Watch This Space

Watch This Space Watch This Space (WTS) is an artist-led organisation established in 1993 on Arrernte land here in Mparntwe.

Watch This Space is the only contemporary experimental art space in Central Australia. We support local, national and international artists, both emerging and established.

A warm welcome to Natalie de Rosario, who joins us in the TAIR studio from Whadjuk Noogar Boodja (Perth, Western Austral...
13/10/2026

A warm welcome to Natalie de Rosario, who joins us in the TAIR studio from Whadjuk Noogar Boodja (Perth, Western Australia) for the next few weeks.

Natalie de Rozario is a visual artist whose work explores migration, matriarchy, myth, and memory. She’s been a finalist in the 2023 Lester Prize, Town of Claremont and City of Belmont Art Awards (2021), and the South Perth Emerging Artist Award (2019). She won the City of Canning Resident Art Award and City of Gosnells Works on Paper Award in 2022, as well as the Atwell Youth Award in 2010.

Looking to her residency time, Nat says:

Mparntwe is a place where story, survival, and memory are always present. To me, it feels like the right space to ask questions about myth, ancestry, and belief through my residency at WTS. Through conversations, a community workshop, and open studio sessions, I’ll invite community to share the dreams, rituals, and inherited stories that shape how they see themselves. For me, this residency is about building cross-cultural dialogue through art—testing how these stories and beliefs can travel between people, and how that can be held in Mparntwe.

Image 1: Nat at the opening of her solo exhibition A Bag of Rice for a Saturday Child at DADAA Gallery, 2026.
Image 2: Forrest, 2026, Charcoal on Paper.

(Softly, slowly) introducing our new program XX WTS — that will unfold in multiple streams across 2026–2027.XX WTS conne...
08/10/2026

(Softly, slowly) introducing our new program XX WTS — that will unfold in multiple streams across 2026–2027.

XX WTS connects with our core belief that art’s definition has broad and soft boundaries, and that everyone is invited. We want to bring artists together to nurture their practices, offer space for experimentation and build care, trust and collaboration as a community of practitioners.

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The first stream is ༄༄༄ In Practice ༄༄༄ a workshop series responding to the need for an alternative learning space where artists can develop their practices, exercise old and new skills, and share resources.

Across a mix of practical, reflective and hands-on sessions, the program explores the many dimensions of an artistic practice, from finding ways to articulate and write about yours and others’ work, to navigating the structures around sustaining and evolving an art practice over time, and strategies for sharing and funding your work.

Through this, we hope to form a connected web of artists, who exercise and exchange skills, ask challenging questions, try things out and learn from each other.

Registrations are a must! We hope to tailor the program to the cohort joining.
Find through the link in our bio. Closing Sunday October 25.

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This first series of workshops are led by Mparntwe-based practitioners Kieran Finnane and Ellis Hutch. Thank you for sharing your skills with us, we look forward to the generative space that you’ll hold here at WTS.

Image 5 — photo credit to Fiona Walsh.

Our annual WTS Zine Fair is back for 2026! A celebration of DIY and gathering of writers, print-makers, scanners, poets,...
07/10/2026

Our annual WTS Zine Fair is back for 2026! 

A celebration of DIY and gathering of writers, print-makers, scanners, poets, drawings, artists and makers of all kinds.

In the WTS Gallery — October 24, 10am – 2pm. 

🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤COMING UP QUICK! 
📓📓📓📓📓START DREAMING UP YOUR ZINE!

A zine is an inherently political tool of self expression spreading messages of politics, poetry, practical tips and broken hearts for centuries. Piracy does not exist in the world of zines, and zines hold significant history in spreading revolutionary propaganda. Zines are a cure against registered authorship; it can be a self-published story, comic, poster, single-page drawing, open letter, photo journal, flip book, brochure, postcard, sticker, manifesto, audio-zine, web-zine etc… The model for making is DIY and you don’t need any experience as a writer, artist or human being.

