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Future Studios: 2026

Ciara Calgaret Joey Karpany Nicole Evans Tyra Wakfield

Mia Smith Ballard Kirene Newchurch Kyrell Miller Taylah David-Mabura Maeve Bishop

Future Studios: 2026 Now in its third year, Future Studios: 2026 continues Adelaide Contemporary Experimental’s (ACE) partnership with the Department for Education, supporting Aboriginal secondary students to explore contemporary visual arts and develop pathways into the creative industries. Since its establishment in 2024, the program has provided opportunities for artistic experimentation, cultural connection and professional development, encouraging young people to develop their creative voices through mentorship and practical experience. At the centre of the program is a week-long studio intensive at ACE, where students work alongside practicing artists, participate in workshops and experience professional gallery and studio environments. In 2026, workshops led by First Nations artists Lara Tilbrook, Bryce Cawte, Kristal Matthews and Thomas Readett introduced students to different materials, techniques and approaches to contemporary practice. Visits to galleries and studios, alongside tours of Adelaide College of the Arts and Adelaide University, provided insight into tertiary study, creative careers and the broader arts sector. Following the intensive, students received ongoing support to develop and complete artworks for public exhibition. An important aspect of Future Studios is the opportunity for students to return across multiple years, building on previous experiences and extending their artistic practices. For some, 2026 marks their third year in the program and the completion of secondary education. This sustained engagement allows students to revisit ideas, refine skills and approach increasingly ambitious works with greater independence, while new participants are introduced to different ways of making and communicating their ideas.

The resulting exhibition brings together nine young artists working across painting, ceramics, sculpture and installation. While diverse in their approaches, the works explore relationships between people, place and identity. Family histories, cultural knowledge and connections to Country emerge alongside considerations of environmental responsibility, colonisation and storytelling, reflecting the different experiences and perspectives of the participating artists. In Murulapi lumayar Ruw-angk ngarni yuntu-walun (Ripples of places we meet), Mia Smith Ballard brings together ochre, linen, driftwood and beeswax to reflect her connection to the landscapes of the Coorong, Goolwa and surrounding areas. The natural materials encourage consideration of the environments and resources often overlooked in everyday life, while the work also explores how meeting others and forming new relationships contributes to an evolving sense of identity, community and belonging. Maeve Bishop’s Road to Goodooga explores cultural identity through three paintings informed by her Murriwurri, Kooma and Barkindji heritage. Inspired by her uncle’s artistic practice, Bishop incorporates imagery associated with Goodooga, including the emu, stars and her cultural totem, the goanna. Created as studies for her final Year 12 portfolio, the works reflect the importance of family knowledge and artistic practice in strengthening connections to culture and Country. Nicole Evans’ mixed-media installation combines painted coolamons, burnt canvases and photography to explore cultural identity and belonging. Contrasting treatments of the coolamons reflect her outward appearance and cultural connections, while burnt markings and a self-portrait reference her mob’s Country. Photographs taken on Kokatha Country, where Evans currently lives, bring personal belongings and everyday experiences into dialogue with cultural histories, demonstrating how traditional forms and contemporary techniques can communicate personal connections to place. Family and intergenerational knowledge are central to Joey Karpany’s The Many Marks of Cyril (Cookie), a tribute to his Poppa and the significant role he has played in his upbringing. Through woodburning, carving, painting and ceramics, Karpany explores his Poppa’s life, journeys across Country and personal history. Drawing on techniques introduced through Future Studios workshops and influences from artists Benji Isaac, William Ricketts and Bryce Cawte, he developed a collection of interconnected works that demonstrate the possibilities of material experimentation and storytelling.

