NAVA In Action 2025
What we're working on this year...
Services and Creative Skills Australia (SaCSA) Arts Strategic Workforce Advisory Group (SWAG) at the Melbourne Fringe Common Rooms, Trades Hall building, 19 November. Photo courtesy SaSCA.
ID: A group of around twenty people standing together indoors in two rows, smiling at the camera. They are on a dark wooden floor with a black backdrop behind them, dressed in a mix of bright and neutral outfits.
December 2025
- NAVA Board meeting, 1 December
- Holly Morrison attended EquiArts Forum - Visual Arts, 1 December
- Penelope Benton participated in panel discussion Art and Design in times of AI as part of the ACUADS Conference 2025: Disobedience, alongside Angie Abdilla and Janni McCutcheon, facilitated by Ionat Zurr, 2 December
- NAVA published 2025 Year in Review, and Updating NAVA’s Constitution, 3 December
- Holly Morrison attended Managing cash flow: what Payday Super means for your business, 3 December
- Georgia Mokak met with Shay Vigona Goudge, Chief Executive Officer at Artback NT, 4 December
- Penelope Benton participated in Arts Peak Organisations quarterly meeting, 4 December
- Ed Steane, Director and Jeremy Kelshaw Executive Director, Portfolio Collaboration, Office of the Secretary, NSW Department of Creative Industries, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport (DCITHS), 4 December
- NAVA made a submission to the NSW Inquiry into the Structure and Funding of the Arts, Music, Night-Time Economy and Transport Portfolios, 5 December
- Penelope Benton met with Lisa Havilah, CEO Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences (MAAS), 5 December
- Penelope Benton attended the opening of Ron Mueck: Encounter at the Art Gallery of NSW, 5 December
- Georgia Mokak attended the opening of the 5th National Indigenous Art Triennial: After the Rain, curated by Tony Albert, 5 December
- Penelope Benton met with Michelle Newton, Head of Visual Arts Creative Australia, 8 December
- Penelope Benton met with Maud Page, Director Art Gallery of NSW, 8 December
- Penelope Benton attended Productivity, AI and the Future of Australian Culture, hosted by Australian Cultural Policy Association, 8 December
- Penelope Benton presented at the first hearing of the NSW Transport and the Arts Portfolio Committee's Inquiry into the structure and funding of the Arts, Music, Night-time Economy, and Transport portfolios, NSW Parliament House, 10 December
- Georgia Mokak met with artist Nadine Lee, 10 December
- Penelope Benton attended annual creative update with Minister John Graham, hosted by the Committee for Sydney, UTS, 12 December
- Georgia Mokak attended Sydney ICIP Gathering, hosted by Create NSW, EORA Centre, 15 December
- NAVA responded to the Attorney General’s Department, Copyright and Artificial Intelligence consultation paper, 15 December
- The NAVA team farewelled Emma Pham, NSW Professional Development Coordinator, 16 December
- Penelope Benton wrote to the Hon Anthony Albanese MP (Prime Minister), the Hon Tony Burke MP (Minister for the Arts) and Susan Templeman MP (Special Envoy for the Arts) 19 December
- NAVA office closed from 19 December 2025. Reopens 5 January 2026
November 2025
- Holly Morrison and Janel Yau met with Simon Turk, Co-Founder IncluD, 3 November
- NAVA published Payday Super, 4 November
- NAVA published Caring as Practice: Balancing Art, Work and Love, 4 November
- Penelope Benton met with Alex Wisser, artist and co-founder of Cementa Festival, 4 November
- Penelope Benton met with artist Tom Polo, 4 November
- Holly Morrison and Janel Yau met with Simon Turk, Co-Founder IncluD, 10 November
- Donnalyn Xu and Penelope Benton met with Ash King and Hamish Swain, Support Act, 11 November
- Luke Briscoe attended Practical Online Fundraising Workshop for Grassroot Community Organisations webinar, 11 November
- Penelope Benton participated in Arts and Disability Code of Practice 2nd Steering Committee Meeting, 11 November
- Georgia Mokak attended Kaylene Whiskey Community Day at National Portrait Gallery, 13 November
- Georgia Mokak met with independent arts worker Cara Kirkwood, Clothilde Bullen, Lead, Cultural Strategy and Development Edith Cowan University (ECU) and Narelda Jacobs, journalist, newsreader, and television presenter, 13 November
- Donnalyn Xu and Penelope Benton met with Brett Adlington, CEO Museums & Galleries NSW, 13 November
- Georgia Mokak attended the opening of Kaylene Whiskey Super Kaylene Whiskey at National Portrait Gallery, 14 November
- Penelope Benton attended the opening of “rūḥ al-rūḥ – jan-e janān” Elyas Alavi, Ayman Kaake, Ali Tahayori and Kia Zand, curated by Tahmina Maskinyar, West Space, 15 November
- Penelope Benton visited We Are Exploding by Emily Parsons-Lord at Abbotsford Convent, 16 November
- Penelope Benton met with Anne Robertson, Executive Officer Public Galleries Association of Victoria (PGAV), 17 November
- NAVA Development Subcommittee meeting, 17 November
- Penelope Benton visited the Rigg Design Prize at The Ian Potter Centre, National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), 17 November
- Penelope Benton met with ABC reporter Samuel Yang, 17 November
- Penelope Benton met with Angharad Wynne-Jones, Strategist and Facilitator Creative Climate, and Eliki Reade, Organiser, A Climate for Art, 18 November
- Penelope Benton met with curator and writer Patrice Sharkey, 17 November
- Penelope Benton participated in a full-day SaCSA’s Arts Strategic Workforce Advisory Group (SWAG) meeting, 19 November
- Georgia Mokak met with Jo-Anne Driessens, Artists in the Black Coordinator, Arts Law, 20 November
- Georgia Mokak attended Open Competitive IVAIS grant round 2025 Session 1 webinar, 20 November
- Penelope Benton attended In dialogue: Data Dreams, Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA), 22 November
- Georgia Mokak met with Merindah Donnelly, Executive Director Blak Dance, 24 November
- Holly Morrison attended Access Ideas and Insights: Disability Leadership webinar, 24 November
- Penelope Benton met with Hannah Mathews, Director/CEO, Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts (PICA), 26 November
- Penelope Benton met with Channon Goodwin, Convenor All Conference, 27 November
- NAVA made a submission to the Senate Inquiry into the Copyright Amendment Bill, 27 November.
