Community

The communities we foster develop our practice and strengthen our sector. Hear from artists and leading practitioners on the experience of living and working as a professional artist in Australia.

The Artist Files

Vodcasts

Wendy Sharpe, Photo by Michael Amendolia

Photo by Michael Amendolia

Our video interview explore and unpack the key experiences and challenges faced by artists and industry leaders.

   

National Symposia

Leading the national agenda

Future Forward panel 2014. Photo: Joan Cameron-Smith

Photo: Joan Cameron-Smith

NAVA provides opportunities for the Australian visual arts sector to meet as a community, have a national conversation, learn from and be inspired by some of the best ideas from overseas and around the country, form partnerships and networks and devise common positions from which to take action.

Mentorship

Collaborative Mentorship Initiative

Zoom screenshot of all participants in the Collaborative Mentorship Initiative 'Welcome Session'. L-R from first row: Ryan Lee; Nancy Yu; Franchesca Cubillo; Sarra Tzijan; Helen Kwok; Megan Cope; Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran; Rusaila Bazlamit; and Justine Yo

Collaborative Mentorship Initiative Welcome Session. L-R: Ryan Lee; Nancy Yu; Franchesca Cubillo; Sarra Tzijan; Helen Kwok; Megan Cope; Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran; Rusaila Bazlamit; and Justine Youssef (NAVA).

The 2021 Collaborative Mentorship Initiative offered early-career practitioners the unique opportunity to work one-on-one with advising practitioners to build the confidence, self-knowledge, skills and capacity to pursue their goals. This program is based on a mutual mentorship model that compensates both the adviser and early-career practitioner as they share ideas and learn from one another.

Blak Curatorial Exchange

Twelve people standing in a row in front of bright painting by Richard Bell with large text that says Aboriginal Art Does. The last line is covered by the group.

Photo: Bruce McLean with the 2018 Blak Curatorial Exchange group. 
Artwork: Richard Bell, Judgement Day (Bell’s Theorem) 2008
Photographer: LaVonne Bobongie

In 2018, NAVA partnered with BlakLash Projects to deliver a six-week professional development program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists who are interested in developing their curatorial skills. This program was the first of its kind in Queensland and aims to strengthen the sector by enhancing knowledge, support networks, and a unique opportunity to pitch new curatorial ventures to industry representatives.

New space

A group of people sitting in a circle.

In 2018 NAVA offered a unique mentorship program to South East Queensland based artists looking to start a new Artist Run Initiative. The participating group of artists were mentored by directors of Cut Thumb ARI, and and developed a project plan to launch their new space.