NAVA In Action
What we're working on this year...
Photo by Jo-Anne Driessens.
ID: Libby Harward and Penelope Benton stand smiling side by side outside the AIATSIS Summit 2026 venue, both wearing conference lanyards and name badges. On the left, Libby wears a white AIATSIS Summit T-shirt, black skirt, red glasses, and a headband. On the right, Penelope wears a black jacket and black pants, white glasses and a woven pendant.
June 2026
- Penelope Benton and Libby Harward attended the AIATSIS Summit and presented on the Code of Practice for Visual Arts, Craft and Design, 1-2 June
- NAVA and Support Act co-presented a free information session on Support Act’s programs and services for First Nations practitioners working in the visual arts, craft and design sector, 2 June
- Janel Yau and Shoufay Derz met with ssi, 2 June
- Janel Yau and Holly Morrison met with Rockethouse, 3 June
- Penelope Benton and Shoufay Derz met with Marketing & Communications Manager, Creative Workplaces, 4 June
- NAVA made a submission to the National Cultural Policy consultation, 8 June
- Penelope Benton met with Andrew Reilly, Founder and Principal Consultant Sustainable Value, 9 June
- Donnalyn Xu met with Catherine Satour, First Nations Programs Manager, Support Act, 11 June
- Penelope Benton met with Studio OK OK and Rockethouse, 11 June
- Penelope Benton met with Anne Robertson, Executive Officer at Public Galleries Association of Victoria (PGAV) and Brett Adlington, Chief Executive Officer of Museums & Galleries NSW, 11 June
- Penelope Benton met with Rebekah Butler, Executive Director, Museums & Galleries Queensland, 12 June
- Penelope Benton met with Michelle Newton, Head of Visual Arts, Creative Australia, 12 June
- Penelope Benton met with Emma Rees, Director, Visual Arts and Design, Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts, 12 June Penelope Benton and Shoufay Derz attended RESET by Richard Bell, Sydney Town Hall, 13 June
- NAVA announced commitment to First Nations senior leadership pathway and congratulated Georgia Mokak in new role of First Nations Policy and Advocacy Manager, 15 June
- NAVA announced Payment Standards in Code of Practice to rise by 4.75%, 15 June
- NAVA AGM, 15 June
- NAVA welcomed Jacky Cheng and Caine Chennatt to the NAVA Board and farewelled outgoing Directors Sophia Cai, Kate Just and Co-Chair Liz Nowell, 15 June
- NAVA Board meeting, 15 June
- Shoufay Derz presented to UNSW Honours Professional Practice, 16 June
- Penelope Benton wrote to David Sudmalis Director Arts Tasmania, Kerri Glasscock Executive Director of Create NSW, Claire Febey CEO Creative Victoria, Chad Anderson has Director General of the Department of Creative Industries, Tourism and Sport (CITS) WA, Celia Reordan, Executive Director. Strategy and Programs, and Patricia Puzzi Senior Grants Manager at Arts Queensland, Clare Mockler Executive Director of Arts South Australia, Rebecca Kite and Georgia Hobbs Arts ACT, Georgia Thomas Director of Arts NT, 16 June
- Georgia Mokak met with Shane Bird, Department of Women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships and Multiculturalism (DWATSIPM), 17 June
- Penelope Benton met with the Hon. Leeanne Enoch MP, Queensland Shadow Minister for the Arts, 17 June
- Penelope Benton met with Angharad Wynne-Jones, Facilitator, Creative Climate, 18 June
- Penelope Benton participated in Steering Committee meeting #3 - Arts & Disability Code, 18 June
- Shoufay Derz and artist Paula do Prado, presented Artists at Work - Fees, Rights and Getting Paid as part of Accessible Arts' Advance Your Career series, 18 June
- Penelope Benton met with Michelle Newton, Head of Visual Arts, Creative Australia, 19 June
- Penelope Benton and Janel Yau attended the opening of Avatar: Forms of Vishnu at the Art Gallery of NSW, 19 June
- NAVA welcomed Jo Griffiths to the team as Communications and Advocacy Co-Manager, 22 June
- Donnalyn Xu co-presented a How to Arts Finances on with arts accountant, Michael Fox, for Kudos and Arc Creative UNSW, 23 June
- Penelope Benton wrote to the Hon. Vicki Ward MP, Victoria Minister for Creative Industries, 25 June
- Penelope Benton wrote to Claire Febey CEO, Shaun Comerford Head of Creative Industries and Zach Buchanan Director of Policy and Industry Development, Creative Victoria, 25 June
- NAVA co-signed and shared Open letter: Australia's creators are not a tech subsidy, 26 June
- Georgia Mokak and Donnalyn Xu met with Samantha Relihan and Celeste Wrona, Campbelltown Arts Centre, 30 June.