October 2025
- Georgia Mokak, Janel Yau and Emma Pham met with Carla Daroza and Adam Broughton, Terri Janke and Company, 2 October
- Georgia Mokak, Janel Yau, Emma Pham, Donnalyn Xu and Ju Bavkya undertook Deaf awareness and Auslan training, 2 October
- Penelope Benton attended the opening of Mike Hewson The Key's Under the Mat at Art Gallery of NSW, 3 October
- NAVA published The Art of Tax Reform: Summit summary, 6 October
- Penelope Benton quoted by Gina Fairley in Strangled by superannuation: I’m a struggling artist, but I have to pay super, Arts Hub 6 October
- NAVA published NAVA opposes AI exceptions in Productivity Commission submission, 7 October
- NAVA published World Mental Health Day and the cost of precarity in the visual arts, 7 October
- Penelope Benton met with Kate Schaffner, Director Creative Workplaces, 7 October
- Penelope Benton met with Kate Fielding, CEO A New Approach (ANA), 8 October
- Penelope Benton met with Michelle Newton, Head of Visual Arts Creative Australia, 9 October
- NAVA made a supplementary submission to the Senate Inquiry into National Cultural Policy, 9 October
- NAVA opened survey as part of Code of Practice Consultation on Carers and Support Workers, 9 October
- Penelope Benton met with Susan Templeman MP, Special Envoy for the Arts, 10 October
- Penelope Benton attended the memorial for Fiona Winning, Sydney Opera House, 13 October
- Georgia Mokak met with Isabel Wilson, Communications Officer, Aboriginal Culture, Heritage & Arts Association (ACHAA), 14 October
- Penelope Benton met with Rebekah Butler, Executive Director Museums & Galleries Queensland, 15 October
- Penelope Benton attended the opening of Tom Blake index of a stream at N.Smith and Sarah Contos VERTICAL HOLD at STATION Gallery, 17 October
- NAVA announced Early leadership gift sets momentum for NAVA’s AusArt Day campaign, 20 October
- Emma Pham and Donnalyn Xu presented NAVA stall and drop-in service at USyd's FutureReady event, 21 October
- Penelope Benton participated in Visual Arts, Craft and Design peak organisations meeting with Creative Workplaces, 22 October
- Emma Pham met with Celeste Wrona, Samantha Relihan and Bronwyn Papantonio, Campbelltown Arts Centre, 22 October
- NAVA team undertook a Handling Tough Calls: Practical Skills Workshop by Hey Mate, 22 October
- NAVA participated in Creative Australia’s AusArt Day, 23 October
- Holly Morrison attended Psychological Health Regulations: A focus on risk management webinar, 27 October
- NAVA welcomed government decision to reject AI copyright exemption, 27 October
- Penelope Benton quoted in Federal Government to ensure Australia is prepared for future copyright challenges emerging from AI, Australia Arts Review, 27 October
- Penelope Benton quoted by Jason Blake in Australian government rules out Text and Data Mining (TDM) exception for AI training, Limelight 27 October
- NAVA cited by Ben Davis in After Fierce Outcry From Arts Groups, Australia Changes Course on A.I., Artnet News, 28 October
- Penelope Benton and Janel Yau attended Attorney General’s Department Copyright & AI Reference Group (CAIRG) meeting, 28 October
- Penelope Benton and Janel Yau met with Michael Anderson, Partner, Tax, BDO, 29 October
- Penelope Benton attended Garden Reflexxx Presents: Music, Sydney Opera House, 29 October
- Penelope Benton quoted by Linda Morris in ‘Feels like my heart’s been ripped out’: Centre latest casualty of arts funding crunch, Sydney Morning Herald, 30 October.
September 2025
- Penelope Benton met with Rosina Hislop, national facilitator with the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD), 1 September
- NAVA Governance Subcommittee meeting, 1 September
- Penelope Benton met with Eileen Camilleri, Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Copyright Council, 2 September
- NAVA published Artists call for consent and compensation in AI training, 2 September
- Penelope Benton met with Dr Kate Warren, University Art Museums (UAMs) researcher for Creative Australia, 2 September
- Penelope Benton met with Brett Adlington, Chief Executive Officer of Museums & Galleries of NSW, 3 September
- Penelope Benton participated in National Advocates for Art Education (NAAE) Term 3 meeting, 3 September
- Janel Yau participated in Australian Curriculum (AC) Arts Professional Associations and Academies, 4 September
- Penelope Benton met with Anne Robertson, Executive Officer of Public Galleries Association of Victoria, 9 September
- Penelope Benton attended the opening of XENO by Linda Dement at Damien Minton Gallery, September
- Georgia Mokak met with artist Nadine Lee, 10 September
- Penelope Benton attended First Nations Imagine Talk: From Consultation to Co-Creation: Strengthening Relational Practice hosted by Diversity Arts Australia, 10 September
- Penelope Benton attended the opening preview of Sydney Contemporary, 10 September
- Penelope Benton met with Emma Rees, Cherisse Lyons, Lisa O’Brien and Callum Featherstone, Office for the Arts, 11 September
- Penelope Benton attended Are you ok? in the Creative Arts: Checking In, Backstage and Beyond, hosted by Support Act, 11 September
- Penelope Benton published Artists say AI scraping without permission isn't innovation, it's exploitation, Independent Australia, 12 September
- Penelope Benton met with Claire Watson, Director of National Exhibitions Touring Support (NETS) Victoria, 15 September
- NAVA made a submission to the Productivity Commission’s Harnessing data and digital technology inquiry, 15 September
- Emma Pham met with Jane Wade, Creative Producer at Utp, 16 September
- Donnalyn Xu and Emma Pham hosted NAVA stall at UNSW Art & Design Community Day, 17 September
- Holly Morrison attended Living with Psychological Disorders at Work, 17 September
- Penelope Benton met with Michelle Newton, Head of Visual Arts, Creative Australia, 18 September
- Penelope Benton met with Adrian Collette, Chief Executive Officer and Alice Nash, Executive Director of Arts Investment, Creative Australia, 18 September
- NAVA published Visual artists lead the call for tax reform, 22 September
- Penelope Benton quoted by Gina Fairley in Government’s tax reform for the arts tabled – but will it be enacted?, Arts Hub, 22 September
- Janel Yau and Penelope Benton met with Stripe and Rockethouse representatives, 23 September
- Holly Morrison attended Active Listening, Not Fixing: Building Deeper Connections in Relationships, 24 September
- Penelope Benton attended the Art of Tax Reform Summit hosted by the NSW Government, Sydney Opera House, 25 September
- Penelope Benton attended the opening of Alex Seton The Fabulists at Sullivan + Strumpf, 25 September
- Penelope Benton interviewed by Kim Goldsmith, ABC Western Plains Breakfast Program, 29 September
- NAVA Board meeting, 29 September
- Penelope Benton quoted by Gina Fairley in Fact sheet: Superannuation for artists – what you need to know, Arts Hub, 30 September.
