WANDIMA FELLOWSHIP 2026 – Elisa Jane Carmichael
SEP 21 2026
Brisbane Powerhouse and Queensland University of Technology (QUT) are pleased to announce Elisa Jane Carmichael, proud Ngugi woman from Quandamooka Country, as the recipient of the 2026 Wandima Fellowship.
Drawn from a Yagara word meaning ‘rising; going upwards’, the Wandima Fellowship is a year-long program supporting Indigenous Australian creative practitioners through mentoring, professional development and industry experience opportunities with QUT and Brisbane Powerhouse.
Through the Fellowship, Elisa will create a new body of work inspired by The Legend of Lightning’s Playground: The Creation Story of Gheebulum and Coonoongai on Mulgumpin (Moreton Island), under the guidance of Ngugi Elder Uncle Bob Anderson.
The project will expand Elisa’s multidisciplinary practice, bringing together weaving, cyanotypes, textiles and glass to explore the relationship between story, place and material. The resulting works will culminate in an exhibition at Brisbane Powerhouse in mid-2027.
As part of the Fellowship, Elisa will undertake a six-week residency at Canberra Glassworks, developing new techniques through access to specialist facilities and expertise. This residency component of the Fellowship has been assisted by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body.
“Glass offers a powerful new medium for exploring the ways cultural knowledge, memory and stories can be carried forward,” Elisa Jane Carmichael said.
“This Fellowship provides an opportunity to deepen my practice while remaining grounded in my identity as a Ngugi, Quandamooka woman. I look forward to building new skills, embracing creative exchange and honouring the enduring connections between Country, story and material.”
Brisbane Powerhouse Artistic Director and CEO Louise Bezzina said the Wandima Fellowship reflects Brisbane Powerhouse’s commitment to supporting First Nations artists to develop ambitious new work and create meaningful pathways for professional growth.
“Elisa’s practice is a powerful example of the way First Nations artists continue to expand contemporary art through connection, innovation and storytelling. We’re delighted to support her creative journey over the coming year and to share the resulting exhibition with audiences at Brisbane Powerhouse in 2027.”
Brisbane Powerhouse and QUT have partnered for more than a decade to champion artistic excellence through a range of creative programs and initiatives.
Professor Gavin Sade, Deputy Dean, Faculty of Creative Industries, Education and Social Justice at QUT, said the Fellowship builds on this longstanding relationship, fostering the continued growth of First Nations creative leaders.
“By investing in artists like Elisa, we are supporting the next generation of First Nations creatives while ensuring stories of Country, culture and connection continue to influence Australia’s creative landscape.”
Elisa’s work has been recognised through major awards and exhibitions, including four finalist selections in the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards, the QUT Young Outstanding Alumni Award (2024) and the Wangaratta Contemporary Textile Award (2025). Her works are held in significant collections including the British Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia and Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art.
The Wandima Fellowship marks a significant new chapter in Elisa’s exploration of material, memory and Country, extending the ways cultural knowledge can be shared through contemporary practice.
