ARTWORKS SOLD: 218/235
To see available works only, please click here.
The Torch proudly presents Future Dreaming, an exhibition featuring 235 artworks by First Nations artists incarcerated in 2025.
Each artwork offers a glimpse into the artist’s vision of the future – from deeply personal hopes, such as reuniting with family, returning to Country, or reconnecting with culture, to broader reflections on the future of political, social, and environmental systems. This exhibition poses a powerful question: What future do artists emerging from the prison system imagine for themselves?
Created within the walls of fifteen prisons across Victoria, these works are a powerful act of strength, resilience, and determination.
Future Dreaming is an annual exhibition presented by The Torch and established in 2020. The series makes space for every First Nation artist in prison to envision a future beyond incarceration and share their forward dreaming with the wider community. It offers a platform for voices often silenced to be heard, and a space for connection, healing, and change.
The overrepresentation of First Nations peoples in Australia’s criminal legal system remains one of the nation’s most pressing and painful challenges. Despite representing under 4% of the total population, First Nations community members account for 36% of the prison population. These stark statistics, compounded by ongoing systemic inequities rooted in colonisation, paint a sobering picture of injustice that demands urgent attention. Amid this reality, Future Dreaming is a testament to the transformative power of art and cultural connection in building pathways for healing, connection, advocacy and change.
Each artwork measures 30 x 30cm and is affordably priced between $180 and $330. The Torch takes no commission on sales, which means 100% of the artwork price goes directly to the artists.
Exhibition dates: 24 October – 22 November 2025
Location: The Torch Gallery, Wurundjeri Country, 146 Elgin St, Carlton VIC 3053
Entry is free
Gallery Hours: Tuesday – Friday: 10am to 4pm; Saturday: 11am–3pm
Please note, purchased artwork are available for collection from 2 December 2025.
PUBLIC PROGRAMS
Dive deeper into the exhibition through our public programs, including Artist Talks, Weaving Workshops, a Floor Talk and Live Art.
