Recipients of NETS Victoria Exhibition Development Fund announced

Jemima-Wyman-Propaganda-textiles-Washington-Pink-Bloc-protester-at-Gay-Pride-in-Copacabana-13th-October-2013-(detail)-2016-17NETS Victoria is committed to help ease the financial burden for arts organisations with the annual Exhibition Development Fund (EDF) which sees grants of up to $10,000 awarded to Victorian arts organisations to develop new exhibitions of contemporary art, craft or design, with the potential to tour with NETS Victoria.

NETS Victoria is pleased to announce the successful recipients of this year’s EDF, who will each receive $10K to support their projects. Bus Projects, La Trobe Art Institute and Blak Dot Gallery will all present the following exhibitions:

Bus Projects will present Notions of Care curated by Nina Mulhall and Kathryne Honey. Featuring artists Polly Stanton, Kate Tucker and Katie West, Notions of Care explores the ways in which art and nurture are interlinked, asking viewers to take time, to pause, and to contemplate.

La Trobe Art Institute will present one foot on the ground, one foot in the water – a group exhibition that explores death and dying as states of transition, presenting art-making as a means of facing mortality and being with grief, collectively and individually.

Featuring Catherine Bell, Timothy Cook, French & Mottershead, Mabel Juli, Richard Lewer, Michael Needham, Nell, Patrick Freddy Puruntatameri, Mr Wunungmurra, the exhibition looks at how we process the reality of death, offering ways we might be able to continue to live with and face mortality.

Each exhibiting artist provides a highly unique, engaging and sensitive approach towards our shared mortal condition, exemplifying the way art can help us learn to better live with death. The exhibition will be accompanied by a fully illustrated e-catalogue featuring six newly commissioned texts and a photo essay by Sara Morawetz.

Blak Dot Gallery will present EXCHANGE by curator and artist Kimba Thompson, exploring the exchange of knowledge and ideas between First Nations Peoples, supporting the validity of knowledge and permissions to access old/living knowledge.

EXCHANGE amplifies the curatorial process as a collaborative one. The collectivist nature of many First Nations cultures prioritises reciprocity and ‘gulpa nawal’ (Yorta Yorta) – the closest description in English as “deep and respectful listening which builds community”.

The NETS Victoria team is thrilled to work with these three galleries to present boundary-pushing art and support local artists in a year where they’ve needed more support than ever. “We were heartened by the diversity and strength of the applicants in 2020,” said Claire Watson, Director of NETS Victoria.

“The selected projects resonated with our Artistic Program Advisory Committee for their connection to community and strong curatorial themes. Investing in the development of these outstanding exhibitions will enable new ideas to thrive and increased exposure for curators and artists alike. We thank all the exceptional applicants this year,” she said.


The annual Exhibition Development Fund initiative is supported by Creative Victoria. Previously awarded grantees include Arts Project Australia for FEM-aFFINITY, as well Shepparton Art Museum for Craftivism: Dissident Objects and Subversive Forms – both toured with NETS Victoria in 2020. For more information, visit: www.netsvictoria.org.au for details.

Image: Jemima Wyman, Propaganda textiles – Washington, Pink Bloc protester at Gay Pride in Copacabana, 13th October 2013 (detail), 2016-17 custom made fabric book: Minky, Hot Pink Brazil 10-13, ed. 2/6 + 2 AP, 40.5 x 45.5 x 2.5cm © the artist, courtesy the artist, Sullivan+Strumpf, Sydney / Singapore and Milani Gallery, Brisbane