August 2025
- NAVA published ANU’s proposed restructure threatens studio-based art education, 4 August
- Penelope Benton quoted by Gina Fairley in You’re killing me: tax reform for artists is needed now, Arts Hub, 5 August
- NAVA mentioned by Paul Sakkal in Leaked letters and closed-door talks with PM: Media bosses’ AI fight, Sydney Morning Herald, 6 August
- Georgia Mokak attended the National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (NATSIAA) cultural keepers tour, 6 August
- Georgia Mokak and Janel Yau attended Indigenous fashion awards, Darwin 6 August
- Georgia Mokak and Janel Yau attended opening ceremony of the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair (DAAF) 7 August
- Georgia Mokak and Janel Yau presented a NAVA information stall at the Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair (DAAF) 8 - 11 August
- Donnalyn Xu presented to RMIT Art Enterprise Workshop (AEW) students, 8 August
- Penelope Benton attended the opening of Hannah Buck, LAST DAYS ON EARTH at Our Neon Foe, 9 August
- NAVA mentioned by Gina Fairley in ‘I’m tired of barely being paid.’ Artists are living below the poverty line, Arts Hub, 12 August
- Penelope Benton and Leya Reid met with Jordan Ward and Jonty Boshier, Australian Public Policy Institute (APPI) 18 August
- NAVA submitted to the NSW Government’s consultation on opportunities for tax reform to support the arts and creative industries, 18 August
- NAVA hosted Parenting in the Arts consultation for the Code of Practice, 20 August
- Penelope Benton and Janel Yau met with Rockethouse 21 Aug
- Penelope Benton attended the opening of the NSW Visual Arts Fellowship (Emerging) and EJ Son: Fountain, Artspace 21 August
- NAVA published Parenting in the Arts: insights from the Code consultation, 21 August
- NAVA published GST hits artists harder than most, 21 August
- Penelope Benton and Janel Yau met Marc Goldenfein, co-founder ArtsPay, 22 August
- NAVA cautions against premature AI agreement, 22 August
- NAVA Development Subcommittee meeting 25 August
- Janel Yau and Georgia Mokak presented a Professional Development Workshop at Diversity Arts Australia, 27 August
- Janel Yau and Holly Morrison met with Liz Martin, CEO Accessible Arts NSW, 27 August
- Penelope Benton attended the launch of Liveworks 2025, Performance Space, 28 August
- Penelope Benton attended the opening of Matters of Time: Contemporary Metal Practices; Emma Fielden: The Sky Swallowed a Stone; and Mason Kimber: A Caressing Gaze, 29 August
- Janel Yau attended the opening of Kaldor Public Art Project 38, AGNSW, 29 August
- Emma Pham and Janel Yau presented a NAVA information stall at the Deaf Festival Sydney, 30 August.
July 2025
- NAVA published Update to Payment Standards and new content in NAVA’s Code of Practice, 1 July
- Penelope Benton met with Tamara Winikoff, 2 July
- Georgia Mokak met with Nadine Lee, 2 July
- NAVA welcomed reinstatement of Artistic Team for 2026 Venice Biennale, 3 July
- Penelope Benton featured in Creative Australia reinstates artist Khaled Sabsabi for Venice Biennale by Phoebe Deas and Angelica Waite, SBS News, 3 July
- Penelope Benton cited by Kelly Burke in Creative Australia apologises to Khaled Sabsabi for ‘hurt and pain’ after Venice Biennale reinstatement, The Guardian, 3 July
- Penelope Benton cited by Linda Morris and Kerri O’Brien in ‘Creative Australia is not fit-for-purpose’: Arts heavyweights demand answers, Sydney Morning Herald, 3 July
- Penelope Benton cited by Richard Phillips in Artist Khaled Sabsabi and curator reinstated to represent Australia at Venice Biennale, World Socialist Web Site, 4 July
- Penelope Benton attended the opening of Claire Healy & Sean Cordeiro Cheese Grease Geomancy and Sally Scales Atunmananyi munu Kanyini - Holding and Protecting Country, N. Smith Gallery, 4 July
- NAVA cited by Linda Morris in The bold plan to use tax reform to boost Australia’s struggling culture sector, Sydney Morning Herald, 5 July
- NAVA cited in Art of Tax Reform Summit to deliver recommendations for next National Cultural Policy, Australasian Leisure Management, 5 July
- Penelope Benton attended the National Indigenous Art Fair 2025, 5 July
- NAVA cited by Linda Morris in ‘We got nothing’: Axe falls on galleries and the state’s only design centre, Sydney Morning Herald, 7 July
- NAVA published The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy #NAIDOC2025, 7 July
- Penelope Benton and Donnalyn Xu met with Clive Miller, CEO of Support Act, 8 July
- NAVA released Artificial Intelligence (AI) and visual arts practice survey, 8 July
- NAVA published Area Coded recordings, 8 July
- Penelope Benton attended the opening of The Neighbour at the Gate at National Art School 10 July
- Georgia Mokak and Emma Pham hosted NAVA’s stall at the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF), and spoke with artists and arts workers about the Code of Practice for Visual Arts, Craft and Design, 10-13 July 2025.
