Newcastle Art Space

25/10/2026

This is Joey Hespe an arts writer based in Maitland. She is one of the amazing mentors for 2027. Joey will be our inaugural ‘Arts writing Mentor’.
Applications are now open to participate in this dynamic arts professional development program, link in bio.
Joey is the Editor of Artel, the members’ magazine of Maitland Regional Art Gallery, and has contributed to publications including The Big Book of Little Art Essays, as a features writer for Art Almanac, and her catalogue essays have accompanied the work of some of Australia’s most significant contemporary artists, including Ben Quilty, Del Kathryn Barton, John Olsen, Kathrin Longhurst, CJ Hendry, Michael Johnson, and Dale Frank.

Joey Hespe is one of twelve mentors for 2027 including:
Brigitte Beyer
Dani Marti
Deirdre Bean
Edwina Richards
Joey Hespe
Joseph Turrin
Kim Blunt
Lee Illfield
Lezlie Tilley
Pablo Tapia
Patricia Wilson-Adams
Todd Fuller

22/10/2026

This is Todd Fuller he is one of the Mentors for 2027! Applications are now open to participate in this dynamic arts professional development program, link in bio.
Todd Fuller is a Sydney-based artist, curator and educator.
Fuller has exhibited nationally and internationally and is represented by .M Contemporary. His work has been recognised through awards including the Sunshine Coast National Art Prize, Fisher’s Ghost Contemporary Award, M16 Digital Drawing Prize and Jacaranda Acquisitive Drawing Award. He has been a finalist in the Sulman and Dobell Prizes. Fuller has undertaken residencies and fellowships at the British School at Rome as the William Fletcher Fellow, Cité internationale des arts Paris, Bundanon and Hill End. His work is held in collections including Artbank, Parliament House and numerous regional galleries.
Alongside his studio practice, Fuller has worked extensively as a curator, arts administrator and educator. He has held curatorial roles with Waverley Council and Qtopia Sydney, and was the Events, Education and Online Learning Coordinator for the Biennale of Sydney. He teaches drawing for the Sydney Opera House and regularly lectures at the National Art School. His curatorial practice focuses on developing exhibitions, public programs and cultural projects that connect contemporary art with local histories and communities.

Todd is one of twelve mentors for 2027 including:
Brigitte Beyer
Dani Marti
Deirdre Bean
Edwina Richards
Joey Hespe
Joseph Turrin
Kim Blunt
Lee Illfield
Lezlie Tilley
Pablo Tapia
Patricia Wilson-Adams
Todd Fuller


Todd is running a Masterclass at NAS this Saturday 24 Oct – just 2 tickets left- book now. Image courtesy of Ryley Gillen

30/09/2026

Book your tickets to our Art Trivia night! Bring your friends for an evening of art history & friendly competition with trivia MC Matt Sage. We will have a food truck on site by Tibetan Little Stove.

03/09/2026

Synergy opens Friday night at the University Galleries - this is the culmination of the NAS Mentorship- we are thrilled to partner with the University Galleries for the presentation of this exciting exhibition!

The University Galleries at Callaghan are pleased to partner with Newcastle Art Space to present their 2026 Mentorship Program exhibition: Synergy.

Please join the artists for the launch event at the University Gallery
6pm - 8pm this Friday 4th September 2026

The Newcastle Art Space Mentorship Program supports excellence in arts practice by connecting emerging Hunter Region artists with established, creative practitioners. Through informal, regular mentoring, cohort networking and professional development sessions, the program fosters shared learning, experimentation and professional growth.

A distinctive feature of the program is its curatorial mentorship, which pairs an emerging curator with an experienced professional. This year’s mentorship curatorial team Jo O'Toole (mentor) and Melody Suranyi (mentee) have worked collaboratively with the mentorship cohort to develop Synergy and bring together the exhibition’s diverse practices.

Derived from the Greek word synergos, meaning “working together,” synergy reflects the idea that when people combine their talents, ideas and experiences, they can achieve far more together than they could alone.

Collaboration has been at the heart of this year’s mentorship journey, bringing creatives together through shared learning, support and creative exchange. The exhibition reflects the connections, conversations and discoveries made along the way. Emerging from this collaborative experience is an exhibition filled with energy, creativity and passion.

SYNERGY:
The 2026 Newcastle Art Space Mentorship Exhibition
4 September - 14 November

At University Gallery, Callaghan
GS building, University of Newcastle,
University Dr, Callaghan NSW 2308

Gallery hours:
Wed - Fri 10am - 5pm
Sat 12pm - 4pm

06/08/2026

What an amazing evening – in case you missed it here is a visual recap of the opening of the Hunter Emerging Art Prize 2026. We were able to give out $12000 in prizes to eight emerging artists. This was made possible by our sponsors Bevan Leech Physiotherapy, BJs Workwear HIC Services , Macleans Booksellers Pettigrew Stevens Conveyancing The Clay Room Tighes Hill This is Not Art, Wilton, Lemke, Stewart The Lee family in Memory of Fina Lee, The Squires Family in Memory of Jody Robinson who made the prize possible.
Thanks to our Judges Courtney Novak & Jo O’Toole Olivier Krischer
The exhibition was curated by Madeleine K. Snow and NAS studio artist Joseph Johnson, installed by Tobias Spitzer, gallery admin and coordination by Jennie Williams and Jo Mclean .integrifolia Photo credit Joerg Lehman
Thanks to our volunteers including Den Melonkovic , Joerg Lehmann, Marilyn O’Brien Max Blanch Megan Srisurapon .makes Dane Tobias Pam Tobias, Leah Stevens .artist
Thanks to plus
Thanks to all the artists - your energy, toil and creativity brought us all together. The full list of artists is on our website including their artist statements and images.
The show runs until 30 August 2026

22/05/2026

Hunter Emerging Art Prize now open to entries! You are emerging if not yet formally represented by a commercial gallery you may have exhibited casually but unable to sustain a career from the sales of your work. You can be emerging at any age. Entries close Midnight 9 June 2026. Images in video from exhibitions Freshwater to Fatbergs currently showing until 31 May plus our recent exhibition ‘Other Worldly’.