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Wednesday 11am - 5pm Thursday 11am - 5pm Friday 11am - 5pm Saturday 12pm - 4pm

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The University Galleries are located across three physical exhibition spaces.

Watt Space Gallery is situated in the NUspace city precinct in Newcastle and the University Gallery and Senta Taft Hendry Museum are located at the Callaghan campus.

04/10/2026

💫 BACK TO USUAL OPENING HOURS Watt Space Gallery Open Wed-Fri 10-5 | Sat 12-4

That’s a wrap for another year of New Annual festival! Proud of our partnership with New Annual - thank you to everyone who visited and engaged, who were involved and produced all the incredible art, music and creativity that we experienced over the last 10 days.

Current exhibition NIGHT FLOWERS by Damien Frost Damien Frost continues Watt Space Gallery until 7 Nov.

Plan your visit, you don’t want to miss this.

📸 IMAGE: Zeal.H underneath Fernleigh Track, 2026. Portrait photograph by Damien Frost, commissioned by New Annual, supported by University of Newcastle Galleries The Lock-Up Artist in Residence program

University of Newcastle, Australia City of Newcastle

02/10/2026

Proud to support Lingua Franca Theatre’s world premiere - head across the road from Watt Space Gallery to University House Theatrerette for TRICERATOP ✨

“Blending cabaret, sci‑fi, storytelling and unapologetic camp humour, it’s wild, witty and bittersweet – where love, survival bunkers and finding your true ‘Triceratop’ collide.”

REPOST Repost App • Lingua Franca Theatre & Dance

Claws up! 🦖 Newcastle—you’ve only got 3 more chances to see TRICERATOP smash the final weekend of New Annual festival!

“This show changed my brain chemistry!”
“Go see this show!”
“Fabulous. Musical. Beautiful.”

This show is bursting with fierce joy and ridiculous, campy fun—add some colour to your long weekend and book your seat now!

TRICERATOP 🦖
By Adam Deusien
Must close 4 October
BOOK NOW: https://newannual.com/explore/events/triceratop

📸 Ed 📷 Photographer

29/09/2026

Check out Oliver Giles’s interview with artist Damien Frost (Damien Frost) about his photographic work and exhibition NIGHT FLOWERS current showing at Watt Space as part of New Annual festival.

ARTICLE LINK IN PROFILE 🔗

REPOST Repost App • Oliver Giles

‘Night Flowers: Damien Frost’ is now open at Watt Space Gallery 💃

It was such a pleasure to speak to Damien about Night Flowers, his ongoing portrait series documenting club kids and drag queens, which began in London more than a decade ago and has recently expanded to Newcastle, NSW with the support of the New Annual festival. Read the interview on The Guardian.
•
1. Beverly Fabulosity on their farm, Gungal (2026)
2. Jenna Pippin at Wangi Wangi Power Station (2026)
3. Louisa Magrics, Carrington NSW (2026)
4. Molly Poppinz at home in lounge room, Lambton (2026)
5. Marco Tullio Siviglia (2019)
6. Luke Harris (2018)
•

28/09/2026

💫 PSA! Watt Space Gallery is open every day during the New Annual festival so you can take your time to view the incredible photographic exhibition NIGHT FLOWERS by Damien Frost.

NEW ANNUAL FESTIVAL 25 Sep-04 Oc
📍WATT SPACE | OPENING HOURS 10am-9pm

📸 IMAGE: Exhibition wall in Gallery 1, Watt Space featuring photograph by Damien Frost of Orlando Bloom, at Bella’s Pole Studio, Adamstown 2026.

Damien Frost University of Newcastle Galleries University of Newcastle, Australia New Annual City of Newcastle Love Newy

26/09/2026

✨REMINDER: You're invited to NIGHT FLOWERS Exhibition Launch and Artist Talk 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆 27 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 at 📍Watt Space Gallery - all welcome!

2𝗣𝗠 Artist Talk
3𝗣𝗠 Exhibition Launch

Artist Damien Frost has built an international reputation through his 𝘕𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘍𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘴 series, spending more than 14 years photographing London's alternative q***r nightlife scene. Alongside the London portraits, the New Annual festival has commissioned Frost to create new photographs of our region's creative, q***r and alternative communities. These new works premiere alongside the NIGHT FLOWERS exhibition, marking the first time Frost's Australian subjects have been shown alongside his international portraits.