Kirene Newchurch’s seeing it through the original eyes examines the ongoing impacts of colonisation on Aboriginal land, culture and identity. Her installation combines individually decorated ceramic vessels with a central white signpost, contrasting enduring cultural relationships to Country with imposed systems of ownership, mapping and control. Through symbolism, material and spatial arrangement, Newchurch questions the authority of colonial boundaries and their continued influence on understandings of place and belonging. In Journey Through Homes, Tyra Wakfield maps her experiences of moving between Tasmania and the Yorke Peninsula. Across four linen panels, circular forms, organic lines and earthy colours represent significant places, family relationships and journeys. Her off-centre arrangement extends the painting beyond a conventional format, reflecting how home can exist across multiple locations and be shaped by movement, memory and personal connection. Kyrell Miller’s Badja explores the relationship between wildlife and the Australian landscape. Through layered acrylic paint and detailed patterns, Miller depicts a snake using earthy tones drawn from the natural environment. His attention to colour and texture emphasises the connection between animals and their surroundings, encouraging viewers to appreciate the beauty and diversity of the landscape. Ciara Calgaret’s Ambience of Solace explores imaginative storytelling through her first oil painting. Inspired by an unfinished novel she began writing at fourteen, Calgaret combines abstraction and surrealism to examine ambition, power and greed. Contrasting warm and cool colours distinguish the perspectives of two sisters confronted by a mysterious presence, demonstrating how creative writing can be translated into visual narrative through colour, atmosphere and symbolism. Taylah David-Mabura’s work addresses the impacts of ocean pollution, using acrylic paint and found objects to explore the relationship between human activity and marine environments. Her approach draws attention to environmental responsibility and the potential for everyday materials to communicate broader concerns through artistic practice.

Across the exhibition, students demonstrate growing confidence in their artistic decisions, experimenting with materials, techniques and presentation to communicate their individual ideas. From personal storytelling and cultural reflection to environmental concerns and historical inquiry, the works reflect the freedom to explore different approaches within a supportive professional environment. Equally important are the relationships developed throughout the program. Working alongside practicing artists and peers from different communities provides opportunities for collaboration, cultural exchange and continued learning. For students completing Year 12, the exhibition marks an important transition, while for others it represents another stage in their creative development. Future Studios: 2026 celebrates these achievements while recognising that each student’s artistic journey continues beyond the exhibition. Through sustained mentorship, access to professional environments and opportunities for experimentation, ACE supports the next generation of Aboriginal artists to develop their skills, express their perspectives and contribute to the broader cultural landscape.

Crista Bradshaw Education Coordinator (First Nations), Adelaide Contemporary Experimental

Mia Smith Ballard Murulapi lumayar Ruw-angk ngarni yuntu-walun (Ripples of places we meet) 2026 Ochre on linen, Velcro, driftwood and beeswax 155cm x 125cm x 9cm “My artwork, Murulapi lumayar Ruw-angk ngarni yuntu-walun (Ripples of Places We Meet), is about my connection to Country and the places where I grew up, including the Coorong, Goolwa and surrounding areas. It is also about meeting new people and making connections, both culturally and personally. I used ochre to represent the land around the Coorong and Goolwa, and to highlight the importance of protecting Country before its natural resources diminish or disappear. I chose linen and wood to represent the natural materials that surround us, but that we often overlook in our everyday lives.”

Mia Smith Ballard, Murulapi lumayar Ruw-angk ngarni yuntu-walun (Ripples of places we meet), 2026, installation view, Adelaide Contemporary Experimental. Photography by Crista Bradshaw.

7 Mia Smith Ballard

Kirene Newchurch seeing it through the original eyes 2026 Ceramics and acrylic on metal street sign Dimensions variable “My body of work explores the impact of colonisation and how White Australia has taken over and changed the land, culture and identity of Indigenous Australians. Through a collection of ceramic pots and a central signpost, I wanted to communicate how colonisation has influenced the way people view and claim ownership of the land. The signpost represents the boundaries, directions and systems imposed by colonisers, symbolising how these structures have been used to establish control over the country. I chose this concept to encourage viewers to reflect on Australia’s history and the ongoing effects of colonisation on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Kirene Newchurch, seeing it through the original eyes, 2026, installation view, Adelaide Contemporary Experimental. Photography by Crista Bradshaw.

9 Kirene Newchurch

Kirene Newchurch

Kirene Newchurch My work was influenced by the history of colonisation in Australia and the significance of land, culture and identity. I used recognisable objects, such as pots and signs, to represent different aspects of this history. The signpost acts as the main focal point, representing the authority and control associated with colonisation. The different pots surrounding it represent the land and the cultural identities connected to it. Through these elements, I aimed to show the contrast between the cultural significance of the land and the systems introduced by White Australia. I used clay to create the pots, allowing me to experiment with form, texture and decoration. I chose ceramics because pots are functional objects that can also carry cultural and personal meaning. I decorated the pots with different colours and patterns to give each piece its own identity. The central signpost was made white to stand out against the earthy colours of the ceramics. Its placement in the centre draws attention to its symbolic importance. Glazing added colour and a finished surface to the pots, helping the individual pieces work together as one installation. During the development of my work, I considered how the arrangement of the objects could strengthen my message. I positioned the signpost in the centre, surrounded by the pots, to suggest how colonial systems have become established within the Australian landscape. One challenge was communicating a complex historical issue through a small collection of ceramic objects. I addressed this by using symbolism, colour and contrast rather than literal representations. My work reflects my interest in Australia’s history and how colonisation continues to influence the country today. I want viewers to question whose authority is represented by signs and boundaries, and whose connection to the land has been marginalised. Overall, I believe my work communicates my intention through the relationship between the pots and the signpost. This process has taught me how ceramics can communicate ideas beyond their practical purpose and encourage people to reflect on important historical and cultural issues.”

