Kaiela Arts Launches New Editions Program with Maree Clarke and Spacecraft

A new partnership between Kaiela Arts, artist Maree Clarke (Mutti Mutti, Yorta Yorta, Boonwurrung, Wamba Wamba) and Spacecraft Melbourne will debut on 20 and 21 November 2025 with the launch of Kaiela Arts Editions. The initiative marks a significant expansion for Kaiela Arts, one of only two Aboriginal art centres in Victoria, supporting new forms of creative production and sustainable, community-led practice.

The inaugural series features 40 hand-printed works on archival paper and 10 silkscreen prints on glass, combining Clarke’s deep cultural knowledge with Spacecraft’s experimental design processes. The works will be launched with events at Kaiela Arts Shepparton (20 November) and Spacecraft Melbourne (21 November), followed by an exhibition at Kaiela Arts from 24 November to 8 December 2025.

Proceeds from sales, priced between $1,600 and $3,300, will fund Kaiela Arts’ new screen-printing program and strengthen ongoing cultural initiatives in Shepparton.

“Kaiela Arts Editions marks a new direction for the centre,” said curator Chloe Jones. “By inviting leading artists like Clarke to collaborate, the program expands creative and commercial opportunities for First Nations artists and supports new community-led practices.”

Clarke’s works draw from her revitalisation of traditional river reed necklaces, focusing on the reed as both material and metaphor. The pieces use ochres and charcoal collected from Barmah and Cummeragunja, embedding deep connections to Country.

“It’s so important to pass on cultural knowledge. Every new work is about recreating culture in a positive, respectful way—reviving practices not seen for generations and passing that knowledge on,” Clarke said.

Produced with the involvement of Studio Manager and emerging printer Tarn Parker (Wiradjuri), the project reflects a collaborative process rooted in respect and experimentation.

“Working together with Kaiela Arts and Maree has been a deeply rewarding process,” said Spacecraft founder Stewart Russell. “This project has allowed us to honour both traditional knowledge and contemporary practice.”

Supported by Indigenous Visual Arts Industry Support (IVAIS), Creative Victoria and Greater Shepparton City Council, Kaiela Arts Editions represents a new model for collaboration and cultural continuity—linking artists, communities and collectors through shared creative purpose.

Image (left to right): Kaiela Arts Editions by Maree Clarke, 2025, Print #5 on Glass edition, Maree Clarke at Kaiela Arts, Print #8 on Paper edition 

Read more about Kaiela Arts Editions in Art Collector issue #114 (October-December 2025)