Zine Fest: Tuesday 20 June - Friday 23 June

Ahead of the Zine Fair, WTS office will also become an autonomous zine-making space (open each day 10am — 7pm).

Plus each night the space will host a collaborative making session or workshop facilitated by local artists and zine makers.

Full program TBA!

06/10/2026

Join us in the gallery tomorrow for an activation of the Pmere Angkwiya exhibition by Ruby Kunoth-Monks!

Ruby will be live drawing, prompted by you! With friend and fellow artist Seraphina Newberry. Come share your ideas and watch these two talented artists make your characters and world come to life.

Wednesday 7 October
5:00–7:00pm

Clips from the beautiful opening of the show this past weekend. Thank you to all who came to celebrate with us ⭐️

2026 Stardust Artist Sarah Moore reflects on her time in residence at WTS!- - - - - - - - For the Stardust residency thi...
06/10/2026

2026 Stardust Artist Sarah Moore reflects on her time in residence at WTS!

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For the Stardust residency this year, I set up a DIY darkroom in the Watch This Space pantry, furnished with old equipment that I collected in the Adelaide Hills. I ran three workshops where we practiced developing a roll of 35mm film using instant coffee, vitamin C, and washing soda, paired with an eco-fixer.
During the darkroom workshops, we began with a question:
What is an image that has stayed in your memory, or an image that you would like to make?
(The image could be real or imagined: a photograph that you found, or a memory from a dream.)
The images that were spoken of had disintegrated in floods or fires,
images of people on distant shorelines,
 a hand holding a photo that dissolved into ash,
and a dream of a long corridor leading to this same darkroom.

- - - - - - - -

The Watch This Space darkroom is intended to be low in toxicity, using everyday household items to develop  images. Traditional analogue film processing relies on single-use chemical developers that must be disposed of as hazardous waste and are toxic to the skin and respiratory system, making analogue-based photography a hazardous medium for both bodies and the environment. However, it is easy to make a developer that can be safely poured down the drain instead of taken to a hazardous waste facility.
Homemade eco photo developer requires plant matter with a strong smell or taste.  I collected local White Cypress Pine (Irlweke) and Rock Fuschia (Arrethe) from Ilparpa to develop photos.

Read the full recipe on our website (link in bio) 🔗

Stay tuned - darkroom workshop participants will showcase our experimental works in a group exhibition taking place on November 6th !!!

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The Stardust Residency was instigated in honour of artist and educator Suzi Lyon who was born in Aotearoa/New Zealand but lived a large part of her creative and insightful life in Mparntwe. In keeping with both Suzi’s practice and WTS vision, the Stardust Residency supports inspired experimentation, artistic expression, critical thinking and community conversation.

Watch This Space presents: Pmere Angkwiya, the first solo exhibition by Ruby Kunoth-Monks.Exhibition period: Saturday 3 ...
29/09/2026

Watch This Space presents: Pmere Angkwiya, the first solo exhibition by Ruby Kunoth-Monks.

Exhibition period: Saturday 3 October – Saturday 31 October

Join us for the opening celebration!
Saturday 3 October
4:00-6:00PM
At WTS

★

Pmere Angkwiya is the first solo show by Ruby Kunoth-Monks, sharing a body of work created through movement across boundaries of form, culture and time. The show is an immersive and interactive look into the universe Ruby is building, highlighting the connected practices, stories and myth across cultures.

★

Ruby is a proud Arrernte/Alyawerr woman from Mparntwe and Urapuntia. She is a self-taught, independent artist studying her Cert III in visual arts through Bachelor Institutes Desert Peoples Centre. Ruby’s versatility and ability to adapt to using different styles and mediums, in the art space, is a key strength and testament to her skills. Showing her flexibility in being able to move, with confidence, between different forms of art. She is currently using her skills to create a graphic novel (Manga) and also produces works that showcase Culture, Country and Connection.

