We are proud to introduce the eight Australian creative and cultural workers selected by Creative Australia for the Cultural Mediation Program 2026, supporting engagement with Khaled Sabsabi’s conference of one’s self, curated by Michael Dagostino and presented in the Australia Pavilion, 61st International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia.
An extraordinary opportunity
Following Creative Australia's highly competitive national Open Call, eight participants were selected from 149 applicants. Drawn from front-of-house and public engagement roles across the country, the cohort will take up positions as Attendant Managers and Pavilion Attendants, gaining hands-on experience within one of the world’s most significant contemporary art contexts.
From May to November, participants will be based in Venice, leading the day-to-day operations of the Australia Pavilion and acting as the primary interface between the exhibition and its international audiences. In this role, they will foster meaningful conversations and create space for dialogue, exchange and connection.
Designed as a unique professional development opportunity, the program supports participants to strengthen their skills in audience engagement, communication and cultural mediation, while building international networks and engaging with diverse approaches to contemporary art presentation. Each participant will also receive a micro grant to support self-directed professional development.
Workshop delivery in partnership with Creative Australia
Cultural mediation training, delivered in partnership with Creative Australia, was recently undertaken through in-person workshops at Arts & Cultural Exchange in Parramatta. These sessions equipped participants with practical tools to support responsive, audience-centered engagement.
Commissioned by Creative Australia, conference of one’s self presents new work by Sabsabi that explores spirituality, migration, and the vastness of shared humanity, inviting audiences into spaces of reflection, listening and dialogue. This approach aligns closely with UQ Art Museum’s long-standing commitment to participatory forms of engagement.
Cultural mediation sits at the core of the Museum’s public programs, positioning audiences as active contributors to meaning-making through conversation, reflection and exchange. Increasingly recognised across the museum sector, this approach supports more inclusive and responsive ways of engaging with complex contemporary art.
About Cultural Mediation at UQ Art Museum
UQ Art Museum has played a leading role in developing cultural mediation practice nationally and internationally. In 2019, the Museum partnered with Museums & Galleries of NSW to deliver a national training program, including a regional tour of Centre of the Centre by Mel O’Callaghan.
This work expanded internationally in 2023 through a partnership with Creative Australia to deliver training for the Australia Pavilion at the 2024 Venice Biennale, supporting engagement with kith and kin by Archie Moore. Momentum continued in 2025, when Queensland Art Gallery/Gallery of Modern Art commissioned UQ Art Museum to train more than 150 staff across visitor services, engagement, curatorial and education teams.
As audiences from around the world gather in Venice, UQ Art Museum’s cultural mediation approach will play a vital role in shaping how visitors experience the Australia Pavilion—foregrounding dialogue, shared inquiry and meaningful exchange in an increasingly complex global context.
Congratulations to the selected mediators, and to all who took part in the competitive recruitment process!
