Victoria is marking a historic milestone with the signing of the first Treaty in Australia – a transformative moment for reconciliation, self-determination, and truth-telling. As this chapter begins, we’re raising the voices of First Peoples artists in prison, sharing powerful reflections on what they hope for their futures. These artists, as part of our current

The role First Nations Elders play in the Wadawurrung community is reflected in their high, and highly revered, representation within the artworks of Wadawurrung identifying artists in The Torch program. For her piece titled Weaving Warri Bagurrk #25, Alisha F acknowledges her innate talents for weaving plant fibres as being ‘second nature’ and attributes this

Many, if not most, of the Gunditjmara identifying artists in The Torch program pay direct homage to family, past and present, in their artwork. The tightly interwoven bonds that form within the cultural and geographic boundaries of Language Groups and Clans are at the core of First Nations society and culture. The impressive and comprehensive

One of the most well-known Dja Dja Wurrung creation tales is The Story of Two Volcanoes, Tarrengower and Lalgambook. This story emphasises the integral role the local landscape plays in both ancient and contemporary history, as well as the spirituality and consequent identity of Dja Dja Wurrung peoples. Dja Dja Wurrung identifying artists in The

We’re thrilled to announce that seven talented First Nations artists from The Torch program will be exhibiting in the Linden Postcard Show 2025, running from 6 September to 2 November at Linden New Art, St Kilda. Now in its 35th year, the Linden Postcard Show is a beloved fixture in Melbourne’s arts calendar. It’s a

More than just traditional ‘totemic’ representations, native animals play a vital role in many First Nations relationships to Country, spirituality, and to themselves. In Yorta Yorta Culture all plants and animals are significant, but those relative to healthy waterways hold a particularly high status. Bayadherra (Broad-shelled Turtle) is seen as ‘a provider, guide and protector’,

Despite the onset of European colonisation and their irreversible changes to the landscape, the Wurundjeri people have walked the same paths on this Country in Naarm for millennia. To the Wurundjeri their Country is called biik in the woi wurrung language, and biik plays a central, pivotal role in their identity. Combining the words wurun

The Torch is proud to celebrate the latest commission by Wotjobaluk/Gunaikurnai artist Thomas ‘Marksey’ Marks who was selected by Arthritis Australia to create a thought-provoking artwork highlighting the impact of Gout, a common yet often overlooked form of arthritis, affecting 1 in 15 Australians. Arthritis Australia is Australia’s leading national arthritis charity. They work with

Did you know that your organisation can commission original artwork from artists in The Torch program? These culturally rich, contemporary pieces not only enhance your space but also support post-incarcerated Indigenous artists on their journey of healing, reconnection, and self-determination through art. A recent standout example is the stunning piece Old Ways And New Tracks,

The recreation of traditional-style painting connected to an artist’s Heritage Community is a popular exercise amongst First Nations artists in The Torch’s program. An artist’s knowledge of their Heritage Community’s styles, and both the traditional and contemporary stories they can tell, provides them with an outlet to attain or maintain their connection to Culture and