Kirene Newchurch, seeing it through the original eyes, 2026, installation view, Adelaide Contemporary Experimental. Photography by Crista Bradshaw.

Kyrell Miller Badja 2026 Acrylic and paint markers on canvas 40 x 50cm “My artwork is a painting of an earthy snake. I wanted to explore earthy colours and show the Australian landscape through my artwork. I chose a snake because it is an animal that is strongly connected to the Australian environment. I used acrylic paint and Posca markers on canvas to create this piece. I layered different shades of brown, orange and green to represent the colours of the land and to give the painting more detail. The Australian landscape influenced my artwork. I like the natural colours of the land and wanted to show how animals belong in their environment.” Kyrell Miller, Badja, 2026, installation view, Adelaide Contemporary Experimental. Photography by Crista Bradshaw.

13 Kyrell Miller

Taylah David-Mabura Untitled 2026 Acrylic, ceramics and found objects on canvas 61cm x 77cm Taylah David-Mabura, Untitled, 2026, installation view, Adelaide Contemporary Experimental. Photography by Crista Bradshaw.

15 Taylah David-Mabura

“My name is Taylah, I am a 16 year old Kaurareg girl born in Adelaide and raised in Port Lincoln. Kaurareg is my mob from Thursday Island and that is one of the island groups in the Torres Strait Islands. My artwork piece is based on ocean pollution, this piece to me is significant because I have a deep connection to the ocean through my culture. The pieces of rubbish on the art piece represent the pollution in the ocean. The thick black line underneath the rubbish represents the oil left behind from the boats and oil rigs, the starfish, turtle and stingray are made out of clay where the leopard (Stegostoma tigrinum) shark is not, this is due to the factor of the Stegostoma tigrinum is listed as globally endangered by IUCN Red list. These animals are swimming away from the oil and the rubbish, the reason why the stingray, turtle and the starfish are clay is because I wanted the leopard shark to stand it due to the endangerment. The base of my artwork art different colour spirals, this shows the ocean’s current and all the different temperatures it is.”

Taylah David-Mabura, Untitled, 2026, installation view, Adelaide Contemporary Experimental. Photography by Crista Bradshaw.

Taylah David-Mabura

Maeve Bishop Road to Goodooga 2026 Acrylic on canvas 66 x 25cm (installation) “These three artworks are studies for my final Year 12 art portfolio, exploring my identity and connection to culture. Inspired by my uncle’s artwork and my Murriwurri, Kooma and Barkindji heritage, I have included elements connected to Goodooga, such as the emu and stars, which hold cultural significance. I have also included my totem, the goanna, to represent my connection to culture, Country and identity. Through these artworks, I wanted to explore my heritage and the things that are important to me.”

Maeve Bishop, Road to Goodooga, 2026, installation view, Adelaide Contemporary Experimental. Photography by Crista Bradshaw.

19 Maeve Bishop

Ciara Calgaret Ambience of Solace 2026 Oil on canvas 61 x 77cm Ciara Calgaret, Ambience of Solace, 2026, installation view, Adelaide Contemporary Experimental. Photography by Crista Bradshaw.