- Georgia Mokak and Emma Pham went to Cairns Art Gallery
- Penelope Benton met with Lena Nahlous, CEO & Executive Producer, Diversity Arts Australia, 14 July
- NAVA team met with Hey Mate, 16 July
- Holly Morrison and Janel Yau met with Adrian Addie and Alex McKay, Rockethouse
- NAVA published The Art of Tax Reform: Have your say, 16 July
- Penelope Benton met with Amrit Gill, CEO of Theatre Network Australia (TNA), 17 July
- NAVA welcomed Luke Briscoe, Yalanji man (Kubirriwarra & Julaywarra) to the team in the role of Development Officer, 21 July
- National Advocates for Arts Education (NAAE), of which NAVA is a member, cited by Jason Blake in National advocates for arts education urges ANU to reconsider restructure, Limelight, 21 July
- Emma Pham led Creative Impact webinar: Artist payment standards with Sarah Rose associate curator and executive assistant at Artspace, presented by NAVA and the City of Sydney, 22 July
- Penelope Benton cited by Gina Fairley in Parenting in the arts: NAVA sets some workplace rules, Arts Hub, 22 July
- NAVA cited by Lars Brandle in NSW Gov’t Will Gather Creative Industries For ‘Landmark’ Art of Tax Reform Summit, The Music Network, 22 July
- NAVA published Creating space for artist parents and families by Nicole Monks, 22 July
- Penelope Benton cited by Kerri O’Brien in Call to strip arts institutions of funding over antisemitism raises alarm bells, Sydney Morning Herald, 23 July
- Penelope Benton met with Bronwyn Coulston, Stakeholder Engagement Manager – Arts and Alex Joiner-Knoop, Stakeholder Engagement - General Manager - Policy and Government Relations, Services and Creative Skills Australia (SaSCA), 23 July
- Janel Yau and Georgia Mokak met with Simone Jordan, Project Manager and Kevin Bathman Strategic Projects Producer, Diversity Arts Australia, 24 July
- Janel Yau and Georgia Mokak met with Caity Reynolds, General Manager, First Draft
- NAVA made a submission to Treasury’s Economic Reform Roundtable consultation, 25 July
- NAVA co-signed a collaborative submission to Treasury’s Economic Reform Roundtable consultation with representatives of Australia’s creative industries, copyright holders, and content licensing bodies, including music, art, books, audio and news media organisations, 25 July
- Penelope Benton attended Tax Reform Roundtable hosted by Allegra Spender MP, Federal Member for Wentworth, 25 July
- NAVA Board meeting 28 July
- Penelope Benton and Janel Yau met with Cheryl Yates, Head of Visual Arts Licensing and Rosanna Arciuli, Manager Partnerships and Stakeholder Engagement, Copyright Agency, 29 July
- Penelope Benton attended the opening of Tina Havelock Stevens Naytcha Nurture at Cassandra Bird gallery, 30 August
- Penelope Benton participated in Arts and Disability Code of Practice Steering Committee Meeting, 31 August
- Penelope Benton attended the opening of The Weight of Stillness, curated by Mikala Tai at Ames Yavuz gallery, 31 August.
June 2025
- NAVA hosted Activate Your Activism: An Access, Ethics and Cultural Rights Workshop facilitated by Bedelia Lowrencev, M. Sunflower and Imogen Yang, 2 June
- Georgia Mokak met with Emma Hicks, 3 June
- Janel Yau met with Liz Martin, CEO Accessible Arts NSW, 5 June
- NAVA published NAVA questions NT Government’s backflip on new gallery, 5 June
- NAVA published Legislative reform is essential to secure artists’ futures, 10 June
- NAVA published Centre the artist by paying them, 11 June
- Emma Pham met with Sarah Rose, Associate Curator and Executive Assistant at Artspace Sydney, 11 June
- Georgia Mokak met with Nadine Lee, 11 June
- Penelope Benton met with Joanna Vaughan, Adviser to Tony Burke MP, Minister of the Arts, and Emma Rees, Director Visual Arts and Design, Office for the Arts, 12 June
- Penelope Benton met with Emma Rees, Director Visual Arts and Design, Office for the Arts, 16 June
- Georgia Mokak met with Gordon Hookey, 16 June
- Penelope Benton presented a workshop on the Code of Practice for Visual Arts, Craft and Design to the Office for the Arts team, 17 June
- Emma Pham presented to UNSW students in Art and Design in Practice, 18 June
- Penelope Benton met with Judy Grady, Head of Visual Arts and Cheryl Yates, Head of Visual Arts Licensing 18 June
- Penelope Benton and Janel Yau attended Protecting Mental Health: Psychosocial Hazards in Not-for-profits hosted by Justice Connect, 19 June
- Georgia Mokak attended No Space is Empty, First Nations Symposium hosted by Powerhouse Museum, 19 June
- Donnalyn Xu met with Julie Ewington, 19 June
- Donnalyn Xu participated in Deafconnect Auslan Class, 19 June
- Emma Pham presented a workshop on the Code of Practice for Visual Arts, Craft and Design to Camden Council, 19 June
- Penelope Benton attended the opening of Yolŋu power: the art of Yirrkala, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 20 June
- Penelope Benton met with Anne Robertson, Executive Officer Public Galleries Association of Victoria (PGAV), 23 June
- Penelope Benton met with Brett Adlington, CEO Museums & Galleries of NSW 24 June
- Donnalyn Xu presented on NAVA and the Code as part of Ancher Points: Emerging Artist Intensive is a program run by Penrith Regional Gallery for artists in Greater Western Sydney, 25 June
- Penelope Benton participated in consultation with National AI Centre, Technology and Digital Division, Department of Industry, Science and Resources
- Penelope Benton met with Kerri Glasscock, Executive Director Create NSW, 25 June
- Penelope Benton quoted by Linda Morris in ‘A real shock’: Alarm as NSW arts agency slashed by 25 per cent, Sydney Morning Herald, 25 June
- Penelope Benton met with Erin Brannigan, Associate Professor in Theatre and Performance at the University of New South Wales, 26 June
- Penelope Benton participated in Arts Strategic Workforce Advisory Group (SWAG) meeting for Services and Creative Skills Australia (SaCSA), 26 June
- Penelope Benton participated in consortium of national peak bodies for the arts, quarterly meeting 26 June
- Penelope Benton attended the openings of Caroline Zilinsky Mirror, Mirror at Nanda Hobbs and Sidney McMahon Sixty-nine at Verge Gallery, 26 June
- NAVA co-signed creative industry and media organisations letter regarding acknowledgement of the Government’s economic agenda and concerns regarding copyright “reform” and exceptions, 27 June
- Penelope Benton attended the opening of Tom Polo in a part of your mind, I am you, Ngununggula, 28 June.
