Twelve talented artists have been selected to call Parramatta Artists Studios (PAS) home at its new facility in Granville.
Ranging from diverse backgrounds and stages of their career, the artists have a flexible space to work towards exhibitions, refine their creative practices and to make career-defining connections with leaders in the contemporary art sector.
City of Parramatta Lord Mayor Cr Pierre Esber said the PAS program offers emerging and established artists an opportunity to share their creative experiences.
“We’re excited to see what these artists can achieve as they connect with each other and Parramatta’s wider community while contributing to our vibrant culture,” Cr Esber said.
“Since 2006 PAS has provided hundreds of aspiring and recognised artists with opportunities to develop their studio-based practices, a rarity across Sydney.
“Some have earnt international recognition for their work, such as contemporary artist Serwah Attafuah, from PAS’ Rydalmere studio program, who exhibited work at Amsterdam’s Felix Meritis last year and is in the Biennale of Sydney this year.”
Local emerging artist, Bonnie Huang will be working on their first solo exhibition while at PAS and looks forward to connecting with other artists and the wider community.
“For me, PAS has been a huge factor moving into arts more professionally and I’m excited to be among many diverse and intergenerational artists as we connect and support each other,” Huang said.
Pakistani-Australian interdisciplinary artist, Audrey Newton is a dedicated arts practitioner combining art and writing in her artwork and is excited to have a workspace for her upcoming exhibition interstate.
“I’m looking forward to connecting with the other artists and working in a larger scale space with new material,” Newton said.
Audrey and Bonnie will be joined by fellow artists, Marian Abboud, Kirtika Kain, Celine Cheung, M. Sunflower, Anney Bounpraseuth, Keg de Souza, Morgan Hogg, Monica Rani Rudhar, Ali Tahayori and Abdullah M. I. Syed.
An official opening of the Granville site will take place in the coming months followed by a program of public workshops, tours and events.
The 12 new studios at Granville are in addition to the six existing PAS studios at Rydalmere, expanding the City of Parramatta’s support for artists from Western Sydney and beyond.
