Visaya Hoffie Wins 2025 Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship

Queensland artist Visaya Hoffie has been awarded the 2025 Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship, announced yesterday at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. The annual scholarship provides a three-month residency at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris and $50,000 in funding to support the recipient’s artistic development in Europe.

Five additional artists received $10,000 each and a two-week residency at the Shark Island Institute in Kangaroo Valley, NSW. The 2025 residency recipients are Casey Chen (NSW), Gigi Malherbe (NSW), Jacob Davidson (NSW), Naoise Halloran-Mackay (VIC) and Tresor Murace (NSW).

Hoffie, a previous scholarship finalist and 2023 Shark Island resident, has exhibited widely across Australia. She was also the subject of Pat Hoffie’s Archibald Prize 2021 finalist portrait Visaya in a c-collar, which received a Highly Commended award.

The 2025 scholarship attracted 206 entries, the highest number in 25 years. Guest judge Joan Ross selected ten finalists and six scholarship recipients, noting the breadth and innovation in this year’s submissions.

“I was excited to see such diverse approaches to painting and experimentation with materials,” Ross said. “Visaya is hungry to process the world, and you can feel the energy in her work. It evokes performance and immediacy—deeply engaged with contemporary culture. I think being in Paris will be perfect for her.”

Hoffie will undertake the Paris residency from July to September 2026. The five Shark Island recipients will complete their residencies in November 2025, participating in a program of events and mentorship to support new work.

Art Gallery of NSW Director Maud Page said the scholarship plays an important role in supporting emerging artists.

“The Brett Whiteley Travelling Art Scholarship honours the spirit of one of Australia’s most celebrated artists by investing in the next generation of creative talent,” Page said. “Thanks to the generosity of our partners in Paris and Kangaroo Valley, artists like Visaya Hoffie and her peers can pursue transformative opportunities at key stages in their careers.”

Established in 1999 by Beryl Whiteley in memory of her son Brett Whiteley, the scholarship continues to support early-career painters through international and domestic residencies. The Shark Island Kangaroo Valley program, introduced in 2020, remains a key component of the initiative.

Additional 2025 finalists Harrison Witsey (NSW), Noah Joe Draper (NSW), Ondine Seabrook (NSW) and Remy Faint (NSW) each received $1,000.

All finalist and recipient works are on display at the Art Gallery of New South Wales’ Naala Nura building until 23 November 2025, while upgrades continue at the Brett Whiteley Studio in Surry Hills.