Join us for an intimate artist talk with William Yang at Head On’s Photo Sydney program. Renowned for blending portraiture, documentary and oral history, Yang will share stories behind his evocative images that map decades of Sydney life, family, performance and community. Hear how personal memory becomes collective narrative, and learn about his gentle, humane approach to identity, belonging and the creative life. This conversation offers rare insight into a celebrated practice that transforms private moments into enduring public memory. Perfect for photographers, storytellers and curious audiences seeking to deepen their connection to Sydney’s photographic history.
Hosted by Head On Photo Festival
Location: Booth A08 – Head On Photo Festival
Join us at Photo Sydney for an artist talk with Judith Nangala Crispin, presented by Head On Photo Festival. Judith’s lyrical landscapes and narrative images weave Anangu law, memory and country into a contemporary photographic language. In her work, colour, form and ancestral reference invite sustained looking and gentle entry to place, ceremony and story. This talk is a rare chance to hear Judith share the cultural threads and personal rhythms behind her practice, deepening your understanding of Indigenous storytelling through photography. Perfect for photographers, lovers of landscape and anyone curious about the living connections between art and country.
Hosted by Head On Photo Festival.
Location: Booth A08 – Head On Photo Festival
Join us at Photo Sydney for an intimate artist talk with Samantha Everton, presented by Head On Photo Festival. Everton will unpack her meticulously staged, dreamlike tableaux, richly detailed in costume, set and light, and explore themes of family, childhood and the fragile border between memory and fantasy.
Expect thoughtful insights into her creative process, craft choices and the theatrical yet quietly tender narratives behind each image. This is a rare chance to hear how Everton balances whimsy with uncanny poise and to see how her work rewards careful looking. Perfect for photographers, collectors and anyone who loves evocative, story-driven photography. Don’t miss it
Hosted by Head On Photo Festival.
Location: Booth A08 – Head On Photo Festival
Synthesia
This body of work investigates the evolving relationship between the natural and the artificial, seeking to challenge contemporary preconceptions of reality in an increasingly digital world. At its core, SYNTHESIA questions the boundaries between the tangible and the synthetic, while simultaneously paying homage to the artist’s analogue photographic roots.
Hosted by OLSEN.
Location: Booth A12 – OLSEN, Carriageworks.
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. 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.
Hosted by Sullivan+Strumpf.
Location: Kid Contemporary, Carriageworks.
Join us at the National Art School booth J12 to hear from recent NAS alumni exhibited at the NAS stand. This is a special opportunity to hear from a select group of early career artists as they discuss their practice and the process of preparing work for Sydney Contemporary. Artists will be joined in conversation with Katrina Cashman, NAS Gallery Manager and Senior Curator.
Hosted by National Art School.
Location: Booth J12 – National Art School, Carriageworks.
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. 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.
Hosted by Sullivan+Strumpf.
Location: Kid Contemporary, Carriageworks.
DJ Salami, Dave Abram of Bar Freda’s
From 4:30pm – 7:30pm on Friday Night, DJ Salami will share a special DJ set. DJ Salami has been shaping Sydney’s party scene for 15 years with his genre-blurring dance sets. From launching Jingle Jangle at Goodgod (R.I.P.) to founding Freda’s (R.I.P.), where his alias was born, he’s hosted legendary nights and top DJs. He’s now back running Bar Freda’s and curating the Abercrombie.
Location: Carriageworks Foyer.
