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VADEA Conference 2025 Alchemy
* Please select ONE admission type per person.
Day 1 Admission - Friday 23 May 2025 (ONLY) ticket
Sold out$465.00Day 2 Admission - Saturday 24 May 2025 (ONLY) ticket
$465.00Day 1 & 2 Admission - Friday 23 May and Saturday 24 May 2025 (BOTH DAYS) ticket
Sold out$705.00
Symposium Welcome Event
(optional)
Symposium Welcome Event - Thursday 22 May, 5:00-8:00pm ticket
The symposium Why Visual Arts Education Matters - Future Thinking, Innovation, and Rigorous Curriculum will explore the transformative role of visual arts education in preparing students for an evolving world. In a rapidly changing society, and at a time of intense curriculum reform, planning and implementation, the visual arts foster critical and creative thinking, providing a platform for individuals to engage with contemporary issues, challenge norms, and envision innovative solutions. This event will bring together visual artists, educators, and researchers to discuss the importance of cultivating resilience, adaptability, and interdisciplinary approaches within art education. Attendees will examine how a rigorous and forward-thinking curriculum can empower learners to navigate complex global challenges, while celebrating the interconnectedness of art, culture, and innovation. Join us for a compelling dialogue on the future of visual arts education and its crucial role in shaping the thinkers, creators, and leaders of tomorrow. This event will be held at the Professional Teachers' Council, NSW, Level 8, 8 Central Avenue, Eveleigh.
The symposium Why Visual Arts Education Matters - Future Thinking, Innovation, and Rigorous Curriculum will explore the transformative role of visual arts education in preparing students for an evolving world. In a rapidly changing society, and at a time of intense curriculum reform, planning and implementation, the visual arts foster critical and creative thinking, providing a platform for individuals to engage with contemporary issues, challenge norms, and envision innovative solutions. This event will bring together visual artists, educators, and researchers to discuss the importance of cultivating resilience, adaptability, and interdisciplinary approaches within art education. Attendees will examine how a rigorous and forward-thinking curriculum can empower learners to navigate complex global challenges, while celebrating the interconnectedness of art, culture, and innovation. Join us for a compelling dialogue on the future of visual arts education and its crucial role in shaping the thinkers, creators, and leaders of tomorrow. This event will be held at the Professional Teachers' Council, NSW, Level 8, 8 Central Avenue, Eveleigh.
$45.00
Saturday Breakout Session 1 - 11:00am-1:00pm
* Please select ONE Breakout Session 1 per admission ticket if you are attending on Saturday 24 May.
Saturday Session 1 Breakout 1 - Life Drawing, Physicality and Poetics ticket
Luke Thurgate, Drawing Lecturer, National Art School In this workshop, participants will work directly from a life model using a range of techniques and experiments to depict the human form. The workshop will begin with analysis of the body, introducing strategies for representing gesture and form. From there participants will be encouraged to explore narrative, subjective and poetic possibilities of working with the model, employing a range of playful approaches. Please note that this workshop is only accessible by stairs.
Luke Thurgate, Drawing Lecturer, National Art School In this workshop, participants will work directly from a life model using a range of techniques and experiments to depict the human form. The workshop will begin with analysis of the body, introducing strategies for representing gesture and form. From there participants will be encouraged to explore narrative, subjective and poetic possibilities of working with the model, employing a range of playful approaches. Please note that this workshop is only accessible by stairs.
FreeSaturday Session 1 Breakout 6 - Empowering Ceramic Goddess Workshop - Developing a Socially Engaged Collaborative Practice ticket
Tamara Lawry, Artist, Visual Art Teacher Finigan School of Distance Education and Jerrabomberra High School, Artist and Educator, National Gallery of Australia and Beth Beatty, Art Teacher and Art Therapist, Laconic Art. This workshop explores the benefits of socially engaged art making practice and "process over product" in a socially engaged workshop designed to empower participants and encourage the practice of collaborative social art making and its benefits. Participants will explore ideas of self identity and empowerment through reflective activities to inspire the development of their figure. Techniques in hand building and using an armature to develop a form will lead participants to create a clay figure representation. Participants will underglaze their figures and document them and their process. The figures will be fired and contribute to the collaborative Goddess Parade in Tamara’s Homeground Exhibition to be held in 2026. The parade represents the power of community collaboration and the exhibition is a celebration for participants who wish to join from across NSW and ACT. Figures can be collected after the exhibition. Participants are required to bring their own apron.
