NAVA: Sit For An Artist

NAVA: Sit For An Artist

by Danielle Neely

NAVA launches a new campaign, ‘Sit For An Artist’ urging everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated to support Australia’s creative recovery.

The visual arts sector is in crisis. Australian artists and arts workers have been impacted by lockdowns across the country with their exhibitions and commissions cancelled.

NAVA’s ‘Sit For An Artist’ campaign has been created in response to deep concerns about the long-term impacts of the pandemic and lockdowns on visual artists, galleries, organisations and arts workers. The ‘Sit For An Artist’ campaign is a play on the age-old concept of sitting for an artist for a portrait, but this time NAVA is asking Australians to sit for a COVID vaccination.

Fronting the campaign, which was filmed at the National Art School in Sydney, are Thea Perkins, Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran, NAS Fellow Wendy Sharpe and NAS staff Dean Cross.

Image: Dean Cross. Photo: Lauren O Photography.

When the 25th Dobell Drawing Prize winner Rosemary Lee (@cooldog94) visited the Prize exhibition in 2021, she made a personal commitment to enter every year. Watch our interview with Rosemary to find out more about the inspiration behind her artwork.

The Dobell Prize exhibition is now open until Saturday 21 June 2025. Free admission, all welcome.

May 4

When the 25th Dobell Drawing Prize winner Rosemary Lee (@cooldog94) visited the Prize exhibition in 2021, she made a personal commitment to enter every year. Watch our interview with Rosemary to find out more about the inspiration behind her artwork.

The Dobell Prize exhibition is now open until Saturday 21 June 2025. Free admission, all welcome.

Looking for exhibitions to view this weekend? Here are some current exhibitions with National Art School staff and alumni:

1) NAS Alum Mitch Cairns has a solo exhibition ‘Restless Legs` at @artgalleryofnsw until 9 June 2025. Books, chimneys and a lyre are among the motifs featured in this electric show.

2) Former NAS Head of Postgraduate Studies Ian Greig opens his solo exhibition ‘Within the Light of Thing’ at @arthousegallery this Saturday 3 May. Join Ian for his Artist Talk at 2pm to learn more about his new stylistic development.

3) NAS Head of Painting Stephen Little has a solo exhibition ‘The Harbinger Suite: Reliquaries‘ at @maiswright.gallery. The exhibition continues until 3 May 2025.

4) NAS Painting Lecturer Gemma Smith is displaying ‘Compression dissolve’ in The Intelligence of Painting exhibition at @mca_australia until 20 July 2025. ‘The Intelligence of Painting’ presents paintings from 14 Australian women artists of multiple generations.

Image credit 1: Mitch Cairns ‘9–5’ 2024, oil on linen, 124.5 x 104.5 cm, collection of the artist © Mitch Cairns, courtesy The Commercial, Sydney, photo: The Commercial

Image credit 2: Ian Greig ‘Bundjalung Country’ 2025, oil on linen, 168 x 168 cm. Courtesy the artist and the Arthouse Gallery © the artist

Image credit 3: Stephen Little, installation view of ‘The Harbinger Suite: Reliquaries’, 2025. Courtesy the artist and MAIS WRIGHT © the artist, photograph: Robin Hearfield

Image credit 4: Gemma Smith, Compression dissolve, 2024, installation view The Intelligence of Painting, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, 2025, acrylic on canvas, courtesy the artist and Sullivan + Strumpf © the artist, photograph: Hamish McIntosh

May 1

Looking for exhibitions to view this weekend? Here are some current exhibitions with National Art School staff and alumni:

1) NAS Alum Mitch Cairns has a solo exhibition ‘Restless Legs' at @artgalleryofnsw until 9 June 2025. Books, chimneys and a lyre are among the motifs featured in this electric show.

2) Former NAS Head of Postgraduate Studies Ian Greig opens his solo exhibition ‘Within the Light of Thing’ at @arthousegallery this Saturday 3 May. Join Ian for his Artist Talk at 2pm to learn more about his new stylistic development.

3) NAS Head of Painting Stephen Little has a solo exhibition ‘The Harbinger Suite: Reliquaries‘ at @maiswright.gallery. The exhibition continues until 3 May 2025.

4) NAS Painting Lecturer Gemma Smith is displaying ‘Compression dissolve’ in The Intelligence of Painting exhibition at @mca_australia until 20 July 2025. ‘The Intelligence of Painting’ presents paintings from 14 Australian women artists of multiple generations.