May 2026
- Shoufay Derz and Janel Yau presented information stall and workshop at Campbelltown Arts Centre (CAC) Creative Careers Expo 2026, 1 May
- NAVA published Notice of AGM, 1 May
- NAVA made a submission to the Inquiry into racism, hate and violence directed at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, 1 May
- NAVA published Introducing the proposed new NAVA Constitution, 3 May
- Penelope Benton spoke at public hearing for the Inquiry into arts and cultural philanthropy, 4 May
- Shoufay Derz met with Zanny Begg, Director Shoalhaven Regional Gallery, 6 May
- Penelope Benton cited by Kate Larsen in Drafting the next national cultural policy: 6 critical strategies for our sector, Arts Hub, 6 May
- Penelope Benton attended VIP pre-opening of the 61st International Art Exhibition (Venice Biennale 2026) 6 - 8 May
- Janel Yau and Holly Morrison met with Rockethouse, 6 May
- Georgia Mokak met with artists Bianca Bond and Libby Harward, Director and Founder Munimba-ja Arts Centre, 7 May
- Penelope Benton attended Artist Talk: The Gathering with Khaled Sabsabi, Michael Dagostino, Kathryn Weir, and Claire Dillon, 8 May
- NAVA published All In for National Reconciliation Week 2026, 8 May
- Penelope Benton attended Asia Forum at the Venice Biennale 2026: Minor Feelings, 9 May
- Penelope Benton met with Emma Fitch, Senior Solicitor Terri Janke and Company, 11 May
- Donnalyn Xu and Shoufay Derz met with Leahlani Johnson , Public Programs Coordinator Penrith Regional Gallery
- NAVA presented MINI: Communication and Conflict, free online workshop in partnership with Support Act, 12 May
- Georgia Mokak presented at Engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Straits Islander communities workshop #2 hosted by the City of Sydney, 13 May
- Georgia Mokak met with Bibi Barba, Policy Lead Aboriginal Strategy and Engagement Create NSW, 13 May
- Shoufay Derz attended Sharing & Solidarity Roundtable hosted by the Creative Cultural Diversity Network, 13 May
- NAVA published Why and how to make a submission to the National Cultural Policy consultation, 13 May
- NAVA responded to the 2026-27 Federal Budget, 13 May
- Penelope Benton quoted by Michael Bailey in War memorial a winner in budget, but arts funding stagnant, 13 May
- Penelope Benton quoted by Ima Caldwell in NAVA says budget fails to address ‘precarious’ working conditions for artists, The Guardian, 13 May
- Penelope Benton quoted by Richard Watts in Federal Budget 2026-27: the arts sector responds, Arts Hub, 13 May
- Donnalyn Xu and Shoufay Derz presented one-on-one conversations with artists as part of Section Sessions Long Table, hosted by Randwick City Council, 14 May
- Janel Yau attended Webinar: Creative Australia Four Year Investment for Organisations 2029-32, 14 May
- Donnalyn Xu and Shoufay Derz met with Hamish Swain and Ash King, Support Act, 18 May
- NAVA mentioned by Julie Ewington in The sixty-first Biennale of art: Art, death, and commerce in Venice, 19 May
- Australian creator groups send clear message to Government: Hold the line, 22 May
- Shoufay Derz attended Disability Confidence Training hosted by Accessible Arts, 25 May
- NAVA Board Election opened 25 May
- Donnalyn Xu presented the Code of Practice to students at Queensland College of Art and Design (QCAD), 26 May
- Georgia Mokak met with Nagula Jarndu, 27 May
- Penelope Benton attended Dinner is the show, presented by Studio A, 27 May
- Janel Yau, Andrea Srisurapon and Donnalyn Xu met with Cover for Creatives, 28 May
- Penelope Benton and Georgia Mokak attended ANKA artsworker forum, 29 May
- Penelope Benton met with Christina Davidson, CEO Arnhem Northern and Kimberley Artists (ANKA) Aboriginal Corporation, 29 May
- Georgia Mokak met with Aunty Martha Lee and Aunty Rowena Puertollano, Nagula Jarndu, 29 May
- NAVA made a submission to the Inquiry into the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Future Governance) Bill 2025, 29 May.
