Ellen Ferrier, Ellie Hannon, Ali Noble, Vedika Rampal, Joel Sherwood Spring and Ali Tahayori have been named as the finalists for the Create NSW and Artspace 2025 NSW Visual Arts Fellowship (Emerging). These six shortlisted emerging visual artists will receive invaluable support, curatorial advocacy and exposure to the industry and wider NSW arts audiences.
The long-standing fellowship has been a successful platform for nurturing the immense talent within NSW’s visual arts community for more than 120 years. In partnership with Create NSW and Artspace, the annual NSW Visual Arts Fellowship (Emerging) opportunity supports emerging visual arts practitioners to challenge and expand their practice under the mentorship of Artspace’s curatorial team.
This important curatorial support will see the six shortlisted applicants realise works for the 2025 NSW Visual Art Fellowship (Emerging) Exhibition at Artspace, Sydney, in August 2025. At the exhibition official launch, one shortlisted artist will be named as recipient of the prestigious $30,000 fellowship, enabling the emerging artist to undertake a self-directed program of professional development and significant career advancement.
Previous recipients of the Fellowship include Gillian Kayrooz (2024), Morgan Hogg (2023), Eddie Abd (2022), Dennis Golding (2020), Shivanjani Lal (2019), Claudia Nicholson (2017), Consuelo Cavaniglia (2016), Heath Franco (2015), Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran (2014), Jamie North (2013), Soda Jerk (2011), Khaled Sabsabi (2010), Diego Bonetto (2008) and Tony Schwenson (1988).
Top row L–R: Ellen Ferrier, photograph by Kristen Augeard; Ellie Hannon, photograph by Bonnie-Grace Dwyer; Ali Noble, photograph by Richard Healey-Finlay. Bottom row L–R: Verdika Rampal, photograph by Liam Macann; Joel Sherwood Spring, SAVAGE SYSTEMSTM, (still), 2024, courtesy the artist; Ali Tahayori, photograph by Jacquie Manning
Michelle Newton, Interim Executive Director, Artspace said: “The NSW Visual Arts Fellowship (Emerging) program, presented at Artspace, brings together early career artists in conversation with an early career curator, mentored by the Artspace senior curatorial. This is really an opportunity for them to build new networks, develop skills and present their work in a generative, inspiring and professional environment.”
