Finalist: 2025 NSW Visual Arts Fellowship (Emerging) – Artspace Sydney

Ali Tahayori

22 Aug - 19 Oct 2025

The NSW Visual Arts Fellowship (Emerging) program celebrates the dynamism of early-career artists in New South Wales. Presented in partnership with Create NSW, a shortlist of finalists is selected each year by an independent panel of esteemed industry peers to work closely with an early-career curator. Within this supportive environment, artists are encouraged to be experimental, expansive, and risk-taking, developing ambitious presentations for a group exhibition at Artspace. Grounded in professional development, the program fosters artistic innovation, peer relationships, curatorial advocacy, collaboration and network building. Representing a breadth of conceptual and material explorations, the VAF(E) exhibition offers an insightful survey into how emerging artists are pushing boundaries and engaging with the critical ideas of our times.

The 2025 shortlisted finalists are Ellen Ferrier, Ellie Hannon, Ali Noble, Vedika Rampal, Ali Tahayori, and Joel Sherwood-Spring. From these six finalists, one will be the recipient of $30,000 to undertake a self-directed program of professional development, supported by the NSW Government through Create NSW. The recipient will be announced at the exhibition opening night on Thursday 21 August, 6.30pm.

With a history spanning over 120 years, this long-standing fellowship has been presented annually at Artspace since 1997. It remains one of the most significant springboards for the next generation of artists in NSW, with many past participants going on to become leading practitioners nationally and internationally.

Artists: Ellen Ferrier | Ellie Hannon | Ali Noble | Vedika Rampal | Ali Tahayori | Joel Sherwood Spring
Curators: Sarah Rose

Location: Artspace
43–51 Cowper Wharf Roadway
Woolloomooloo NSW

Opening: Thursday 21 August 6–8pm