Artists are increasingly seeking meaningful critique, connection and development opportunities beyond formal education institutions to progress their work.

Constellations is a CAT development program initiated in response to the shifting expectations, knowledge and skill requirements of artists. Discursive and collegial in its approach, Constellations is brewed from consultation with artists and arts professionals. As the program generates there will be opportunity for experimenting with alternative structures for participants to develop new modes of teaching and learning to support individual and collaborative development.

Constellations: New Work, September 2022 – March 2023 

Six early-career artists have been matched with established artists to engage with the conceptual development needed to plan or prototype new artwork. CAT provides each participating artist with a fee with further support through a customised mentorship program that includes development workshops, critical cluster sessions and engagement with guest provocateurs.

2022

Constellations: New Work (September 2022 – March 2023)

Bendable posable action artist (b.p.a.a) series

A social space to talk about practice, present artworks in development and pose provisional ideas

b.p.a.a 26.05.22 
FEATURING: Annette Downs & Sinsa Mansell, Briony Kidd, Shasta Stevic, John Vella

b.p.a.a 19.05.22
FEATURING: James Brennan, Julia Drouhin, Sam Dowson aka Milquebarth, Warren Mason

b.p.a.a 12.05.22
FEATURING: Bella Dower, Jim Everett puralia meenamatta, Natalie Holtsbaum, Gabbee Stolp, Lillian Wheatley

2021

What’s cooking?

Speculating on what progresses practice

What’s cooking? #3_2021
FEATURING: Amyris Cauchi, Otis McDermott and Cameron Phillips, Grace Gamage, Caleb Nichols-Mansell, Billie Rankin with Daysi Patel and Pearl Smithies

What’s cooking? #2_2021
FEATURING: Paul Eggins, Pete Mattila, Léuli Eshrāghi, Lucienne Rickard

What’s cooking? #1_2021
FEATURING: Amanda Davies, Mike Singe, Loren Kronemyer, Joshua Santospirito

Program research commenced in 2021 with a cluster of What’s cooking? sessions to launch the initiative. Short and sharp, each session brought artists together to talk about their practice or a project in development. Participants were sourced through a combination of ‘open call’ – to broaden the scope of the enquiry – and invitation. What’s cooking? operated as an introduction to practice, provided a context for discussing topics important to artists now, fostered connection and was an opportunity to pose the question; what do artists want from a development program? The learnings from 2021 have informed the ongoing program content and structure. The name was changed from MACHINE to Constellations in 2022 to better reflect the nature of the program, the bringing together of different groups of artists and forms of practice.

The program is initiated by the Constellations curatorium comprising: Bill Hart, Kylie Johnson, Michelle Maynard and Robert O’Connor. Enquiries to CAT Curator Kylie Johnson – kylie@contemporaryart.org.au