May 2025
- NAVA cited in What Labor, the Coalition and the Greens are offering the arts in the 2025 federal election — and what the sector wants, The World Observer, 1 May
- Georgia Mokak met with Nadine Lee, multi-disciplinary artist and arts worker 1 May
- Penelope Benton met with Maria Farmer PR, 1 May
- Emma Pham presented Artist Rights: Protecting and Respecting Copyright workshop in collaboration with local artist and educator, Jeremy Sheehan, at Charles Sturt University, Port Macquarie, 2 May
- Emma Pham presented Know Your Worth: Fees and Wages for Artists workshop in collaboration with local artist and educator, Jeremy Sheehan, at Bellingen Memorial Hall, 3 May
- Penelope Benton met with Joshua Lowe, Co-CEO Theatre Network Australia, 5 May
- Janel Yau and Holly Morrison met with Liz Martin, CEO Accessible Arts, 6 May
- NAVA published Returned Albanese Government must prioritise visual arts, 7 May
- NAVA cited by Richard Watts in Peak bodies welcome re-elected Albanese Government and call for greater commitment to live music and visual arts sectors, Arts Hub, 8 May
- Penelope Benton attended the opening of Joan Ross 'Heads or Tails' at N. Smith Gallery, 8 May
- Penelope Benton attended the opening of the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes, Art Gallery of NSW, 9 May
- Penelope benton quoted by Dee Jefferson in Silent Spring, Art Guide, 14 May
- Emma Pham and Donnalyn Xu met with Teik Kim Pok, Cultural Projects Coordinator ‑ Sector Support, City of Sydney, 14 May
- Georgia Mokak met with Christine Evans, Pro Vice-Chancellor Indigenous Education UNSW and Emma Hicks, artist, writer and educator, 15 May
- Georgia Mokak met with Nadine Lee, multi-disciplinary artist and arts worker 15 May
- NAAE published Aligning global and national visions for arts education, 19 May
- Extraordinary Board meeting, 20 May
- NAVA was successful in its application for Multi-year Funding through Create NSW, 21 May
- Penelope Benton interviewed by Liz Trevaskis on ABC Darwin Drive, 22 May
- Emma Pham presented the fourth and final session of Area Coded, with artist Jason Wing, 23 May
- NAVA AGM, 26 May
- NAVA Board meeting, 26 May
- NAVA announced key governance changes with new board appointments, 27 May
- NAVA filmed a new set of Artist Files with Atypical, 27 May
- Janel Yau met with Eddy Garcia and Erica Rose Jeffrey, Arts Queensland, 27 May
- Georgia Mokak attended First Nations Arts and Culture Awards at the Art Gallery of NSW, 27 May
- Penelope Benton and Janel Yau met with Kate Schaffner, Director and Patrick McCarthy, Manager Strategic Initiatives and Engagement, Creative Workplaces, 29 May.
April 2025
- Penelope Benton and Leya Reid met with Imogen Beynon, 1 April
- Media Release: Visual artists leaving the sector: New report confirms urgent need for action, 2 April
- NAVA mentioned in Australia’s visual and craft arts sector likened to the gig economy in new report, RMIT University, 2 April
- Penelope Benton quoted by Hannah Story in New study of Australian artists finds average income from art is only $14k, ABC News, 2 April
- NAVA mentioned by Gina Fairley in Shortfall in incomes draining visual arts sector, says new report, Arts Hub, 2 April
- NAVA welcomed South Australia’s Cultural Policy, A Place To Create, 2 April
- Penelope Benton presented at the Visual Arts Work Research Findings Seminar and Visual Arts Work: Careers, Perspectives and Practices in an Australian Context book launch, RMIT University, 2 April
- Ju Bavkya, Emma Pham, Janel Yau and Leya Reid presented to Australian Catholic University Professional Practice students, 2 April
- The NAVA team attended Diversity Arts Australia’ Anti-Racism & The Arts launch, 2 April
- Penelope Benton and Leya Reid participated in the Fair Work Commission Case Management Hearing for Variation on the Commission’s own initiative – Amusement, Events and Recreation Award 2020 (AM2024/37), 3 April
- Penelope Benton met with Imogen Beynon, 3 April
- Penelope Benton met with Maria Farmer PR, 3 April
- Penelope Benton met with Josue Lowe, Co-CEO Theatre Network Australia, 3 April
- Penelope Benton quoted by Walter Marsh in ‘Game-changer’ or ‘deliberately vague’? Unpacking the state’s new cultural policy, In Daily, 4 April
- Penelope Benton quoted by Jack Nivison in Aussie sporting teams in hot water with fans over new AI feature, The Advertiser, 4 April
- NAVA launched it’s federal election campaign, Secure Artists’ Futures #VoteForArt 2025, 7 April
- NAVA mentioned by Louisa Poulis in Visual and craft arts workers abandoning sector, study finds, Australian Design Review, 7 April
- Penelope Benton and Leya Reid met with Katie Russell, National Director/CEO, and Chloë Powell, Research Projects Lead, Australian Museums and Galleries Association (AMaGA), 8 April
- Penelope Benton facilitated meeting between the Visual Arts Roundtable and Bronwyn Coulston, Stakeholder Engagement Manager – Arts, and Meg O’Donnell, Stakeholder Engagement Advisor (Arts & Culture), Services and Creative Skills Australia (SaCSA), 8 April
- Georgia Mokak met with Melissa Juhanson, CEO KU Arts, 9 April
- Georgia Mokak and Janel Yau met with Tama Kirikiri from Toi Mai Workforce Development Council, New Zealand, 9 April
- Penelope Benton, Leya Reid, Georgia Mokak and Imogen Beynon met with Kate Schaffner, Director and Georgia Cheeseman, Project Officer, Creative Workplaces, 9 April
- Emma Pham met with Teik Kim Pok, Cultural Projects Coordinator ‑ Sector Support, Creative City, City of Sydney, 9 April
- The NAVA team attended a tour of Cao Fei exhibition with Curator Yin Cao, Art Gallery of NSW, 9 April
