Holding Space
Creative development, workshops
2025 – 2027
HOLDING SPACE is a recurring (2025-2027) annual program of artistic commissions, creative developments, workshops, public programs and events that aims to provide a provocation and a forum to share cultural and creative ideas, experiences, understandings and learnings centred around belonging and community connectedness.
Each year HOLDING SPACE will ground itself in an idea as an invitation for artists to engage with and each year we will call for Expressions of Interest.
2026 – Rituals of Reciprocity – Land and Water
In 2026, our theme is Rituals of Reciprocity – Land and Water. This year, artists will explore First Nations, refugee, and culturally diverse understandings of land and water, aiming to share cultural and creative ideas centred around exchange and mutuality in and between communities. Artists will be exploring traditional knowledge and ancestral practices, working intergenerationally and in a contemporary context that encourages stewardship of our planet. Artists will also be exploring this in human and non-human contexts.
The 2026 HOLDING SPACE artists are Ali Rezvani, Aprille Asfoura & Ahmed Elkhalidi, Azarmidokht Elahi, Catherine Sarah Young, Fale Tumanu, Kirsten Maglalang, Kylie Colemane, Nicole Barakat, Rodaba Qureshi, Shiva Dadvar, Sivani Yaddanapudi, Sohrab Kolahdooz & Shervin Mirzeinali, duo: Jade Dewi Tyas Tunggal & Ria Soemardjo, and collective: Annabel Hom, Maggie Tra, San May & Sovanarry Chan. Learn more about the artists here.
- HOLDING SPACE project dates: April - November 2026.
- Exhibition: 24th October - 9th November 2026 Chrissie Cotter Gallery, Camperdown, Sydney
- Showcase at Sydney Opera House: Sunday 1st November 2026
- Community Celebration Event at SSI’s Community Refugee Welcome Centre: Saturday 21st November 2026
2025 – Rituals of Welcome
In 2025, our theme was Rituals of Welcome. Artists from Western Sydney, First Nations backgrounds and refugee communities created works that explored how rituals can bring together traditional practices and modern responses, helping to foster connections within and between different cultures and communities. Their works also explored themes like the environment, traditional healing practices, and connection to the land, with some being developed in close collaboration with refugee communities.
The creative works of the 18 artists and over 200 community participants culminated in showcases that took place across two sites and three days. The first showcase event was held at the Utzon Room, Sydney Opera House on Friday, 28th of November 2025. The second showcase event was held at the Community Refugee Welcome Centre on Saturday, 6th and Sunday, 7th of December 2025.
In 2026, the project received a nomination for Outstanding Project - Community Arts and Culture at the Zest Awards 2026.
In the media
18/06/26: Zest Awards 2026 nomination - Outstanding Project - Community Arts and Culture
01/12/25: CuriousWorks' Senior Creative Producer, Vandana Ram interviewed by 2SER 107.3FM
CREDITS
HOLDING SPACE is funded by the NSW Government through the Multicultural NSW COMPACT Program.
Our project collaborators are SSI’s Community Refugee Welcome Centre located at Callan Park, Lilyfield, and Community Partners Sydney Opera House.
Contact
Contact us here
Find us at:
Fairfield City HQ
17 Kenyon St,
Fairfield, NSW, 2165,
Australia
Mail us at:
PO Box 112,
Liverpool, NSW, 1871,
Australia
View our visual story to know exactly how to find us
02 9602 9568
ABN 49 717 992 269
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Always Was, Always Will Be, Aboriginal Land.
Our office is located on Darug land at Fairfield City HQ. We would like to acknowledge the Cabrogal Clan of the Darug Nation, the traditional custodians of the land. Our work takes us across Darug, Dharawal and Eora lands. Sovereignty was never ceded.