April 2026
- Australian creator groups welcomed the passage of the Copyright Amendment Bill, 1 April
- Penelope Benton met with Emma Rees, Director, and Callum Featherstone, Senior Policy Officer, Visual Arts and Design, Creative Industries Branch, Office for the Arts, 1 April
- Shoufay Derz met with artist Rachelle Esaid, 1 April
- Shoufay Derz met with Jane Stratton, CEO and Marian Abboud, Director Multilingual Programming, Think+DO Tank Foundation
- Penelope Benton met with Maud Page, Director Art Gallery of NSW, 1 April
- NAVA made a submission to the Inquiry into the Higher Education Support Amendment (Reverse Job-Ready Graduates Fee Hikes and End 50k Arts Degrees) Bill 2025, 10 April
- Penelope Benton attended We are surrounded by oceans curated by Salote Tawale, Artbank Sydney, 15 April
- Donnalyn Xu met with Josie Cavallaro, Community Projects and Partnerships Officer – Arts and Culture, Fairfield City Council, 16 April
- Georgia Mokak presented Introduction to the Code of Practice workshop at Revealed, WA 17 April
- Georgia Mokak held a NAVA stall at Revealed Art Market, Parth, 18 April
- The NAVA team presented to Professional Practice students, 3rd year Bachelor Visual Arts & Design ACU, 22 April
- Penelope Benton met with Tamara Winikoff AOM, 23 April
- NAVA mentioned by Nanci Nott in Top tips for building a sustainable arts practice in 2026, Arts Hub, 23 April
- Penelope Benton met with Gabrielle Sullivan, CEO Indigenous Art Code 24 April
- Penelope Benton attended artist talk Samuel Hodge in conversation with curator Kate Britton, Cassandra Bird Gallery 25 April
- Penelope Benton met with Suzanne Derry, Lawyer and Consultant 28 April
- National Advocates for Arts Education (NAAE) presented at the public hearing for Higher Education Support Amendment (Reverse Job-Ready Graduates Fee Hikes and End 50k Arts Degrees) Bill 2025, 28 April
- NAVA hosted visual arts sector discussion for National Cultural Policy: First Nations First 28 April
- Penelope Benton facilitated NAVA discussion Creatives in the Neighbourhood: AI, Arts, Ethics and Copyright, in collaboration with Fairfield City Council 28 April
- Penelope Benton participated in Consortium of Peak Bodies meeting, 29 April
- NAVA hosted visual arts sector discussion for National Cultural Policy: Pay the Artist 29 April
- Penelope Benton participated in CREATE Centre and National Advocates for Arts Education (NAAE) National Cultural Policy Briefing and Roundtable, 29 April
- NAVA cited in the report of NSW Portfolio Committee No. 6 - Transport and the Arts, Structure and funding of the arts, music, night-time economy, and transport portfolios, 29 April
- Georgia Mokak and Shoufay Derz presented Introduction to the Code of Practice workshop, hosted by Kingston Arts, 29 April
- NAVA hosted visual arts sector discussion for National Cultural Policy: Conditions of Practice, 30 April
- Penelope Benton attended the opening of Djalkiri: The Bula'bula Arts Archiving Project, curated by Coby Edgar, Delmar Gallery, 30 April.
