Open October

Studios and Facilities

How does the National Art School support your practice?

In keeping with our focus on studio practice, our campus boasts a broad range of workshop and studio facilities that support learning across an extensive range of both traditional and contemporary art making practices.

As students progress through the BFA and commence independent projects within their nominated area of Studio Specialisation, students are provided with an individual studio space in their area where they can develop their work. Similarly, students at MFA level are provided with individual studio spaces within dedicated postgraduate studio areas.

Our dedicated Drawing facilities support a range of practices from life drawing and other observational practices to multi-media works, installation practices and new media art works.

In addition to specialist workshop facilities in all of our studio areas including Ceramics, Painting, Photomedia, Printmaking and Sculpture, our recently refurbished central workshops support an extensive range of small to large-scale fabrication techniques in both timber and metal.

Our central digital imaging lab provides access to the full range of Adobe digital imaging software on a Macintosh platform, and our Library computer room provides further access to digital resources.

Various Project Spaces throughout the campus provide an opportunity for classes and individual students to develop and present a broad range of art works and exhibition projects.

Campus life

What would your life be like at National Art School?

The National Art School lies within the heart of Sydney’s arts precinct in the vibrant inner city suburb of Darlinghurst, surrounded by a thriving and diverse creative community.

Since 1922 we have occupied the old Darlinghurst gaol, an unrivalled sandstone campus which is both a site of immense historical significance and a specialist fine art school. The campus is fitted out with high quality facilities such as museum-standard galleries and state-of-the-art workshops, authentic artist studios and private workspaces, a library and learning centre, research and digital labs, student lounges and spaces for collaboration. Students also have access to the free campus-wide WIFI network.

At the heart of the student experience is the National Art School’s vibrant community of artists and art professionals, students and faculty, who are devoted to the pursuing the highest aspirations for contemporary art practice. As a student at the National Art School, you will have access to over 80 eminent practicing artists and art historians, who lecture, lead by example and provide intensive studio-based tuition across the disciplines of ceramics, drawing, painting, photomedia, printmaking and sculpture.

In addition to the School’s contemporary art space, NAS Gallery, students are within walking distance to some of Sydney’s best galleries, museums, theatres, live music venues and cinemas in the stimulating and culturally rich Darlinghurst precinct.

The Student Representative Council unites the student body and enriches life on campus with exciting social events, including the Student Ball, student socials and performance nights.

Career Opportunities

Where can the National Art School take you?

The NAS Bachelor of Fine Art degree is designed to develop highly skilled arts practitioners who can work independently or collaboratively across a variety of professional roles.

An emphasis upon the development of studio skills and independent practice means BFA graduates are highly suited to a range of specialist and generalist careers in the visual arts.

In addition to working as artists and curators, our graduates may work in the related fields of arts administration, the museums and galleries sector, arts marketing and sales, arts policy and consultancy and a broad range of technical or arts production roles.

Increasingly fine arts graduates will develop a ‘portfolio career’ combining their independent art practice with these related professional roles or in combination with roles in completely different occupational fields.

Many BFA graduates use their degree as the basis for entry into a specialist postgraduate degrees such as Arts Management or Education that provide a range of professional qualifications and career paths.

Meet the Director: Steven Alderton

The National Art School’s Director and CEO Steven Alderton has a lifetime’s experience in the arts, as a curator, gallery director, researcher, master planner and practicing artist who continues to wield a paintbrush in the studio.

He arrived at the National Art School in January 2017 after holding Director positions at the Australian Museum, Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre and Lismore Regional Gallery.

Meet the Head of Studies: Simon Cooper

In 2001, Simon Cooper left his hometown of Melbourne to join the National Art School as Head of Printmaking. At the time, he thought he’d stay a few years, until his kids were old enough to go to school, then the family would head back south.

Not quite. After teaching at NAS for seven years, Cooper became Head of Studies in 2008. He is responsible for the development and delivery of the school’s academic program, including the BFA, MFA and more recently introduced DFA.

Meet the Head of Ceramics: Lynda Draper

Since studying at NAS from 1985 -1987, Lynda Draper has worked as a ceramicist for more than 30 years, recognised as one of Australia’s finest and most revolutionary practitioners. She has been NAS’s Head of Ceramics for the past three years, and last month won one of Australia’s major art awards, the 2019 Sidney Myer Fund Australian Ceramic Prize.

Bridie Lunney

Bridie Lunney, NAS sculpture lecturer

Born 1976, Sydney, New South Wales; lives and works in Melbourne. Bridie Lunney completed a Bachelor of Fine Art (Sculpture) at RMIT University in 2006. Recent exhibitions include Once More with Feeling, Margaret Lawrence Gallery, Melbourne, 2009; Non-Negotiable, Project Space, Melbourne, 2010; Risk Potential, Die Ecke, Santiago, Chile, 2010; A Condition of Change, Sarah Scout, Melbourne, 2011; Suspension Test, Conical, Melbourne, 2011; Space, Pieces of, West Space and Pieces of Eight, Melbourne, 2012; Place of Assembly, Melbourne International Arts Festival, 2012; The Ceiling Has Lost Its Solidity, Manysquaremetres, Melbourne, 2012; Redlands Konica Minolta Art Prize, National Art School, Sydney, 2013; and Propositions, with Torie Nimmervoll, Gertrude Contemporary, Melbourne, 2013.

