2015 NSW Visual Arts Fellowship (Emerging)

The NSW Visual Arts Fellowship is Artspace’s key exhibition for profiling the dynamism and breadth of emerging contemporary artistic practice in NSW. Following on from the success of the 2014 edition, the 2015 presentation of the NSW Visual Arts Fellowship (Emerging) continues Artspace’s commitment to supporting artists through curatorial development and dialogue. Executive Director Alexie Glass- Kantor will co-curate the exhibition in collaboration with Artspace Curator Talia Linz, working closely with each of the 12 artists to further develop their work for the finalists’ presentation in November.

Each year delivers a highly competitive round of submissions, and Artspace would like to acknowledge the esteemed colleagues of the independent assessment panel who engaged with insight and passion when evaluating the proposals. Of the 12 finalists one artist will be awarded the fellowship (valued at $30,000) on the opening night of the exhibition, which this year will launch on Thursday 12 November.

Of the Fellowship, Alexie Glass-Kantor says, “The NSW Fellowship is a centrepiece exhibition in our annual program and the 2014 edition garnered unprecedented audience attendance and momentum. It is always a welcomed surprise to receive the list of finalists and we thank the judges for identifying this year’s extraordinary group of artists. We look forward to collaborating with the artists to realise an ambitious exhibition of new work. Artspace and Arts NSW share a commitment to supporting generations of emerging artists to achieve excellence and to celebrating contemporary art in NSW, indeed, the NSW Fellowship has an outstanding history and we are thrilled that we can work together to ensure that this tremendous award not only endures but continues to evolve.”

Deputy Premier and Minister for the Arts Troy Grant, said the Fellowship celebrates the commitment of the NSW Government to supporting the careers of emerging artists.

"The NSW Government is proud to offer this Fellowship as part of its commitment to supporting the professional development of artists in NSW. Improving the skills of emerging artists is a key focus of the Government’s new Create in NSW framework that guides strategy, investment and partnerships to grow a thriving, globally connected arts and cultural sector.”

The NSW Visual Arts Fellowship (Emerging) exhibition is one of the most well-attended and anticipated events in Artspace’s annual exhibition program. Showcasing the best of emerging practices in NSW, the exhibition is a critical platform for developing intelligent dialogue around the work of these 12 artists.

2015 NSW Visual Arts Fellowship (Emerging) Recipient: Heath Franco