Sydney Contemporary announces the largest fair to date with the launch of inaugural Photo Sydney
Helen Calder, Aqua Stack 2025. Acrylic paint and steel frame, 122 x 33 x 33 cm. Two Rooms Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland
114 exhibitors from Australia, New Zealand and beyond will showcase over 1000 new works by 500+ contemporary artists -
George Byrne 71st St, Miami, 2019 OLSEN Sydney, Australia
Sydney, Australia: Sydney Contemporary, in partnership with Principal Partner MA Financial Group, today unveiled the first details of the Fair’s most ambitious edition to date, including the premiere of the new dedicated section for photography titled Photo Sydney. Presented from 11 - 14 September 2025 at Carriageworks the longstanding Presenting Partner of the Fair, the ninth edition features 114 exhibitors and more than 500 artists, alongside a wide range of curated programs including Installation Contemporary, Performance Contemporary, Talks and Kid Contemporary.
In a major new development for 2025, the inaugural presentation of Photo Sydney will offer visitors a dedicated sector showcasing the breadth and vitality of contemporary photography, alongside Works on Paper, Future, and Galleries sectors. Created in direct response to collector demand, Photo Sydney will provide a focused and commercial platform to the photographic medium, with inaugural exhibitors including Alexia Sinclair (Bowral), Australian Galleries (Sydney | Melbourne), Blender Gallery (Sydney), Caterina Pacialeo + Tina FiveAsh (Sydney), Christopher Ireland (Sydney), Head On Photo Festival (Sydney), John Marmaras and John Gollings (Sydney), OCULI Collective (Sydney), OLSEN (Sydney), Paul Blackmore (Byron Bay), Photo Access (Canberra), sandyprints (Sydney), Simon Harsent (Sydney) and Toby Burrows (Sydney). Advising the development and curation of Photo Sydney is Sandy Edwards (Photographer and Former Director of Stills Gallery), and inaugural exhibitors have been selected by the Photo Sydney Selection Committee: Margot Riley (Curator, State Library of NSW), Merilyn Fairskye (Artist and Former Board Member, Australian Centre for Photography), Gael Newton (Australian Art Historian and Curator), and Alasdair Foster (Writer, Researcher, and Award-Winning Curator).
Kai Wasikowski, Bounded in a Nutshell / King of Infinite Space, 2023. Silver gelatin and inkjet photograph diptych. Photoaccess Canberra, Australia
Sydney Contemporary Founder and Co-Owner Tim Etchells said: “We’re thrilled to announce our largest fair to date and thank our exhibitors both old and new as Sydney Contemporary couldn’t happen each year without their support.
“We’ve long wanted to broaden the Fair’s focus on photography, and we’re delighted to finally bring Photo Sydney to life. This new sector is a direct response to the many collectors who’ve visited the Fair over the years, asking to see a wider representation of photographic work. As Australasia’s premier art fair, we are constantly evolving to reflect trends in the market and provide access to the best contemporary art in the region and beyond across all mediums.”Since its foundation in 2013, Sydney Contemporary regularly attracts over 25,000 visitors at each edition, recording a total of over $138million in art sales since its launch.
The 2025 lineup solidifies the Fair’s place as Australasia’s leading platform for contemporary art, showcasing galleries from across Australia and New Zealand, as well as international exhibitors from Hong Kong, USA, UK, Korea and Indonesia. Highlights across the Galleries sector include 1301SW | STARKWHITE (Melbourne | Sydney | Auckland | Queenstown), Ames Yavuz (Sydney | Singapore | London), COMA (Sydney), Fine Arts, Sydney (Sydney), Flowers Gallery (Hong Kong), Gow Langsford (Auckland), Hugo Michell Gallery (Adelaide), MARS Gallery (Melbourne), Michael Lett (Auckland), N.Smith Gallery (Sydney), Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery (Sydney), STATION (Sydney | Melbourne), Sullivan+Strumpf (Sydney | Melbourne | Singapore), Two Rooms (Auckland), The Renshaws’ (Brisbane) and Utopia Art Sydney (Sydney), as well as 27 new exhibitors such as Benda Colahan Fine Art (Sydney), FHE Galleries (Auckland), Gallery LNL (Sydney), Jonathan Smart Gallery | Emily Gardener Projects (Auckland), La Loma (Los Angeles) and Pontone Gallery (London).