Tamara Lawry, Artist, Visual Art Teacher Finigan School of Distance Education and Jerrabomberra High School, Artist and Educator, National Gallery of Australia and Beth Beatty, Art Teacher and Art Therapist, Laconic Art. This workshop explores the benefits of socially engaged art making practice and "process over product" in a socially engaged workshop designed to empower participants and encourage the practice of collaborative social art making and its benefits. Participants will explore ideas of self identity and empowerment through reflective activities to inspire the development of their figure. Techniques in hand building and using an armature to develop a form will lead participants to create a clay figure representation. Participants will underglaze their figures and document them and their process. The figures will be fired and contribute to the collaborative Goddess Parade in Tamara’s Homeground Exhibition to be held in 2026. The parade represents the power of community collaboration and the exhibition is a celebration for participants who wish to join from across NSW and ACT. Figures can be collected after the exhibition. Participants are required to bring their own apron.
FreeSaturday Session 1 Breakout 7 - Artist-led Learning with the National Gallery of Australia ticket
Harriet Body, Creative Learning Convenor and Emma Hodges, Lead Artist Educator, National Gallery of Australia Our presentation will demonstrate Artist Educator practice through the delivery of a two-hour workshop for teachers, adapted from the National Gallery’s PACER program, Stories: Australian People and Places. The workshop will encourage participants to engage with the diverse stories, experiences, and practices of four Australian Artists through active creative learning experiences. These experiences will allow participants to build upon their knowledge and deepen their understanding in multiple ways including through embodied experiences, material play, and the use of imagination. Participants will make personal connections through drawing upon their own experiences and appreciating the experiences of others.
Harriet Body, Creative Learning Convenor and Emma Hodges, Lead Artist Educator, National Gallery of Australia Our presentation will demonstrate Artist Educator practice through the delivery of a two-hour workshop for teachers, adapted from the National Gallery’s PACER program, Stories: Australian People and Places. The workshop will encourage participants to engage with the diverse stories, experiences, and practices of four Australian Artists through active creative learning experiences. These experiences will allow participants to build upon their knowledge and deepen their understanding in multiple ways including through embodied experiences, material play, and the use of imagination. Participants will make personal connections through drawing upon their own experiences and appreciating the experiences of others.
FreeSaturday Session 1 Breakout 8 - Elaboratory of Colour (2 hour workshop) ticket
Dr Natalie O’Connor, Artist and Art Educator The Elaboratory of Colour: where pigment meets place, and the artist’s palette becomes a powerful tool for learning and discovery. Join artist and educator Dr Natalie O’Connor for The Elaboratory of Colour—a hands-on, immersive workshop where the worlds of science and art collide. Reconsider the artist’s palette through sensorial responses to landscape, playful pigment experimentation, and a critical look at historical colour conventions. Explore alternative ways of mixing and understanding material colour through the lens of contemporary art practice, challenging the systems that have long shaped how we teach and experience colour. Participants will leave with practical, adaptable classroom activities and techniques for both primary through to senior students. This immersive approach fosters a deeper understanding of material colour, enriching contemporary painting practices and cultivating a reflective connection to place. Materials for workshop supplied.
Dr Natalie O’Connor, Artist and Art Educator The Elaboratory of Colour: where pigment meets place, and the artist’s palette becomes a powerful tool for learning and discovery. Join artist and educator Dr Natalie O’Connor for The Elaboratory of Colour—a hands-on, immersive workshop where the worlds of science and art collide. Reconsider the artist’s palette through sensorial responses to landscape, playful pigment experimentation, and a critical look at historical colour conventions. Explore alternative ways of mixing and understanding material colour through the lens of contemporary art practice, challenging the systems that have long shaped how we teach and experience colour. Participants will leave with practical, adaptable classroom activities and techniques for both primary through to senior students. This immersive approach fosters a deeper understanding of material colour, enriching contemporary painting practices and cultivating a reflective connection to place. Materials for workshop supplied.