March 2026
- Georgia Mokak attended and presented at BL:AK Camp, an artist residency in Gimuy/Cairns, delivered by Munimba-ja Arts Centre with support from Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF) and NorthSite Contemporary Arts, 1-10 March
- NAVA made a submission to the Inquiry into arts and cultural philanthropy, 2 March
- NAVA published The conditions of work are the productivity debate, 3 March
- NAVA published Why reversing Job-Ready Graduates matters for the arts, 3 March
- Shofay Derz and Janel Yau met with Amy Claire Mills, Accessible Arts NSW, 3 April
- Penelope Benton met with Kathryn Collins, KC & the Graphics Bandwagon, 5 March
- Penelope Benton attended Multi-Year Investment meeting hosted by Creative Australia, 5 March
- Penelope Benton attended the openings of Michaela Gleave Event Horizon and Ming Wong Fata Morgana (I) at Artspace, 5 March
- Penelope Benton and Janel Yau attended Venice Biennale In Conversation with Khaled Sabsabi and Michael Dagostino, 8 March
- Penelope Benton met with artist Oliver Watts, 9 March
- Janel Yau met with IC + Rockethouse, 11 March
- Holly Morrison attended Dealing with Death Within a Business webinar, 12 March
- Penelope Benton, Donnalyn Xu and Shoufay Derz met with Caroline Emment and Hamish Swain, Support Act, 12 March
- Janel Yau facilitated closed meeting with artists with lived experience of caring responsibilities to inform new content for NAVA’s Code of Practice, 12 March
- Donnalyn Xu met with Ebony Secombe, Fairfield City Museum and Gallery, 12 March
- Penelope Benton participated in Creative Climate Roundtable, 16 March
- Penelope Benton met with Michelle Newton, Head of Visual Arts, Creative Australia, 16 March
- NAVA First Nations Steering Group meeting, 17 March
- NAVA and Support Act co-presented REWIRE: Understanding Mental Health in the Visual Arts webinar, 18 March
- NAVA co-signed Education giants seek midnight raid on creator rights, 20 March
- NAVA cited in Noticeboard | March edition, Australasian Council of Deans of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (DASSH), 20 March
- Penelope Benton met with Katy Tyrell, Executive Officer Nelson Meers Foundation, 20 March
- Penelope Benton met with Michelle Newton, Head of Visual Arts, Creative Australia, 20 March
- Penelope Benton and Janel Yau met with artist Harriet Body, 23 March
- NAVA Finance and Audit Subcommittee, Development Subcommittee and Governance Subcommittee meetings, 23 March
- Penelope Benton met with Olivia Welch, NETS Australia Consultant and Susan Wacher, Exhibitions & Programs Manager, Museums & Galleries of NSW, 25 March
- Penelope Benton met with Anne Robertson, Executive Officer of Public Galleries Association of Victoria, Brett Adlington, CEO Museums & Galleries of NSW and Rebekah Butler, Executive Director Museums & Galleries Queensland, 26 March
- Penelope Benton met with Gillian Mercer, Director of Business Development and Partnerships, Creative Australia, 27 March
- NAVA Board meeting, 30 March
- Penelope Benton met with artists James Hillier and Scott Marsh, 30 March
- Holly Morrison attended Paid Parental Leave webinar, 31 March
- NAVA raises concern over lack of clarity in new hate speech laws impacting artists, 31 March
- NAVA cited by Richard Watts in Lack of clarity in new hate speech laws impacting artists, arts bodies warn, Arts Hub, 31 March.
- Donnalyn Xu met with Convo Australia, 31 March
February 2026
- NAVA published new Educator Guide for meaningful First Nations projects, written and illustrated by Dr Emma Hicks in consultation with Dr Christine Evans and edited by Jo Higgins, 2 February
- Penelope Benton met with Ros Abercrombie, Executive Director of Regional Arts Australia, 3 February
- NAVA published New federal laws relating to hate and extremism, 4 February
- Penelope Benton and Donnalyn Xu met with Josie Cavallaro, Community Projects & Partnerships Officer (Arts & Culture), Fairfield City Council, 5 February
- Exhibition & PULP Issue 25 Launch: How to dismantle the world (and still feel good about yourself in the morning) at Verge Gallery, 5 February
- NAVA welcomed Dr Shoufay Derz to the team as NSW Professional Development Coordinator, 9 February
- NAVA Board and staff held a strategic planning session, 9 February
- NAVA quoted by Nick Dent in Shuttered art museum to reopen after flood damage, funding cuts, SMH, 9 February