21 Ciara Calgaret

Ciara Calgaret

Ciara Calgaret “My name is Ciara Calgaret, I am a proud 16-year-old girl of Mirning, and Kokatha descent. I was born on Barngala country. Ambience of Solace is my first oil painting piece, and holds symbolism behind it. The primary materials used to create Ambience of Solace are Oil paints. The style of my work is abstract and surrealism art connecting together to administer a unique essence. I was inspired by bringing an old story from an unfinished novel I created at 14 years old. I felt admired enough to try and bring a fragment of my story to life, which was going to be a challenge. This piece I have created is called ‘The Ambience of Solace.” It is a story shared between two sisters whose essence are created through a story symbolising the consequences of greed. I wanted to contrast this by creating identities that are expressed through colour; warm golden hues embody Viserra’s hunger for power and ascension, while darker, cooler tones reflect Lania’s fear of the very spirit her sister worships. In Velnyros, power is rarely announced. It is felt in the air, in the body, in the awareness that something greater is near. Arriving softly and wears the face of something holy. Solace exists within that feeling. It is the Crown of Velnyros, presence less like a figure and more like an influence. A golden mouth whispering to dominion, hunger, and more becoming. Ambition turns into devotion and devotion into appetite, until greed begins to resemble ascension. Viserra Sulthran is 15 when she reaches towards Solace. She does not see Solace as something to fear. She sees a promise that she might shed the smallness of mortality and her hand rises toward it almost reverently, as though she has mistaken consumption for salvation, and the possibility of becoming larger than the life she was given. She is drawn not only to what Solace is, but to what it could make of her. Lania Sulthran stands opposite of Viserra. She sees the same power without the same desire. The crown belongs to Lania, yet she understands that inheritance and possession are not the same. She looks upon Solace and sees the prophecy beneath the splendour. Not ascension, but consequence. Not divinity, but appetite wielded in gold. Viserra embraces the potential. She understands that the ambience of Solace can appear beautiful long before it reveals its cost. Solace remains between them, blooming like an omen. It is neither saviour nor executioner. It is temptation given atmosphere.”

Ciara Calgaret, Ambience of Solace, 2026, installation view, Adelaide Contemporary Experimental. Photography by Crista Bradshaw.

Joey Karpany The Many Marks of Cyril (Cookie) 2026 Wood and ceramics 29 x 44 x 5.5cm “For my artworks, my focus is my Poppa. I decided to focus my work on my Poppa because he is a major influence in my life. Growing up with my parents split, he was a father figure. I expressed my Poppa through Aboriginal symbols. I expressed travel, growth, and culture. These were done through footprints, representing his travel on Country, and person symbols getting bigger, representing growth and him growing up. I made four artworks: two artworks that are presented together, which are a woodburning and clay model of my Poppa’s face. The other two are the same object, just with a different design and technique. I made two coolamons and painted on one and carved the other one.

Joey Karpany, The Many Marks of Cyril (Cookie), 2026, installation view, Adelaide Contemporary Experimental. Photography by Crista Bradshaw.

25 Joey Karpany

Joey Karpany

Joey Karpany There were a few artists that influenced my final artworks. They were Benji Isaac, William Ricketts, and Bryce Cawte. These artists have all influenced me to create the artworks that I have created. Benji Isaac inspired me through the way he carves his designs into mirrors. I chose to carve into wood instead, but his unique art style influenced me to woodburn my design into wood. Bryce Cawte inspired my coolamon artworks because we did a workshop with Bryce at the ACE Studios camp, where I cut my own coolamon out of a gum tree. From the year before, we did a workshop with Bryce Cawte where we burnt our own designs into clap sticks. William Ricketts influenced me because I wanted to design a face sculpture of my Poppa, and most of his artworks are of Aboriginal faces. Creating three different artworks, I used multiple different materials and techniques. I used wood and clay. I used multiple techniques: I carved in clay, painted on clay, burned into wood, and shaped clay to make a face. I chose to use these materials because I didn’t want my artwork to be basic, on canvas and with paint. The ACE Future Studios helped me explore and experiment with different types of mediums. Through the experience, I trialled different types of art techniques and materials. I tried drawing, crayon, and clay. All were okay, but I found it difficult to use these materials, so I wanted to try woodburning because I have always wanted to use woodburning to create an artwork. Through creating my artworks, my ideas changed from having two artworks to having four. I was looking at my wooden coolamon and decided to create a clay coolamon. This experimentation made it into my final artwork. The biggest challenge I faced when creating my woodburning artwork was that the woodburning tool had broken, and I didn’t have another piece that made my lines straight and thick enough. I overcame this by holding the tool at a different angle to make the lines straight and not too thick. My artworks are all very personal, with my main focus being my Poppa. My artworks reflect on my Poppa’s journey and him growing up. I want the audience to feel the journey that I went through when creating the artworks and all the time and effort that went into every artwork. I want them to connect to the story that I am trying to tell. My final artworks were really successful because I had finished all of them to a high standard and on time. The final artworks were what I expected because they had everything I wanted, and the story was told really well. These artworks have shown me that I need to learn more about my Poppa because I had to get all my information from my mum. I learnt that art isn’t only paint on canvas and pencil on paper; it is more than that. Through this process, I developed a stronger understanding of the different art materials and techniques, how to create artworks within a timeline, and how to present them for a studio.” Joey Karpany, The Many Marks of Cyril (Cookie), 2026, installation view, Adelaide Contemporary Experimental. Photography by Crista Bradshaw.