FreeSaturday Session 1 Breakout 10 - AI Alchemy in Visual Arts ticket
Janna Adams Tess, Director of Visual Arts, Sydney Grammar School and Jessica Priebe, Lecturer Art History and Theory, National Art School This hands-on workshop is ideal for educators seeking to understand how advancements in AI and decentralised web technologies are influencing creative and critical thinking in Visual Arts education. The workshop will highlight two recent case studies from Sydney Grammar Edgecliff Preparatory School (K-6) and Monte Sant’ Angelo Mercy College (Year 8), illustrating and providing practical insights into how AI and Metaverse technologies can be integrated into the K-6 Creative Arts Syllabus (2024) and Stage 4 of the 7-10 Creative Arts Syllabus (2024). Participants will paint, remix their artworks using AI tools, and then exhibit both artworks in an immersive virtual gallery on a Metaverse platform. The artworks will be inspired by the philosophy and paintings of Friedensreich Hundertwasser (1928–2000), an artist and ecological activist known for his “no straight lines” approach to art and architecture. The session will provide examples of how an artist’s work can guide educators in using AI and emerging technologies to help students make connections between and among the Artworld concepts. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in discussions on the affordances, limitations, challenges and ethical considerations of these technologies, while gaining practical insights into classroom application. The session will conclude with a virtual walk-through of the VADEA Metaverse gallery, where participants will interact with their artworks via avatars, reflecting on the potential of these technologies to reshape students’ art practices.
Janna Adams Tess, Director of Visual Arts, Sydney Grammar School and Jessica Priebe, Lecturer Art History and Theory, National Art School This hands-on workshop is ideal for educators seeking to understand how advancements in AI and decentralised web technologies are influencing creative and critical thinking in Visual Arts education. The workshop will highlight two recent case studies from Sydney Grammar Edgecliff Preparatory School (K-6) and Monte Sant’ Angelo Mercy College (Year 8), illustrating and providing practical insights into how AI and Metaverse technologies can be integrated into the K-6 Creative Arts Syllabus (2024) and Stage 4 of the 7-10 Creative Arts Syllabus (2024). Participants will paint, remix their artworks using AI tools, and then exhibit both artworks in an immersive virtual gallery on a Metaverse platform. The artworks will be inspired by the philosophy and paintings of Friedensreich Hundertwasser (1928–2000), an artist and ecological activist known for his “no straight lines” approach to art and architecture. The session will provide examples of how an artist’s work can guide educators in using AI and emerging technologies to help students make connections between and among the Artworld concepts. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in discussions on the affordances, limitations, challenges and ethical considerations of these technologies, while gaining practical insights into classroom application. The session will conclude with a virtual walk-through of the VADEA Metaverse gallery, where participants will interact with their artworks via avatars, reflecting on the potential of these technologies to reshape students’ art practices.
Free
Saturday Breakout Session 2 - 1:50-2:50pm
* Please select ONE Breakout Session 2 per admission ticket if you are attending on Saturday 24 May.
Saturday Session 2 Breakout 2 - From Past to Present: A Sketchbook Tour of the National Art School (repeat session) ticket
Cecilia Jackson, Education Coordinator, National Art School Embark on a creative journey through the National Art School campus. Led by Cecilia, this workshop will guide you through the rich history and distinctive architecture of the site. Along the way, you'll pause at key locations to create plein air studies, creating a visual record that bridges the past and present. Please note this is a repeat session.
Cecilia Jackson, Education Coordinator, National Art School Embark on a creative journey through the National Art School campus. Led by Cecilia, this workshop will guide you through the rich history and distinctive architecture of the site. Along the way, you'll pause at key locations to create plein air studies, creating a visual record that bridges the past and present. Please note this is a repeat session.
FreeSaturday Session 2 Breakout 3 - Serious Serendipity: Art Library Practice at the National Art School ticket
Lea Simpson, Head Librarian, National Art School Join National Art School Head Librarian Lea Simpson on a tour of expanded information and visual literacy approaches, collection adventures, and tightly packed programming delivered at the NAS Library. Go behind the scenes, explore the NAS Artist Book collection, learn about how you can access the NAS Library resources and more.
Lea Simpson, Head Librarian, National Art School Join National Art School Head Librarian Lea Simpson on a tour of expanded information and visual literacy approaches, collection adventures, and tightly packed programming delivered at the NAS Library. Go behind the scenes, explore the NAS Artist Book collection, learn about how you can access the NAS Library resources and more.
FreeSaturday Session 2 Breakout 4 - CAC: Beyond the Frame ticket
Celeste Wrona, Education Officer, and Samantha Relihan, Education and Creative Learning Programs Assistant - Campbelltown Arts Centre This immersive workshop invites participants to explore the rich interplay between artmaking and curatorial practice, uncovering how creative expression and exhibition choices shape meaning and audience engagement. Through hands-on mixed media artmaking, group curation, and guided discussions, participants will experience the artist-curator dynamic first hand—selecting themes, arranging works, and considering how curatorial decisions influence interpretation. With practical strategies for integrating these insights into teaching, aligned with the new NSW Visual Arts syllabuses, this workshop offers a fresh perspective on fostering creativity, critical thinking, and deeper connections to the artworld in the classroom.
