2025 NSW Visual Arts Fellowship (Emerging) Opening

The NSW Visual Arts Fellowship (Emerging) program celebrates the dynamism of early-career artists in New South Wales. Presented in partnership with Create NSW, a shortlist of finalists is selected each year by an independent panel of esteemed industry peers to work closely with an early-career curator. Within this supportive environment, artists are encouraged to be experimental, expansive, and risk-taking, developing ambitious presentations for a group exhibition at Artspace. Grounded in professional development, the program fosters artistic innovation, peer relationships, curatorial advocacy, collaboration and network building. Representing a breadth of conceptual and material explorations, the VAF(E) exhibition offers an insightful survey into how emerging artists are pushing boundaries and engaging with the critical ideas of our times. 

From these six finalists, one will be the recipient of $30,000 to undertake a self-directed program of professional development, supported by the NSW Government through Create NSW. The recipient will be announced at the exhibition opening night on Thursday 21 August, 6.30pm. 

The 2025 shortlisted finalists are Ellen Ferrier, Ellie Hannon, Ali Noble, Vedika Rampal, Joel Sherwood-Spring and Ali Tahayori, who have all been working with Sarah Rose, Artspace’s Associate Curator.