APY Art Centre Collective to Open New First Nations Gallery and Cultural Hub in Redfern

The APY Art Centre Collective (APYACC) has announced the opening of APY Gallery Redfern, a new First Nations-owned gallery and professional development hub set to launch in November 2025.

Located in the heart of Redfern, the gallery will expand APYACC’s presence across Australia and strengthen connections between remote and urban First Nations artists. It will showcase works from across the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands and beyond, featuring exhibitions, collaborations, and cross-cultural projects.

As with all APY Galleries, 80 per cent of sales revenue will return directly to artists and their communities, continuing the organisation’s commitment to ethical practice and economic empowerment.

Building on the success of APY Galleries in Sydney (2018), Adelaide (2019), and Melbourne (2022), the Redfern space will provide training, mentoring and employment opportunities for First Nations artists and arts workers. The gallery will also host a new ceramics collaboration, bringing together Sydney-based and APY artists to create works for exhibition and sale.

Senior artist and cultural leader Nyunmiti Burton said the new gallery would support the next generation of artists and cultural leaders.

“Our art centres are like our universities – they teach us culture, skills, and strength,” Burton said. “With this new gallery in Redfern, our younger generations will have more opportunities to carry culture forward while building strong futures.”

Emerging artist Leshaye Swan, from Mimili Community, said the gallery represents both professional and cultural growth for young artists.

“I’ve got a job that I feel proud of and new opportunities to learn and grow as an artist and a Yankunytjatjara woman,” Swan said. “For young Aboriginal people from the bush like me, Redfern has always held a kind of magic. It feels like we’re part of that big story now too.”

Guided by APYACC’s Board of Directors, APY Gallery Redfern will serve as more than an exhibition space — it will be a living cultural hub where First Nations voices lead the conversation, connecting art, community, and future generations.

Opening event:  November 14, 6-8pm. 143 Redfern St, Redfern (Gadigal Country, Eora Nation)

Image: Umoona artists and staff at Umoona Community Art Centre, Umoona, 2025. Photo by Cara O’Dowd