- Penelope Benton attended Nusra Latif Qureshi and Simryn Gill in conversation at the Art Gallery of NSW, 9 April
- Georgia Mokak attended the opening of Revealed 2025, Art Gallery of WA, 11 April
- NAVA co-signed National Advocates for Arts Education (NAAE) Federal Election Statement, 12 April
- Georgia Mokak hosted NAVA’s stall at the Aboriginal Art Centre Hub WA (AACHWA) Revealed Art Market 2025 at WA Museum Boola Bardip, 12 April
- Georgia Mokak facilitated the panel discussion "Creative Sovereignty & Legacies" at Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts (PICA), 13 April
- Penelope Benton and Leya Reid participated in Fair Work Commission Case Management Conference for Variation on the Commission’s own initiative – Amusement, Events and Recreation Award 2020 (AM2024/37), 14 and 23 April
- Penelope Benton listed by Gina Fairley in Poll: 50 women making an impact in the visual arts sector, Arts Hub, 15 April
- Penelope Benton presented at the Regional Galleries Association South Australia (RGASA) Peaks + Key Arts Orgs Online Workshop, 15 April
- Janel Yau attended Create NSW 2-Year Multi-year Funding Q&A, 15 April
- Holly Morrison attended Dealing with Difficult Clients webinar, 15 April
- Penelope Benton and Leya Reid met with Kate Schaffner, Director and Georgia Cheeseman, Project Officer, Creative Workplaces, and Katie Russell, National Director/CEO, and Chloë Powell, Research Projects Lead, AMaGA, 17 April
- In collaboration with AMaGA and Creative Workplaces, NAVA made a submission to the Fair Work Commission’s Variation on the Commission’s own initiative – Amusement, Events and Recreation Award 2020 (AM2024/37), 17 April
- NAVA mentioned in Visual arts body's charity status used to help dumped artist, 22 April
- NAVA with the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) and AMaGA provided a joint submission in reply to the Fair Work Commission in connection with proceeding AM2024/37, 24 April
- Emma Pham co-facilitated Area Coded's Mid-Career Artist session with Marikit Santiago and Utp, 24 April
- NAVA Board meeting, 28 April
- NAVA Board Election: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Director, 28 April
- NAVA responded to Support Act Wellbeing Helpline evaluation findings, 28 April
- Penelope Benton and Leya Reid participated in Fair Work Commission Full Bench Hearing for Variation on the Commission’s own initiative – Amusement, Events and Recreation Award 2020 (AM2024/37), 29 April
- NAVA published Federal Election Report Card 2025, 29 April
- Penelope Benton quoted by Nicola Heath and Sky Kirkham in What Labor, the Coalition and the Greens are offering the arts in the 2025 federal election — and what the sector wants, ABC News, 29 April
- NAVA cited by Jo Pickup in How many open letters does it take to see top tier leadership change in the arts?, Arts Hub, 29 April
- Janel Yau and Penelope Benton met with Rockethouse, 30 April.
March 2025
- Penelope Benton quoted by David Burton in Resignations and censorship: Australia wrestles with artistic freedom, Arts Hub 4 March
- Penelope Benton participated in Copyright and Artificial Intelligence Reference Group (CAIRG) meeting to discuss findings on the feedback to the Attorney General's Department consultation on copyright and AI transparency issues, 5 March
- Holly Morrison attended Wellbeing Through Art, presented by Accessible Arts and the Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW), 5 March
- NAVA Board meeting, 6 March
- Penelope Benton met with Gabrielle Sullivan, Chief Executive Indigenous Art Code, 7 March
- NAVA made a submission to the Fair Work Commission (FWC) regarding the case Variation on the Commission’s own initiative – Amusement, Events and Recreation Award 2020 (AM2024/37), 10 March
- Emma Pham met with Skye Petho, Programs and Partnerships Manager, Arts Mid North Coast, 12 March
- Georgia Mokak met with Emma Hicks, 12 March
- Penelope Benton participated in national cross-artform peak organisations quarterly meeting, 13 March
- NAVA wrote to Adrian Collette CEO and Robert Morgen Chair of the Board Creative Australia again raising urgent concerns regarding Creative Australia’s withdrawal of Khaled Sabsabi’s selection for the 2026 Venice Biennale, and the absence of a recruitment process for a new Head of Visual Arts, 13 March
- NAVA responded to Creative Australia’s governance review announcement, 17 March
- NAVA wrote to Adrian Collette, CEO and Robert Morgen, Chair of the Board Creative Australia regarding the announcement of a governance review into the decision-making processes for the 2026 Venice Biennale, 18 March
- Penelope Benton met with Maud Page, Deputy Director AGNSW, 18 March
- Penelope Benton attended Nusra Latif Qureshi Birds in Far Pavilions, AGNSW 18 March
- Penelope Benton met with Gabrielle Sullivan, Chief Executive Indigenous Art Code, 18 March
- Donnalyn Xu and Emma Pham met with Hannah Rouse, Producer Creative Programs Inner West Council, and Amylia Harris, Producer Creative Programs Inner West Council, 18 March
- Penelope Benton met with Lena Nahlous, CEO & Executive Producer Diversity Arts Australia (DARTS) and Joshua Lowe, Co-CEO Theatre Network Australia (TNA), 19 March
- Georgia Mokak attended Protecting Indigenous Art: Legal Essentials for Indigenous Creatives, 20 March
- Georgia Mokak met with Nadine Lee, 20 March
- Penelope Benton met with Dr Oliver Watts, artist, curator and academic, Artist Director Copyright Agency Board, Head Curator of Artbank, 20 March
- Penelope Betnon attended the launch of A gestural drift curated by Sara Oscar in the Artbank Window, 20 March
- Emma Pham hosted Area Coded: Emerging Artist presented by NAVA and Utp, 21 March
