Art Incubator celebrates a decade of emerging talent

A major new exhibition, Ten-Fold: A Decade of Emerging Art Incubator Artists, is now open at Manly Art Gallery & Museum, celebrating ten years of Art Incubator’s dedication to nurturing the next wave of Australian contemporary artists. Running until 1 June 2025, the show brings together work from all 23 artists who have received support from the program since its inception in 2014.

Art Incubator is a broad, agile and holistic support model involving financial grants, a solo exhibition in a commercial gallery, mentoring, and meaningful engagement with collectors, gallerists, institutions, philanthropists and art enthusiasts alike.

Spanning painting, sculpture, ceramics, photography and video, the exhibition features artists including Seth Diego Birchall, Matthew Bromhead, Joshua Charadia, William Cooke, Alice Couttoupes, Emma Finneran, Remy Faint, Will French, Orson Heidrich, Megan Hales, Victoria Hempstead, Samantha Jade, Eunjoo Jang, Kirtika Kain, Mason Kimber, Tom Keukenmeester, Jack Lanagan Dunbar, Kate Mitchell, Nadia Odlum, Philjames, Monica Rani Rudhar, Shan Turner-Carroll and Nicole Zhang.

“We are so proud to open this milestone exhibition with Manly Art Gallery & Museum,” said Teresa Biet, Director of Art Incubator. “Art plays a vital role in the creation of culture, fostering strong communities and building a balanced society. It is this belief that sits at the core of what we do at Art Incubator.”

Biet reflected on the need for the program. “The vision for Art Incubator was born from a clear need for more targeted support for young artists at the beginning of their professional careers. Financial grants are few and fiercely competitive, and the rising costs of studio space, materials, and other resources make it a challenge for emerging artists to sustain their practice.”

The exhibition is also a celebration of the community that Art Incubator has built. “It is incredibly enriching to witness the progress and accomplishments of our grant recipients, and we look forward to continuing our support for the future generations of Australian artists,” says Biet.

Visit the Manly Art Gallery & Museum website for more information on the exhibition.

Read more about Art Incubator here.