Kid Contemporary
Kid Contemporary is an immersive workshop and creative space for visitors of all ages to unleash creative visual thinking. Kid Contemporary is open at Sydney Contemporary during Fair hours, and is free to enter with any ticket. Kid Contemporary is supported by The Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund.
Kid Contemporary with Glenn Barkley
Artist Glenn Barkley presents “Positive! Affirmation! Workshop!”, a bold, hands-on creative space for kids at Kid Contemporary 2025.
This playful, joy-fuelled installation invites young visitors into a world of self-expression, collage and colour. One wall is wallpapered in Barkley’s signature artwork, while a series of interactive stations let kids cut out fun shapes – pots, shells, faces, tokens – and turn them into wearable pieces using chains, badge presses and more. With punchy, motivational slogans like “You’re the greatest!” and “There are no losers in contemporary art!”, kids can stamp, stick, and assemble their own necklaces, badges and stickers. It’s all about making, laughing, and leaving with something entirely unique.
Materials are supported by Standish & Co., with professional tools like badge makers and eyelet setters turning paper into proudly wearable art.
Glenn Barkley will host two workshops:
Saturday 13 September
11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Sunday 14 September
11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Glenn Barkley is an artist, writer, curator and gardener based in Sydney and Berry, NSW, Australia, represented by Sullivan + Strumpf. His work operates in the space between these interests drawing upon the history of ceramics, popular song, the garden and conversations about art and the internet.
Glenn Barkley’s recent exhibitions include Plant Your Feet (Shoalhaven Regional Gallery, 2022), The Urn of Bitter Prophecy (Sullivan+Strumpf, 2021), and major group shows such as Magic Object (Adelaide Biennial, 2016) and Regarding George Ohr (Boca Raton Museum of Art, USA, 2017).
He was previously Senior Curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (2008–14) and Curator at the University of Wollongong (1996–2007). In 2023, he released Ceramics: An Atlas of Forms, a global study of ceramic history, coinciding with his curation of brick vase clay cup jug at the Art Gallery of NSW. His work is held in major public collections, including the National Gallery of Australia and Art Gallery of South Australia.
Kid Contemporary is supported by Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund.