- Georgia Mokak presented at Empowering Artists for the Future: Professional Development Forum hosted by the Saltwater Freshwater Arts Alliance, Coffs Harbour NSW, 24 March
- Georgia Mokak hosted one on one sessions with First Nations artists from the Mid North Coast at Saltwater Freshwater, 25 March
- NAVA wrote to City of Perth Council urging reconsideration of its position on the removal and indefinite storage of two significant public artworks - Paul Ritter’s The Obelisk and Lorenna Grant’s Arch, 24 March
- Penelope Benton and Leya Reid met with Tess Chappell, National Industrial Officer - Equity Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA), 25 March
- Penelope Benton met with Anne Robertson, Executive Office Public Galleries Association Victoria (PGAV), 26 March
- Penelope Benton met with José Da Silva, Director UNSW Galleries and Chair of University Art Museums Australia (UAMA), 26 March
- Penelope Benton met with Dr Ben Eltham, writer, researcher, trade unionist, 26 March
- Penelope Benton, Georgia Mokak and Leya Reid met with Kate Schaffner, Director and Georgia Cheesman, Project Officer Creative Workplaces, 26 March
- NAVA responded to the Federal Budget 2025-26, 26 March
- Penelope Benton quote by Richard Watts in Federal Budget 2025-26: how does it benefit the arts?, Arts Hub 26 March
- Penelope Benton quoted by Jason Blake in 2025-26 Budget Offers Modest Support for the Arts, Limelight 26 March
- Donnalyn Xu and Emma Pham met with Imogen Yang, independent collaborative arts practitioner, M Sunflower, artist, and Bedelia Lowrencev, actor, dancer, singer and theatre-maker, 26 March
- Georgia Mokak Presented at Djurali, 26 March
- Penelope Benton met with Imogen Beynon, 27 March
- Penelope Benton met with Maria Farmer, MFPR, 27 March
- NAVA wrote to Professor Pickering, Vice-Chancellor and President of Monash University regarding the Postponement of Flat Earth exhibition at Monash University Museum of Art (MUMA), 27 March
- NAVA and National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) Monash branch responded to Monash University’s postponement of exhibition featuring Khaled Sabsabi, 27 March
- Penelope Benton quoted by Jason Blake in University condemned for postponing exhibition featuring works by Khaled Sabsabi, Limelight 27 March
- NAVA cited by Joshua Black in Blue Poles and its $1.4m price-tag shocked the nation, but did it change us?, InDaily 27 March
- Penelope Benton facilitated extraordinary meeting of national cross-artform peak organisations, 27 March
- The Fair Work Commission published responses to NAVA’s submission regarding Arts sector - Amusement, Events and Recreation Award 2020 (AM2024/37), 28 March
- NAVA Governance Subcommittee meeting, 31 March.
February 2025
- NAVA published Revising the Amusement Award: What Should Change?, 5 February
- Penelope Benton met with Natalie Fisher, NSF Consulting, Evaluation and Social Research, 5 February
- Penelope Benton submitted feedback on the Arts Workforce Plan Update 2025, "Shaping Tomorrow: Progress in Action", 5 February
- Georgia Mokak and Penelope Benton met with Steve Miller and Isabel Wilson, Aboriginal Culture, Heritage & Arts Association (ACHAA), 5 February
- NAVA launched its Disability Action Plan, 6 February
- NAVA mentioned by Autumn Whiteman in NAVA launches its Disability Action Plan, ArtsHub, 12 February
- Penelope Benton participated in the Attorney-General’s Department’s Orphan Works Scheme “Proposed Design” online roundtable meeting, 12 February
- Penelope Benton interviewed by Liz Trevaskis on Darwin Drive, ABC Radio, 12 February
- Penelope Benton met with Emma Rees, Director Visual Arts and Design, Jessie Fatnowna, Assistant Secretary Creative Industries Office for the Arts (OFTA), and Belinda Layton, Assistant Director, Policy - Visual Arts and Design at Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts, 13 February
- Penelope Benton attended the openings of Extinguishing Hope: Akil Ahamat at UTS Gallery and Queer Contemporary: Chaosophy at National Art School (NAS) Gallery, 13 February
- Penelope Benton met with artist Khaled Sabsabi on 14, 26 and 27 February
- Media Release: NAVA statement in support of artist Khaled Sabsabi, 14 February
- Penelope Benton quoted by Anna Kelsey-Sugg and Bhakthi Puvanenthiran in Spate of resignations follow Creative Australia's decision to drop artist Khaled Sabsabi from Venice Biennale, ABC News, 14 February
- Penelope Benton quoted by Kelly Burke in Creative Australia hit by resignations over decision to withdraw Khaled Sabsabi from Venice Biennale, The Guardian Australia, 14 February
- NAVA quoted by Linda Morris, Kerrie O'Brien and Paul Sakkal in Resignations follow dumping of Australian artist from Venice Biennale, The Sydney Morning Herald, 14 February
- NAVA quoted by Cecelia Cmielewski in ‘A shameful call by Creative Australia’: the arts community reacts to Khaled Sabsabi being dropped from the Venice Biennale, the Conversation, 14 February
- Penelope Benton quoted by Michael Bailey and Tom McIlroy in Government accused of caving in to pressure in dumping Biennale team, Australian Financial Review, 14 February
- Penelope Benton quoted by Jason Blake in Creative Australia pulls Venice Biennale pick, Limelight, 14 February
- Penelope Benton quoted in Protests after artist is dropped from biennial, Sweden Herald, 14 February
- NAVA quoted by Dr Cecelia Cmielewski in Opinion: ‘A shameful call by Creative Australia’: the arts community reacts to Khaled Sabsabi being dropped from the Venice Biennale, Western Sydney University, 14 February
- Penelope Benton quoted by Judith White in The betrayal of creative Australia, PNG Attitude, 16 February