📸 IMAGES: Details of Night Flowers exhibition and visitors in Gallery 1, Watt Space.
IMAGE #1 Portraits of F***l Matter, backstage at the F***lmatter Spring/Summer '19 show at The Mandrake Hotel, London, 2018 and Jussara Nazaré at the V&A, 2025
IMAGE #2 Collection of portraits in various locations, London 2017-2025

.au

23/09/2026

Pleased to share this major exhibition by University of Newcastle alumnus, artist Izabela Pluta at partner gallery The Lock-Up - presented as part of the New Annual festival program.

Join the artist for ‘Cavitation: Breathing Ocean’ exhibition preview and artist talk starting at the Canoe Pool, Newcastle Beach | 24 Sept, 5pm | BOOKINGS Essential, see info below.

📸 IMAGE: Portrait of Izabela Pluta by the Newcastle Canoe Pool wearing FADER Wetsuits | Photograph by Edwina Richards Ed 📷 Photographer | Image courtesy the artist

🎥 FILM by Karl Brandstater and Storyhaus Productions in association with The Lock-Up

REPOST Repost App • The Lock-Up

Check out this film by Karl Brandstater that follows the artist and her connection to the tides, ocean and her cross-continental connections to these forces that shape our worlds and lives. Don’t miss the below events:

🔵 Cavitation: Breathing Ocean
New Annual Preview | Thu 24 Sep, 5-7.30pm | Canoe Pool ➡️ The Lock-Up | 🎟️ $20

🔵 Cavitation: Spotlight Talks
Sun 27 Sep & Sun 4 Oct, 11-11.30am | The Lock-Up | 🎟️ FREE

🔵 Cavitation: Art Trail
Daily | Wed-Sat 10am-4pm & Sun 10am-2pm | The Lock-Up | 🎟️ FREE

🔵 Breathing Ocean Hands-On Making Sessions
Sat 26 Sep & Sat 3 Oct, 10.30am-12.30pm | Canoe Pool | 🎟️ FREE

🔵 Pocketbook Poetry Open Mic
Thu 1 Oct, 5-7pm | The Lock-Up | 🎟️ FREE

🔵 Cavitation: Breathing Ocean — Morning Drift
Sun 4 Oct, 8.30-9.30am | Canoe Pool | 🎟️ $40

BOOKINGS INFO 🔗 The Lock-Up

21/09/2026

PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP : DAMIEN FROST & EDWINA RICHARDS
🎟 Bookings Essential $120pp | Limited to 18 people only
🗓 Wednesday 30 September ⏰ 5pm-7pm
📍 Watt Space Gallery

Damien Frost joins with Newcastle-based photographer Edwina Richards in a photography workshop focusing on technical skills and individual approaches to photographic portraiture. Both Edwina and Damien have a wealth of experience capturing portraits in a studio and in-situ, and will generously share their tips and tricks with participants. The workshop is suitable for all photographers interested in creative portraiture, from beginners to those with existing photographic knowledge and experience.

This is a 2-hour deep-dive into portrait photography for all abilities.

In a pop-up studio at Watt Space Gallery, there will be a hands-on demonstration of lighting modification techniques, as well as discussions drawing on real-life examples from commercial and personal projects. sharing accumulated knowledge of the psychology of collaborative portraiture and pushing boundaries in the world of social documentary.

Participants are encouraged to ask questions and to actively participate both behind and in front of the camera. Flash and camera equipment will be provided for the demonstration, but participants are welcome to bring their own cameras.

This event is part of the New Annual festival program in partnership with University Galleries, University of Newcastle; project supported by The Lock Up's Artist in Residence Program.

📸 IMAGES: Portrait photographs of Damien Frost and Edwina Richards, courtesy of the artists from New Annual festival program.

.au

18/09/2026

📣 𝙅𝙤𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙡𝙖𝙪𝙣𝙘𝙝 𝙤𝙛 𝙉𝙄𝙂𝙃𝙏 𝙁𝙇𝙊𝙒𝙀𝙍𝙎 𝙤𝙣 𝙎𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙮 27 𝙎𝙚𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧 - 𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙠 2𝙥𝙢, 𝙚𝙭𝙝𝙞𝙗𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙡𝙖𝙪𝙣𝙘𝙝 3𝙥𝙢. 𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙬𝙚𝙡𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚!