Image credit 1: Mitch Cairns ‘9–5’ 2024, oil on linen, 124.5 x 104.5 cm, collection of the artist © Mitch Cairns, courtesy The Commercial, Sydney, photo: The Commercial

Image credit 2: Ian Greig ‘Bundjalung Country’ 2025, oil on linen, 168 x 168 cm. Courtesy the artist and the Arthouse Gallery © the artist

Image credit 3: Stephen Little, installation view of ‘The Harbinger Suite: Reliquaries’, 2025. Courtesy the artist and MAIS WRIGHT © the artist, photograph: Robin Hearfield

Image credit 4: Gemma Smith, Compression dissolve, 2024, installation view The Intelligence of Painting, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, 2025, acrylic on canvas, courtesy the artist and Sullivan + Strumpf © the artist, photograph: Hamish McIntosh

We are pleased to announce two international residency opportunities for our alumni and staff community for 2026: The Onslow Storrier NAS Residency La Cité Internationale Des Arts, Paris and The British School at Rome.

These residencies offer a unique chance to immerse yourself in the vibrant art scenes of two iconic European cities, Paris and Rome, and further develop your artistic practice in an enriching cultural environment.

Application Deadline: Sunday 29 June 2025

Learn more and apply at the link in bio.
—
Sophia Lee Georgas BSR Open Studio, 2023, image courtesy and © The British School at Rome; Harry de Vries BSR Open Studio, 2024, image courtesy and © The British School at Rome

Apr 28

We are pleased to announce two international residency opportunities for our alumni and staff community for 2026: The Onslow Storrier NAS Residency La Cité Internationale Des Arts, Paris and The British School at Rome.

These residencies offer a unique chance to immerse yourself in the vibrant art scenes of two iconic European cities, Paris and Rome, and further develop your artistic practice in an enriching cultural environment.

Application Deadline: Sunday 29 June 2025

Learn more and apply at the link in bio.
—
Sophia Lee Georgas BSR Open Studio, 2023, image courtesy and © The British School at Rome; Harry de Vries BSR Open Studio, 2024, image courtesy and © The British School at Rome

Thank you to everyone who has come through to see the 24th Dobell Drawing Prize for its first week. The exhibition is now open until Saturday 21 June 2025. Please note we are open this Saturday and closed for the observed Easter holidays.
—
Good Friday CLOSED 18 April 2025
Easter Saturday OPEN Sat 19 April 2025, 11am – 5pm
Easter Sunday CLOSED Sun 20 April 2025
Easter Monday CLOSED Mon 21 April 2025
Anzac Day CLOSED Fri 25 April 2025
—
Installation view, 24th Dobell Drawing Prize, National Art School Gallery, Sydney, 2025, image courtesy the artists and National Art School © the artists, photograph: Peter Morgan

Apr 17

Thank you to everyone who has come through to see the 24th Dobell Drawing Prize for its first week. The exhibition is now open until Saturday 21 June 2025. Please note we are open this Saturday and closed for the observed Easter holidays.
—
Good Friday CLOSED 18 April 2025
Easter Saturday OPEN Sat 19 April 2025, 11am – 5pm
Easter Sunday CLOSED Sun 20 April 2025
Easter Monday CLOSED Mon 21 April 2025
Anzac Day CLOSED Fri 25 April 2025
—
Installation view, 24th Dobell Drawing Prize, National Art School Gallery, Sydney, 2025, image courtesy the artists and National Art School © the artists, photograph: Peter Morgan

Art Club is our high school student program for 15-17 year olds, designed to enhance and extend students’ technical, conceptual, and intellectual skills, through intensive practical study in the disciplines offered at NAS as well as engaging in an experience of our studios and campus, under the expert direction of experienced artists.

Set your child on a creative path with Art Club.

Learn more at the link in bio.

Apr 15

Art Club is our high school student program for 15-17 year olds, designed to enhance and extend students’ technical, conceptual, and intellectual skills, through intensive practical study in the disciplines offered at NAS as well as engaging in an experience of our studios and campus, under the expert direction of experienced artists.

Set your child on a creative path with Art Club.

Learn more at the link in bio.

Thank you to everyone who attended the opening night of the 24th Dobell Drawing Prize and congratulations again to the prize winner NAS alumna Rosemary Lee.

The 24th Dobell Drawing Prize is now open until Saturday 21 June 2025
11am – 5pm Monday to Saturday
NAS Gallery
Free admission, all welcome

Learn more about the exhibition at the link in bio.

Apr 11

Thank you to everyone who attended the opening night of the 24th Dobell Drawing Prize and congratulations again to the prize winner NAS alumna Rosemary Lee.

The 24th Dobell Drawing Prize is now open until Saturday 21 June 2025
11am – 5pm Monday to Saturday
NAS Gallery
Free admission, all welcome

Learn more about the exhibition at the link in bio.