Future Dreaming exhibition off to a flying start

The Torch’s Future Dreaming exhibition has kicked off to a phenomenal start, with more than half of the artworks already sold.

Future Dreaming is an annual exhibition presented by The Torch, first established in 2020. The series makes space for every First Nations artist in prison to envision a future beyond incarceration and share their forward dreaming with the wider community.

The Torch team is hoping to sell every artwork in the exhibition, which runs until November 22, with 100 per cent of the artwork sales going directly to the artist.

“It’s hard to overstate the impact that a sale can have for an artist,” a spokesperson for The Torch said. “For many, it’s more than a transaction – it’s a turning point.”

“In environments where voices are often silenced, making a sale is a reminder that First Peoples artists are seen, valued, and have something powerful to contribute,” they added.

This year’s exhibition features several artists who are exhibiting with The Torch for the very first time. For these artists, selling their first artwork carries even deeper meaning.

“We’ve heard artists share how that first sale reignited their confidence and inspired them to keep creating,” the spokesperson said.

Alongside the exhibition, The Torch is running a series of artist-led public programs, including free artist-led tours on November 6 and 20, a floor talk on November 15 as part of Readings’ A Day in Carlton event and weaving workshops.

Live art sessions will also take place on November 1 and 8, with all welcome to drop in and watch the artists at work.

In a new creative collaboration, The Torch has partnered with Warlpiri video producer River Loizou to deliver a video series of animated Future Dreaming artworks.

Each piece, created by artists featured in the exhibition, has been brought to life through animation and paired with recorded stories from the artists themselves – many captured inside prisons.

The series will be available to view in the gallery throughout the exhibition and online via The Torch’s website and YouTube channel in November.

With record sales, packed workshops, and a groundbreaking new film collaboration, Future Dreaming stands as a testament to the creativity, resilience, and cultural strength of First Peoples artists in Victoria. •