacious gallery and event space at the back, and a cozy lounge with locally-​made crafts for sale in the middle, all wrapped up in a big ol’ timber porch.
I’ve been here for all kinds of reasons — I’ve hosted events here, been to talks and forums, waltzed in for exhibition openings or just scuttled up the stairs for a much needed coffee. I’m never greeting with less than a warm welcome and a huge bunch of smiles from the staff, regardless of whether it’s AM or PM and whether I’m paying to be there or just rocked up for the free cheese platter (events always seem accompanied by a cheese platter! Another big tick!).
One bit of feedback I consistently hear from people about this place is «It’s so lovely! How come I’ve never heard of it before?». This is the BIGGEST SHAME EVER because this place deserves all the recognition it can get! So get off your butt, mosey on down and prepare to become a regular from here on in.

Bleeding Heart Art Gallery & Café is one of the most socially conscious places that you can shop in Brisbane. All of their profits go to funding even more social enterprises around Australia. Not only that, but they help out a variety of good causes through donations, their ‘Knock-​Off Drinks’, exhibitions and more. Hence their motto: «Using our powers for good, not evil».
They are a great place to go for a coffee and some yummy vegan banana bread served with a smile. If that’s not your style, why not grab a cold beer and sit on the balcony, watching Brisbane go by? I have sat there before with a coffee while enjoying their free wi-​fi to study for an assignment.
If it’s a shopping spree your after, check out the display boxes along the walls, where you will find handcrafted jewellery, wallets, prints and more! Not only will you be supporting Bleeding Heart, but also local Brisbane artisans.
They also hold a market on the first Friday of each month, from 10am to 4pm, during which you can have a browse and meet the people who make the wares.
For people interested in selling their wares there: I have done so before (in the boxes and at the markets) and it was all well handled and professional. You just have to ensure that the people who go there are your target audience.

Did you know all of Bleeding Heart Gallery’s profits go into funding social enterprises? That means when you purchase your coffee it may just be funding any number of community or charitable projects. Cool huh?
But these cool kids aren’t just a café. They’re also a gift shop, gallery and event space all set amongst a heritage Queenslander, which, amongst the urban skyscraper sprawl looks out of place yet perfectly at home.
Oh, they have free wi-​fi so why not bring your laptop, set up and work from this fantastic space for a short or long time? You’ll meet a number of characters throughout the day and at the very least it is a brilliant space for people watching.

Bleeding Heart is fantastic. They have a great little space to relax in the city with a dreamy verandah to chill out on. I’ve been along a few times for Oxfam events and to check out photography exhibits. Sometimes they have markets and bands, other times charity fundraisers. They have a pretty limited range of food and beer, but a great range of affordable, quirky items from local artists. I’ve gotten rad little monster brooches, rabbit earrings, bow ties and more from here. The only downside is that they are usually only open when I’m working.

We approached Bleed Heart Gallery last year for a friend’s upcoming birthday party. She wanted a venue that we could really have fun in and customise for her theme, and Bleeding Heart were really accommodating.
All of the venue is available for hire — the gallery, the café, the board room and even the verandah. The venue hire rates were not too pricey and they were so enthusiastic and helpful wanting to plan out the function. They have a bar and food service too.
The space is really quite large and a fantastic space. The high ceilings mean you can have performers in, the balcony gives a great vantage point for people to watch and see the action.

I can think of nothing better in my afternoon break than to sit an have a coffee and gaze at some artwork. Bleeding Heart Gallery is perfect for this. Their little café serves up some of the best coffee around.
Working in the city by 3pm each day I was in desperate need of a coffee break and that is right when Bleeding Heart offers its happy hours. From 3pm-​5pm daily you can get your hands on a large take-​away coffee for only $ 3.50. This is a bargain for the quality that you get. And while you wait there is the gallery inside to browse through as well as arts and crafts constantly on display in the café. They have a serene deck to sit on which has enough coverage from the street by the trees to make you feel like you are not stuck in the toxic grey of the city.
The Gallery is a fantastic space and depending on what is showing can be a wonderful experience. I recommend you check Bleeding Heart out, whether you are an art lover, coffee lover, or both.

I went to Vision of Division at Bleeding Heart, which was an amazing collaboration of some truly fantastic artists to support Kill The Music. This venue is incredible. It’s the easiest place to just grab a drink and then meander around admiring artwork or whatever is being exhibited. The venue space is excellent because it’s not overwhelming, and I think the smaller space allows you to really appreciate the pieces that are selected for a showing.
I jump at the chance to support Bleeding Heart because they support so many local artists and talented folk. They use their gallery space for really good things and deck their walls out with admirable talent. Plus they host markets on the first Friday of every month. Nice!
Make sure you check out an exhibition when you have the chance. This little gallery has got it going on.

Having walked past Bleeding Heart a trillion* times when I’ve been in a rush, I was glad I could take the time yesterday to pop in for a little look. Well, obviously not the best day to do so because there was no exhibition showing (doh’) and the function room walls were as bare as bare can be. The café and gift shop was open though, so I sat down and wallowed in self-​pity for a minute at my poor timing before having a look around the shop.
I consider myself a creative person, but when it comes to crafts I’ve just never been able to nail it. Sure there were the occasional spray-​painted macaroni photo frames for Mum and Dad but that’s as far as my abilities go. So naturally with all the amazing hand made bric-​à-​brac in Bleeding Heart, I did feel a little pang of jealousy. Beautiful jewelry and clever stationery, all made my hand by someone much cleverer than I. I even managed to pick up some Christmas stocking fillers for the most difficult of friends.
Another thing caught my eye during my visit to Bleeding Heart, and that was their advertisement on the door which stated that they are offering the gallery/​function space for free in January of 2012! Amazing! It’s a huge space and perfect for a launch party or industry event. And free?! Holy guacamole that’s good!
If you are a budding artiste, a lover of arts and crafts, or someone in need of a multi purpose function space, I suggest you waltz over to Bleeding Heart to have a look.
*may be a slightly exaggerated figure

I love love love this venue,
I have seen a number of events hosted at this lil’gallery
and I always come away with a smile.
The space is intimate and is easily transformed according to the event,
I’ve seen it full of tables of zines or bare but for the art on the walls.
Opening nights are always fun with guaranteed great music and humans
congregating around the art.
Bleeding Hearts are great supporters of local established and up and coming artists
and offer an opportunity to support them through their artists shop.
(These make for amazing hand-​crafted gifts.)
What most people don’t know is that they also open during the day.
They make a mean cup of coffee and offer a number of delicious
wraps and snacks on the menu.
Don’t forget to say hello to the friendly staff
(and in particular Holly, she is the bees knees.)
This gallery is one of the best places for art in Brisbane,
you won’t come away disappointed.

Set in the re-​furbished School of Arts building on Ann Street, this trendy gallery appeals to the youth (and the youthful looking) through its exhibitions, markets and engagement with social causes. Their exhibitions focus on upcoming Brisbane artists, self-​represented independents whose works probably won’t fit in to the commercial galleries of Spring Hill or New Farm.
Having been to some of their exhibition openings, I can tell you they’re always good fun. Expect loud music, alcohol and some cool art works. To promote their artists, Bleeding Heart also runs a monthly market stall. As part of their ‘Using our powers for good, not evil’ motto, Bleeding Heart does not take commissions from their market stall and shop. So go on. Check out their crazy sock monkeys and other artsy products the next time you’re looking for a unique gift.
NB: Their office hours are 7:30 — 5 weekdays although exhibition openings and venue hire can be on the weekend or evenings.