Nicole Evans Untitled 2026 Ochre and acrylic on Wood, canvas, photographs and frames Dimensions variable “I’ve made a piece that uses 3 canvases, printed photos and two coolamons, for the coolamons I’ve painted the entire back of one to resemble my skin colour on the outside and the second coolamon is painted on the inside with ochre to represent my culture. In my art piece I also have three canvases with two of them having my mob’s country burned into them and a handprint burnt into the other with a portrait of me underneath. The canvases are to show my connection to my culture and to show where I’m from. Finally I have two photos that are split in two that were taken on kokatha land which is where I currently live. In the photo I have my art pieces, my boots, and my hat.” Nicole Evans, Untitled, 2026, installation view, Adelaide Contemporary Experimental. Photography by Crista Bradshaw.

29 Nicole Evans

Tyra Wakefield Journey Through Homes 2026 Acrylic on linen 53 x 75cm Tyra Wakefield, Journey Through Homes, 2026, installation view, Adelaide Contemporary Experimental. Photography by Crista Bradshaw.

31 Tyra Wakefield

Tyra Wakefield

Tyra Wakefield “My artwork is done on 4 pieces of linen material. I wanted to try something different in the way I displayed this artwork, so I chose to place them all off centre to make it more interesting to look at. In my painting I wanted to show my journey here to the Yorke Peninsula. The two circles in the middle represent the homes I have had, the larger one represents the Yorke Peninsula, the smaller one represents Tasmania. There are more people around the Yorke Peninsula home to show how many family members there are here. The blue on the left hand-side represents the ocean near our shack where we are still building onto. I like to go swimming there and it is where our family visits. The other two circles on the right show different places where other family members live. I used earthy colours because I wanted to show what the paths I travel on look like, to get to different places along my journey. I used white dots to make it pop and stand out. I used natural organic lines as the roads I have travelled on are not straight, they always curve with the landscape around them.”

Tyra Wakefield, Journey Through Homes, 2026, installation view, Adelaide Contemporary Experimental. Photography by Crista Bradshaw.

Acknowledgements Curator

Crista Bradshaw

Executive Director

Louise Dunn

Artists

Mia Smith Ballard Maeve Bishop Zerah Coleman Taylah David-Mabura Nicole Evans Joey Karpany Kyrell Miller Kirene Newchurch Tyra Wakfield

Artistic Director

Danni Zuvela

Marketing

Harriet Culbertson Lauren Dilena

Support

Sally Francis

Exhibition Lead/ Catalogue Design

Crista Bradshaw

Publisher

Adelaide Contemporary Experimental

Installers

Michael Bradshaw Joshua Sleep Tiana Nikita Kelly-Jo

Future Studios Program The ACE Future Studios is a free program that provides fully-supported CBD-based studios to young South Australian artists for a one-week intensive period and mentoring across the year. This unique industry placement nurtures creativity and practical skills with the support of mentor artists and ACE staff and gives young artists an understanding of professional studio practice.

Support ACE is supported by the South Australian Government through Create SA and the Australian Government through Creative Australia. Future Studios is supported by the Department for

Education.

Future Studios Workshop with Bryce Cawte, 2026, Adelaide Contemporary Experimental. Photography by Peter Fong.

About ACE Located in Adelaide’s iconic Lion Arts Centre precinct, Adelaide Contemporary Experimental (ACE) is South Australia’s leading independent contemporary arts organisation, proudly supporting artists to imagine, develop and showcase art on Kaurna Yarta (Kaurna Country). Established through the merger of the Contemporary Art Centre of South Australia (CACSA) and the Australian Experimental Art Foundation (AEAF) in 2017, ACE builds upon the legacy of over 100 years of leading experimental arts activity in South Australia. Through exhibitions, studios, live programs, education and professional development opportunities, ACE is a space for artists and audiences to explore, reflect on and connect with contemporary and experimental art.

Lion Arts Centre North Terrace (West End) Kaurna Yarta Adelaide SA 5000 +61 8 8211 7505 ace.gallery

Future Studios: 2025 Bryce Cawte Welcome to Country, event documentation, Adelaide Contemporary Experimental. Photography by Andre Castellucci.