The National Art School is delighted to announce rising multi-disciplinary artist Anna Mould as the first ever winner of a prestigious international artist residency program, the Prudence MacLeod Prize, located at Acme Fire Station Studios, London.

One of the most significant international residency programs in Australia, the Prudence MacLeod Prize supported by the Lansdowne Foundation, provides an unparalleled opportunity for an emerging artist at the precipice of their artistic career, who has recently graduated from NAS, to immerse themselves in London, one of the world’s most vibrant and diverse artistic communities.

The residency, spanning a period of six months, provides a dedicated studio space and accommodation at Acme’s Fire Station building located in the heart of London, international flights and a stipend to cover living expenses during the residency period. With a focus on pastoral care, a new Residency Program Coordinator based at the National Art School will support the artist in the lead up to their residency and work in liaison with Acme’s Artist support officers during their time in London.

As the inaugural Prudence MacLeod Prize winner, Anna Mould will join an artist community, with space and support to develop her artistic practice and expand her professional international networks. She will also have the opportunity to showcase her work in a public outcome at the end of the program.

Since graduating with a Master of Fine Art from National Art School last year, Anna Mould has been a 2024 Archibald Prize finalist, held her first solo exhibition at Dominik Mersch Gallery, Sydney, and exhibited at Sydney Contemporary with Praxis Artspace, Adelaide.

Engaging with a range of media including embroidery, painting, weaving and photography, Anna Mould’s practice explores complex social, cultural and political themes. Using a technique akin to collage, she creates visual and conceptual juxtapositions between historical and contemporary references, that aim to conjure an acknowledgement of one’s location in time and space as a part of greater global human history. Recurring themes in her work include; hierarchies of fine art and decorative art; the gendered associations of textile art; and the ways in which certain artforms have been used to express specific political ideas.

Image credit: Anna Mould, ​‘The Damned, Tambaroora NSW’, 2023, machine embroidery and acrylic on canvas, 50 x 50 cm