Image: Bridie Lunney, Opening Out Temporal Proximities, Abbotsford Convent, 2019, image credit: Timothy Herbert

Elizabeth Pulie

Elizabeth Pulie, NAS painting lecturer

Elizabeth Pulie has exhibited her work since 1989. Her recent PhD research at Sydney College of the Arts (The University of Sydney) led her to extend her painting practice to greater experimentation with new mediums, while theoretical enquiry now completes her practice. She has presented papers at eight conferences and symposia since 2014, both within Australia and internationally.

In 2002 and 2003 Pulie co-directed Front Room, an artist run space in the front room of her house. From 2002 to 2005 she edited and published the magazine Lives of the Artists, and established the Sydney Ladies’ Artist’s Club from 2005-06. Pulie is represented by Sarah Cottier Gallery in Sydney and Neon Parc in Melbourne.

Image: Elizabeth Pulie, #62 (Josie) and #67 (Cape for my Guru), installed The National 2017, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, 2017

Joe Wilson and Chanelle Collier

Joe Wilson and Chanelle Collier

Joe Wilson and Chanelle Collier are an Australian collaborative love team working within gallery, institution, residency, and public programs. They incorporate painting, print, object, and sound in their practice. Applying ideas of freedom, resistance, and labour, that critically engages with representational systems and art institutional structures. The work playfully incorporates the process of its making, presentation, and administration. This includes creating wearable artforms that extend beyond the gallery, using the postal service to enact an exhibition, occupying the international art museum as a proxy studio, and facilitating cross cultural interdisciplinary exchange through gift giving.

Wilson, Graduated with BFA Honours 1st Class, 2015, and MFA by Research, 2017, National Art School, Sydney. Selected for Hatched, PICA, Shortlisted, 2014, and Finalist, 2017.

Collier, Finalist Woollahra Small Sculpture Prize, 2011, 2012; Fishers ghost Award, 2011; Deakin University Contemporary Small Sculpture Award, 2012; Libris Award, 2013.

Wilson and Collier have collaborated since 2015; each is supported by a Higher Ground Studios’  Residency. Finalist Chippendale New World Art Prize, 2015; Winner Viewer’s Choice Award, Redlands Konica Minolta Art Prize, 2018. Awarded Onslow Storrier Paris Residency, Cité Internationale des Arts, FR, 2018; NAVA Create NSW Artist Grant, 2018; Residency, Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris, FR, 2019. Residency and Fellowship, Vermont Studio Center, USA, 2021.

Photo: Robin Hearfield

Meet Yalan Chan

NAS Bachelor of Fine Art student

Briefly describe your practice

I am a Bachelor of Fine Art student at NAS, majoring in painting. I just finished four weeks of making assemblage art, sourcing materials from our surroundings, such as garden beds, second-hand stores and Reverse Garbage, assembling them with tools from the NAS workshop. My favourite piece, called Nature, uses alpaca wool, autumn leaves, sacking, brown paper and palm tree fibre. I really enjoyed walking around Darlinghurst tuning into the essence of nature – listening to the rustling of fallen leaves on the ground and feeling the winter breeze while picking up dry leaves from the roadside. The final work expresses the feelings from this experience. I am currently working towards my independent project in painting, exploring contemporary art settings with traditional methods.

Describe your experience at NAS and in your NAS studio

So far my experience here has been really wonderful.  In first year, I got to try different disciplines including ceramics, photography, printmaking, sculpture and painting, which broadened my artistic knowledge.  I am now majoring in painting, but I appreciate the skills learnt from printmaking which can also be applied in painting. The teaching staff and student services are extremely helpful and supportive. I always feel I am in a great positive learning place and I was impressed by the encouragement and extremely organised teaching in Semester 1 in response to Covid-19.

Having my own studio at NAS helps me get used to working in this environment, an essential step to becoming an independent artist in the future. The NAS studio set up is great, airy and light with my own display wall and essential studio furniture such easel, colour mixing trolley, study desk and chair. Easy access to power point in the studio means I can use tools such as a glue gun to help with artwork making. My computer and phones can be charged as well for research studies. During Covid-19, the studios are a safe environment because each of us have our own space. I could easily spend the whole day there making art and not worry about anything.

The Parkers art supply store in NAS provides really great range selection of art material at discount rate. There are nice cafés around NAS, and I often enjoy my lunch break on the grass baking in the sunshine with my peers.

I often stay back late – we can work in the NAS studios until 9pm with security on campus and locked gates. I feel safe and enjoy the peace working after hours in my studio.

Why did you choose to study at the National Art School?

Because it is a studio-based art school focusing on one-to-one teaching under the guidance of established, practicing artists. The study schedule here is well-balanced with a mixture of observational and general drawing classes, art theory and painting. I really enjoy art theory classes, the lecturers are very knowledgeable and it gives us a solid theory foundation for art practices. All the other classes are hands-on art practice – I chose NAS because it is an authentic fine art school all about art making. Also because NAS is very active in updating art news, prizes and student opportunities. I feel like attending NAS gives me the opportunity to connect to the real art world out there.

What is the most precious item in your studio?

The oil painting I made from observing my Nature assemblage piece. I am very satisfied with this painting, it is colourful, energetic, cheerful and brings me joy when I look at it. During this Covid-19 period, everything is little isolated, depressing and boring. This painting reminds me of the colourful and joyful world we have. Having this work hung in my studio brings positive energy to me and people walking by. I have been quite productive after returning to my NAS studio, and I really appreciate having a such great and safe environment to make art during this strange time in our universe.