Ruby Kunoth-Monks Ruby Kunoth-Monks Ruby Kunoth-Monks

Grateful to have had ‘Bush Life’ by Harry Hayes and family bringing the WTS gallery to life over the past few weeks and ...
29/09/2026

Grateful to have had ‘Bush Life’ by Harry Hayes and family bringing the WTS gallery to life over the past few weeks and on Desert Mob weekend.

Harry Hayes is an emerging Eastern Arrernte artist who creates sculptures in the ‘Bush Toy’ style. Harry’s lively artworks tell stories of Central Australian Bush Life: horses and bullocks, cowboys and honey ants, bush bands and warriors, birds, dogs, perenties — all reflect the colourful and rich life growing up around Mparntwe Alice Springs.

Also on show were works by Harry’s uncle Chris Wallace and sister Shoshanna Hayes.

🐴🐕🦎🦅🕷️🦜🌞

Thanks to Children's Ground Desert Mob for the collaborative support in presenting this show.

LAST CHANCE TO APPLY ⭐️Watch This Space’s 2027 Program Callout closes tonight (20/09) 11:59PM! Artists who want to make,...
20/09/2026

LAST CHANCE TO APPLY ⭐️

Watch This Space’s 2027 Program Callout closes tonight (20/09) 11:59PM!

Artists who want to make, share, exhibit, learn, experiment with us — we want to hear from you.

Link in bio 🔗

Images from our 2026 Exhibitions program. Documented by Sara Maiorino

Image 1 — WAARI’s exhibition ‘Umaaka’ WAARI
Image 2 — Ashleigh Musk and Ivan Trigo Mira’s’ installation ‘CRISÁLIDA’ Ashleigh Musk Ivan Trigo Miras
Image 3 — Mark Romei’s exhibition ‘Redaction, Absence, Opacity: Architectural witnessing of hotel detention’

Watch This Space presents: Bush Life, by Harry Hayes and Family Artists. 🐎🦜🪶🦅🕷️🦎🐕Exhibition period: Saturday 12 Septembe...
08/09/2026

Watch This Space presents: Bush Life, by Harry Hayes and Family Artists.

🐎🦜🪶🦅🕷️🦎🐕

Exhibition period: Saturday 12 September – Wednesday 23 September

Join us for the opening event and BBQ lunch – on Desert Mob weekend!
Saturday 12 September
2:00-4:00PM
At WTS

Harry Hayes is an emerging Eastern Arrernte artist who creates sculptures in the “Bush Toy” style. Harry’s lively artworks tell stories of Central Australian Bush Life: horses & bullocks, cowboys & honeyants, bush bands & warriors, birds, dogs, perenties - all reflect the colourful & rich life growing up around Mparntwe Alice Springs.

Growing up in Ltyentye Apurte, but now living in Mparntwe and working as an educator at Ampe-kenhe Ahelhe (Children’s Ground), Harry learnt to make sculptures from his uncles. Harry comes from big family of talented artists, some of whom will join him in this exhibition including his uncle Chris Wallace and sister Shoshanna Hayes.

Bush Life brings the past and present of Central Australia desert life to Watch this Space gallery with all its colour, movement and glorious characters.

Bush Life is presented as a collaboration between Watch This Space and Children’s Ground, as part of Desert Mob’s Satellite programming.

“(some reflections taken from my notes and diary i would scribble in while in the studio)16th JulyA large aim for this t...
06/09/2026

“(some reflections taken from my notes and diary i would scribble in while in the studio)

16th July
A large aim for this time/residency is spending time on Apmere (Country). Strengthening angkentye-atyinhe (my language), spending time with family.

Be grabbing some reference pics, incorporating landscapes, floral and fauna elements into my work, through the backdrops and featuring them in the fantastical q***r world that I portray in my work.”

Read more reflections from Tré Turner’s TAiR journal, now on our website. 🌀 Link in bio!

Address

8 Gap Road
Alice Springs, NT
0870

Opening Hours

Wednesday 12pm - 5pm
Thursday 12pm - 5pm
Friday 12pm - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 2pm

Telephone

+61889521949

Website

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