Overview

Artspace announces an exciting new four-year partnership with Parramatta Artists Studios. 

This new initiative will see Artspace and Parramatta Artists Studios (PAS) working collaboratively to further support artists in Western Sydney through curatorial dialogue, mentorship and advocacy.

To inaugurate this partnership, current PAS artists Tarik Ahlip, Linda Brescia, Hossein Ghaemi,Elena Papanikolakis, Paul Williams and writer Felicity Castagna have worked closely with Artspace curators through a series of studio visits and mentored exchanges over the past three months. This will culminate in an exhibition in Artspace’s Ideas Platform, co-curated by Artspace Executive Director, Alexie Glass-Kantor and Artspace Curator, Talia Linz in dialogue with Parramatta Studios Coordinator, Sophia Kouyoumdjian.

The PAS exhibition at Artspace is timed deliberately to coincide with the annual NSW Visual Arts Fellowship (Emerging), reflecting the creative synergies of practitioners working across New South Wales. As well as PAS alumni Heath Franco, Leahlani Johnson, Tom Polo and Mason Kimber, this year’s Fellowship also includes Lucas Davidson, Stevie Fieldsend, Emily Hunt, Biljana Jancic, Sarah Mosca, Nicola Smith, Angela Tiatia and Justine Varga.

Alexie Glass-Kantor states that, ‘Many of Sydney’s gutsiest artists continue to emerge out of Western Sydney — often from the direct support of Parramatta Artists Studios, as is demonstrated in this exciting new initiative, as well as in this year’s Fellowship. The investment of PAS in studios and residency opportunities aligns with Artspace’s core program and commitment to supporting living artists; and it is through this synergy that we’ve been able to develop this partnership.’ She continues, ‘Ever since joining Artspace, I have been keen to collaborate with PAS to extend our capacity for mentorship and advocacy to artists living and working in Western Sydney, and to provide our audiences with direct sightlines between cultural precincts across NSW. We thank Sophia and the artists at PAS for being so welcoming and we look forward to the evolution of our partnership over the next four years.’

This exhibition is presented in partnership with Parramatta Artists Studios. Parramatta Artists Studios is an initiative of Parramatta City Council.