Yarra City Arts is pleased to announce Jacqui Stockdale as the recipient of the 2025 Yarra Arts Fellowship. This grant is a $10,000 award for an individual artist to focus more easily on their work, by reducing financial pressures associated with maintaining a creative practice.
I’m thrilled to receive the Yarra Fellowship for 2025! This opportunity will allow me to take a step back from the pressures of a demanding exhibition schedule and focus on developing new ideas and connecting more deeply with the Yarra community surrounding my art studio. I look forward to working with young artists, families and local groups from the Collingwood Children’s Farm as I embark on a project titled Thy Shall Ride. This project, inspired by a childhood drawing of a horse, will explore themes of Australian history, folklore and memory, reigniting my love for horses and their significance in our cultural narrative.
As a Naarm/Melbourne-based artist, my practice spans painting, drawing, photography, collage and performance. I am interested in the human condition through Australian history, masquerade and untold stories. My practice involves collaboration with artists and diverse communities, creating works that blend personal experiences with broader cultural narratives. My studio is a vibrant space filled with life-size sculptures and objects that inform my paintings; at times, it feels as though these creations come alive when I’m not there.