Celeste Wrona, Education Officer, and Samantha Relihan, Education and Creative Learning Programs Assistant - Campbelltown Arts Centre This immersive workshop invites participants to explore the rich interplay between artmaking and curatorial practice, uncovering how creative expression and exhibition choices shape meaning and audience engagement. Through hands-on mixed media artmaking, group curation, and guided discussions, participants will experience the artist-curator dynamic first hand—selecting themes, arranging works, and considering how curatorial decisions influence interpretation. With practical strategies for integrating these insights into teaching, aligned with the new NSW Visual Arts syllabuses, this workshop offers a fresh perspective on fostering creativity, critical thinking, and deeper connections to the artworld in the classroom.
FreeSaturday Session 2 Breakout 8 - Implementing GenAI in NSW Art Education (repeat session) ticket
Nicole De Losa, Executive Member - VADEA NSW and Head of Department, Visual Arts at Trinity Grammar School As part of a collaborative professional learning team that reflected, applied and evaluated the use of GenAI in classrooms, the presenters incorporated a range of applications to enhance student art making and classroom learning. They participated in an academic writing workshop at UTS, where they co-wrote a yet to be published article on how their case studies extended their teaching practice in this innovative new opportunity for teachers. The Visual Arts initiatives they developed including enhancement of HSC Body of Works, Stage 4 art making tasks and developing art programs and resources for the classroom. Participants of this breakout will learn about the range of AI used and the ways GenAI was applied to the delivery and enhancement of Visual Arts teaching and learning. Please note this is a repeat of Friday's session.
Nicole De Losa, Executive Member - VADEA NSW and Head of Department, Visual Arts at Trinity Grammar School As part of a collaborative professional learning team that reflected, applied and evaluated the use of GenAI in classrooms, the presenters incorporated a range of applications to enhance student art making and classroom learning. They participated in an academic writing workshop at UTS, where they co-wrote a yet to be published article on how their case studies extended their teaching practice in this innovative new opportunity for teachers. The Visual Arts initiatives they developed including enhancement of HSC Body of Works, Stage 4 art making tasks and developing art programs and resources for the classroom. Participants of this breakout will learn about the range of AI used and the ways GenAI was applied to the delivery and enhancement of Visual Arts teaching and learning. Please note this is a repeat of Friday's session.
FreeSaturday Session 2 Breakout 9 - Elaboratory of Colour (1 hour workshop) (repeat session) ticket
Dr Natalie O’Connor, Artist and Art Educator The Elaboratory of Colour: where pigment meets place, and the artist’s palette becomes a powerful tool for learning and discovery. Join artist and educator Dr Natalie O’Connor for The Elaboratory of Colour—a hands-on, immersive workshop where the worlds of science and art collide. Reconsider the artist’s palette through sensorial responses to landscape, playful pigment experimentation, and a critical look at historical colour conventions. Explore alternative ways of mixing and understanding material colour through the lens of contemporary art practice, challenging the systems that have long shaped how we teach and experience colour. Participants will leave with practical, adaptable classroom activities and techniques for both primary through to senior students. This immersive approach fosters a deeper understanding of material colour, enriching contemporary painting practices and cultivating a reflective connection to place. Materials for workshop supplied. Please note this is a repeat session.
Dr Natalie O’Connor, Artist and Art Educator The Elaboratory of Colour: where pigment meets place, and the artist’s palette becomes a powerful tool for learning and discovery. Join artist and educator Dr Natalie O’Connor for The Elaboratory of Colour—a hands-on, immersive workshop where the worlds of science and art collide. Reconsider the artist’s palette through sensorial responses to landscape, playful pigment experimentation, and a critical look at historical colour conventions. Explore alternative ways of mixing and understanding material colour through the lens of contemporary art practice, challenging the systems that have long shaped how we teach and experience colour. Participants will leave with practical, adaptable classroom activities and techniques for both primary through to senior students. This immersive approach fosters a deeper understanding of material colour, enriching contemporary painting practices and cultivating a reflective connection to place. Materials for workshop supplied. Please note this is a repeat session.
Sold outFree
