ArtsHub: Diversity and drawing at heart of learning in 2023
:quality(82)/media/news/NAS-life-drawing-class-The-Chapel-e1673396492543.png)
ArtsHub: Diversity and drawing at heart of learning in 2023
By Gina Fairley
This time of year, art schools across Australia are unveiling their graduate shows.
For the National Art School (NAS) in Sydney, this year’s calendar of exhibitions comes at a moment when the organisation celebrates the 100-year anniversary of moving to its historic Darlinghurst Gaol site in 1922 (the school’s origins go back to 1843).
The school now looks to the next 100 years with a stronger foundation than ever before – a secured long-term lease and heritage listing on the historic campus, State Significant Organisation status with long-term funding and $20 million renovation works completed. Collectively, these place NAS in a unique position in Australia at this time, as a fully independent art school expanding its courses and teaching faculty, while also presenting a full annual program of public exhibitions and community events.
Latest News
Thursday 09 July 2026
Thursday 09 July 2026
Applications are now open for The 25th Dobell Drawing Prize. The Dobell Drawing Prize is Australia’s leading prize for drawing, and an unparalleled celebration of technique, innovation and expanded practice. Presented at the National Art School in partnership with the Sir William Dobell Art Foundation, this biennial exhibition continues to highlight the enduring relevance and changing role of dra…
Tuesday 30 June 2026
Tuesday 30 June 2026
Please see below for current and forthcoming exhibitions and events featuring our staff and alumni. Dr Carolyn McKenzie-Craig: Becoming Penguin (Act II) Head of Printmaking, Dr Carolyn McKenzie-Craig, presents Becoming Penguin (Act II) at PARKER Contemporary, Brisbane. The exhibition asks what it means to seek protection from a world that continues to decide who is seen, who is suspected, and w…
Thursday 25 June 2026
Thursday 25 June 2026
This NAIDOC Week, the theme Fifty Years of Deadly recognises the enduring strength, resilience and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Fifty Years of Deadly is a tribute to the people who built this movement. The Elders who stood firm, the organisers who made space, the artists who turned resistance into expression, and the communities who keep showing up, year after …
:quality(82)/media/100425_Dobell-Prize_Kristen-Sharpwinner_Rosemary-Lee_001_Peter-Morgan-2048x1477.jpg)
:quality(82)/media/news/Nick-Collerson-2026_Dithyramb_0384.jpg)
:quality(82)/media/Michael-Leslie-Image-Credit-James-Brickwood-AFR.jpg)