NIGHT FLOWERS exhibition is presented at Watt Space by the University Galleries, and supported by The Lock Up's Artist in Residence Program, for New Annual festival - City of Newcastle’s flagship 10-day festival of art, culture and creativity.

📍WATT SPACE GALLERY will be open 10am-9pm daily throughout the New Annual festival (25 Sep - 4 Oct).

"𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥... 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘦, 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘙𝘦𝘯𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘥𝘶𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴: 𝘸𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦, 𝘧𝘢𝘣𝘶𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘥. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘨𝘰 𝘣𝘦𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘨 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘭, 𝘰𝘤𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵, 𝘧𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘛𝘶𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘚𝘰𝘩𝘰, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘤𝘭𝘶𝘣 𝘰𝘳 𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘣 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘦𝘥𝘨𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘭𝘧-𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘓𝘰𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘯 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘵. 𝘕𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘍𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘋𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘦𝘯 𝘍𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮, 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘣𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘴 𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘮. 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘮 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘪𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬."

~ Kate Holden, excerpt from article in The Saturday Paper #616 Edition (Sept 5-11, 2026) on 'University of Newcastle alumnus Damien Frost returns home with his glorious portraits of London’s q***r night-life, Night Flowers'

16/09/2026

University Galleries is proud to present the Newcastle Art Space 2026 Mentorship Exhibition, Synergy - celebrating the creativity, dedication and evolving practices of this year’s participating artists.

Since 2019, the Newcastle Art Space Mentorship Program has played a unique and valuable role in the cultural life of the Hunter. As the only initiative of its kind in the region, the program supports emerging and early-career artists by connecting them with established practitioners and creating opportunities to develop their skills, confidence and professional networks.

Plan your visit to University Gallery to catch this fantastic exhibition, until 14 November.
📍University Drive, Callaghan
GALLERY OPEN Wed-Fri 10-5 | Sat 12-4

📸 IMAGE: Jo O’Toole, Curator, Gosford Regional Gallery, with Melody Suranyi, 2026 Youth Art Prize winner, at the opening of the Hunter Emerging Art Prize, Newcastle Art Space. O’Toole has supported and mentored Suranyi in the co-curation of Synergy.

🎥 REPOST Repost App • The Novocastrian Melody Suranyi

SYNERGY pairs 11 emerging artists with 11 established artists, brought together through the Newcastle Art Space, Australia Mentorship Program 2026 - exhibition now showing University of Newcastle Galleries until 14 November.

Curated by mentee curator Melody Suranyi and mentor curator Joanna O'Toole

“It’s been an absolute joy curating this exhibition with my mentor Joanna O'Toole and work with this incredible group of artists to bring you our exhibition Synergy!” ~ Melody Suranyi

Featuring:
CLO 𓏲ּ𝄢
Deirdre Bean
milenkovicden_arty
Lezlie Tilley
-MONTSERRAT STUDIO-
Dani Marti
Mahalia
Clay Canoe by Kyle Roddenby & Wyan McAllister
Michelle Teear
E m i l y R o s e
Hannah Cheetham
Goldie × by Simone Pilla
Lauren Wiltshire
Timeless Textiles Gallery
Izabela Pluta
Lu’ 🧜🏽‍♀️
Clare Weeks
Tara
holly macdonald
Emma Guthrey
Patricia Wilson-Adams
Eira Chidgey - Abstract artist - Newcastle NSW

Logo animation by Melody Suranyi

14/09/2026

Watt Space is closed this week as we prepare for a new exhibition. The gallery will reopen on 23 September with 'Night Flowers' by artist Damien Frost.

JOIN THE ARTIST for the exhibition launch event on Sunday 27 September | 2pm Artist Talk | 3pm Exhibition Launch

All welcome!

Address

University Drive
Newcastle, NSW
2308

Opening Hours

Wednesday	11am - 5pm
Thursday	11am - 5pm
Friday	11am - 5pm
Saturday	12pm - 4pm

Telephone

+61249218733

Website

http://www.newcastle.edu.au/universitygallery, https://www.instagram.com/wattspace, https://www.instagram.com/university

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