- NAVA quoted by David Burton in Resignations and uproar follow Creative Australia’s Venice Biennale decision, ArtsHub, 18 February
- NAVA presented an information stall for students as part of UNSW Art & Design Community Day, 19 February
- Penelope Benton interviewed by Daniel Browning for Arts in 30: Resignations and condemnation in the wake of Creative Australia's Venice Biennale decision, ABC Radio National, 19 February
- NAVA quoted by Gabriela Zabala and Richard Phillips in Australian artists demand immediate reinstatement of Khaled Sabsabi and Michael Dagostino to Venice Biennale, World Socialist Web Site, 19 February
- NAVA quoted by Elaine YJ Zheng in Australian Pavilion at Venice Faces Cancellation Over Controversy, Ocula Magazine, 19 February
- Penelope Benton met with Joshua Lowe, Co-CEO, Theatre Network Australia, 18 and 20 February
- NAVA team attended Brand X City of Sydney Creative Studios residents morning tea, 20 February
- NAVA Governance Subcommittee meeting 21 February
- NAVA presented Area Coded: Pre-Emerging Artist, 21 February
- Penelope Benton quoted by Nour Haydar and Sarah Collard in National Gallery of Australia says it covered Palestinian flags on tapestry after security assessment, The Guardian Australia, 21 February
- Penelope Benton quoted in NGA covers Palestinian flags after 'security assessment', Al Mayadeen English, 21 February
- NAVA quoted by Elizabeth Fortescue in More Australian art world figures condemn decision to cancel Khaled Sabsabi’s Venice Biennale project, The Art Newspaper, 21 February
- Penelope Benton quoted by Linda Morris in Australian artists are furious. Our peak arts agency has questions to answer, The Sydney Morning Herald, 23 February
- NAVA made a submission to the Australian Accounting Standards Board providing feedback on simplifying Australia’s Not-for-Profit Financial Reporting Framework to ensure it remains fair and accessible for arts organisations, 24 February
- Penelope Benton met with Adam Worrall, Director of the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT), 24 February
- Penelope Benton met with Emma Webb, executive committee member of the Arts Industry Council of SA, 25 February
- NAVA mentioned in Arts Censorship Gives Heated Debate, Mimeta, 25 February
- Penelope Benton interviewed by Narelda Jacobs on 10 News First Lunchtime, 25 February
- Penelope Benton and Janel Yau attended Senate Estimates, Parliament House, Canberra, 25 February
- Media Release: NAVA condemns Creative Australia’s failure to defend artistic freedom, 26 February
- NAVA and Sydney Arts Management Advisory Group (SAMAG) co-presented Untangling Insurance webinar, 26 February
- NAVA made a submission to the Attorney-General’s Department addressing the proposed Orphan Works Scheme to protect artists’ rights and ensure fair use of copyright materials, 26 February
- Penelope Benton participated in Services and Creative Skills Australia (SaCSA) Charrette workshop, facilitated by Creative Plus Business, 27 February
- NAVA presented an information stall for undergraduate students as part of National Art School (NAS) O Week, 28 February.
January 2025
- NAVA office opened 6 January
- NAVA team undertook Cultural Awareness training with Koori Kinnections, 13 January
- Penelope Benton met with Rebecca Butler, Executive Director Museums & Galleries QLD, 16 January
- Janel Yau attended In Conversation: Marikit Santiago and Zico Albaiquni, Campbelltown Arts Centre, 18 January
- Penelope Benton met with Isabella Alexander, Evana Wright and Genevieve Wilkinson, Faculty of Law University of Technology Sydney (UTS), 20 January
- NAVA announced Improved insurance for NAVA Members – New partners, better coverage, 21 January
- Submitted Pre-Budget Submission 2025-26 to Treasury, 21 January
- NAVA published Invasion Day/Survival Day Statement of Solidarity 2025, 21 January
- Georgia Mokak and Penelope Benton participated in Envisioning Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander AI Futures, hosted by the Centre for Global Indigenous Futures Macquarie University, 22 January
- Penelope Benton met with Brett Adlington, CEO Museums & Galleries of NSW, 23 January
- Penelope Benton attended the opening of Re-Stor(y)ing Oceania, Latai Taumoepeau and Elisapeta Hinemoa Heta, curated by Taloi Havini; and Juanita McLauchlan, guuma-li / gather, 23 January
- Janel Yau attended the 3rd Bankstown Biennale featuring, Karla Dickens, Jamie Eastwood, Maddison Gibbs, Edwina Green, Morgan Hogg, Gillian Kayrooz, Wona Bae and Charlie Lawler, Gary Lee, Ruth Ju-Shih Li, Jazz Money, Claudia Nicholson, Joan Ross, Salllvaage, Kien Situ, James Tylor, Dung-Chuan Wen, Jason Wing, 23 January
- Media Release: Celebrating Clothilde Bullen on receiving an Order of Australia Medal (OAM), 27 January
- NAVA mentioned by Phoebe Blogg in Trailblazer Clothilde Bullen honoured for services to Indigenous arts, National indigenous Times, 28 January
- Penelope Benton, Leya Reid, Georgia Mokak, and Ju Bavyka met with Jennifer van Bronswijk and Guy Donovan, Holding Redlich, Kate Schaffner, Director Creative Workplaces and Imogen Beynon, 29 December
- Penelope Benton met with Brett Adlington, CEO Museums & Galleries of NSW, 29 January
- Penelope Benton attended the openings of Casey Chen: Another Jingdezhen Car Boot Sale, and Louise Zhang: Moving in Quiet, N. Smith Gallery, 30 January
- Penelope Benton quoted by Linda Morris in Museum of Contemporary Art seeks ‘white knight’ as entry fees kick in, Sydney Morning Herald (SMH), 31 January.
NAVA’s 2025 Year in Review
As we near the end of 2025, NAVA reflects on this year’s work alongside our Members and the broader visual arts sector.