- Penelope Benton participated in Visual Art peak organisations catch up with Creative Workplaces,10 February
- Janel Yau presented to the Local Government Public Art Network, 10 February
- NAVA team undertook a Cultural Cruise with Tribal Warrior, 11 Feb
- Penelope Benton met with Kate Eltham, Co-CEO & Business Director of BlakDance, 12 February
- Penelope Benton and Georgia Mokak met with Hamish Balnaves, 12 February
- Penelope Benton attended the openings of Oliver Watts: Calypso at Chalkhorse and Liz Bradshaw: I didn’t expect to live this long at National Art School, 12 February
- Penelope Benton participated in a cross artform meeting with the Office for Social Cohesion, Office for the Arts and Department of Home Affairs, 13 February
- Penelope Benton facilitated a cross artform meeting with the Hon Tony Burke MP, Minister for the Arts, 16 February
- Penelope Benton met with Lucy Harward, Executive Director of the Australian Society of Authors, 16 February
- Penelope Benton met with Lena Nahlous, CEO of Diversity Arts Australia, 16 February
- Penelope Benton met with Amrit Gill, Artistic Director & CEO of 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art, 16 February
- Penelope Benton met with Ros Abercrombie, Executive Director, Regional Arts Australia, 16 February
- Penelope Benton met with Emma Fitch and Dylan Bender, Terri Janke and Company, 17 February
- Shoufay Derz and Donnalyn Xu hosted an information stand at UNSW Art & Design (A&D) T1 Community Day, 18 February
- Georgia Mokak attended the opening of Judith Anya Samson Anya’s Puntawarri World! At Agency Projects 18 February
- Janel Yau and Penelope Benton met with Danica Knezevic, 19 February
- Georgia Mokak met with Kent Morris and artists at The Torch, 19 February
- Georgia Mokak attended Melbourne Art Fair Vernissage, 19 February
- Georgia Mokak met with Yhonnie Scarce, 20 February
- Georgia Mokak met with this mob arts collective, 20 February
- NAVA made a submission to the Senate Inquiry into Productivity in Australia, 20 February
- Janel Yau and Holly Morrison met with IncluD, 23 February
- Janel Yau met with Danica Knezevic, 23 February
- Penelope Benton met with Jane Theau, President of Craft Australia, 24 February
- Penelope Benton met with Michelle Newton, Head of Visual Arts, Creative Australia
- NAVA presented Untangling Insurance webinar with Cover for Creatives insurance brokers and artist Keroshin Govender, 25 February
- Penelope Benton met with Olivia Horner, Project Officer, Development and Partnerships, Creative Australia, 25 February
- Shoufay Derz and Donnalyn Xu hosted an information stand at National Art School Orientation Day, 26 February.
January 2026
- NAVA reopened 5 January
- NAVA shared a message to NAVA Members affected by extreme weather, 12 January
- NAVA responded to NSW Parliamentary Inquiry Measures to prohibit slogans that incite hatred, 12 January
- NAVA published Invasion Day/Survival Day Solidarity Statement 2026, 13 January
- Penelope Benton met with Amrit Gill, CEO Theatre Network Australia (TNA), 14 January
- Penelope Benton met with artist Alex Seton, 14 January
- NAVA made a submission to the Review of the Exposure Draft Legislation: Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism Bill 2026 Inquiry, 15 January
- Penelope Benton met with Lena Nahlous, Diversity Arts Australia (DARTS), 15 January
- Penelope Benton met with Joanna Vaughan, Adviser to the Hon Tony Burke MP, Guy Betts, Adviser to the Hon Susan Templeman MP, Jesse Fatnowna, Assistant Secretary, Creative Industries Branch, Office for the Arts as well as Amrit Gill CEO Theatre Network Australia (TNA), Ros Abercrombie CEO Regional Arts Australia, Jamie Lewis and Liz Nowell, Co-Chairs, NAVA, 16 January
- Penelope Benton met with Michelle Newton, Head of Visual Arts, Creative Australia, 16 January
- Penelope Benton attended the opening night of SEARCHERS at National Art School (NAS) Gallery, 22 January
- Penelope Benton met with Ros Abercrombie, CEO Regional Arts Australia 23 January
- The NAVA team participated in Invasion Day/Survival Day events, 26 January
- Georgia Mokak and Donnalyn Xu met with Lily Sawenko, 29 January
- NAVA made a Pre-Budget Submission 2026-27 to Treasury, 29 January
- Penelope Benton attended the opening of Thea Anamara Perkins Reverie at N.Smith Gallery, 31 January.