The Galleries will showcase the best of Australian, Indigenous, and international art, and are a significant drawcard for high profile collectors and visitors in the region. The presentations will feature artists from countries around the world including Australia, New Zealand, China, South Korea, India, Mexico, Germany, Canada, United Kingdom,
Norman Seeff, Patti Smith, and Robert Mapplethorpe, NYC, 1969. Archival pigment print. Blender Gallery Sydney, Australia
Italy, Poland and more. Installation Contemporary and Performance Contemporary 2025 programs will be curated by Director of UNSW Galleries, Chair of University Art Museums Australia and Exhibitions Editor of The Art Newspaper José da Silva. Returning curators of the Talks program are Curator of Contemporary Art at the Sydney Opera House Micheal Do and Design Editor of Australian Financial Review Stephen Todd. Details will be announced in the coming months. Sydney Contemporary Fair Director Zoe Paulsen said: “Sydney Contemporary continues to set the benchmark as the leading art fair in Australia, and this year’s edition marks an exciting evolution and significant step forward with the launch of Photo Sydney. Our dynamic new sector will bring critical focus to the richness and diversity of contemporary photography, offering a dedicated platform for established and emerging voices in the medium. With the return of our flagship curated sectors and programs, including an expanded Works on Paper presentation, we’re proud to present a truly global platform for contemporary art and look forward to welcoming audiences back to Carriageworks this September for the largest edition of Sydney Contemporary to date.” Sydney Contemporary is proud to be presented in partnership with ASX-listed financial services firm MA Financial Group, a company that shares the Fair’s values of integrity and excellence, along with a passion for contemporary art. MA Financial Group Managing Director and Head of Asset Management, Andrew Martin said: “As long-time supporters of contemporary art, we believe a vibrant arts community is a vital part of a dynamic and forward-thinking society. Sydney Contemporary continues to set new benchmarks each year, and we’re proud to support it’sexciting evolution in 2025 with the introduction of Photo Sydney and the expansion of its world-class program. We look forward to partnering once again with the team to help deliver Australasia's premier contemporary art fair.” The ninth edition will see an expanded Works on Paper sector with 30 exhibitors, following its most successful year in 2024. One of the most highly anticipated sectors within the fair, presented in association with The Print Council of Australia Inc and curated by its Director Akky van Ogtrop, Works on Paper showcases the best of national and
William Yang, Joe, 1979. Ink on gelatin silver photograph, 27 x 40.3cm. Head On Photo Festival Sydney, Australia
international contemporary works on paper, printmaking, watercolours, drawings, artists’ books, photographs, and zines, ranging from $100 to over $5,000. The presentation will introduce PARC Editions (Seoul), Megalo Print Studio (Canberra), Kaleidoscope Editions (Sydney), to the Fair for the first time and see the return of highlight exhibitors Krack Studio (Yogyakarta, Indonesia), PARKER Contemporary (Brisbane), Tiliqua Tiliqua (Sydney), CBD Gallery (Sydney), Ames Yavuz (Sydney, Singapore, London) , CHALK HORSE (Sydney), N. Smith Gallery (Sydney), and Nanda\Hobbs (Sydney).
Sydney Contemporary is pleased to welcome new galleries Animal House Fine Arts (Melbourne), Nasha Gallery (Sydney) and VELVET LOBSTER (Sydney) to the FUTURE sector of the Fair in 2025, alongside returning galleries C. Gallery (Melbourne), Minerva, (Sydney), Five Walls Gallery (Melbourne), and Jennings Kerr (Robertson,) NSW).
Tickets to Sydney Contemporary are available to purchase here. Sydney Contemporary is supported proudly by the NSW Government through its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW
Paul Blackmore, Wild. Paul Blackmore Sydney, Australia
ABOUT SYDNEY CONTEMPORARY: Sydney Contemporary, Australasia's premier contemporary art fair, returns from 11 – 14 September 2025 with the country's largest and most diverse gathering of local and international galleries. Staged at Carriageworks, Australia’s largest multi-arts centre, the Fair welcomes 113 leading galleries. Defined by the vibrancy of its host city, Sydney Contemporary provides collectors, industry professionals and the art loving public access to cutting-edge art from some of the world's most respected artists and galleries as well as the opportunity to discover new, emerging talent. Alongside the galleries are curated sectors for Installation and Performance as well as an ambitious program that includes engaging panel discussions, guided tours, educational workshops and an extensive VIP Program. The Fair is also home to restaurants, cafes and bespoke bars making it an all-encompassing art and dining experience. Billed as one of the most celebrated events on Australia’s cultural calendar, Sydney Contemporary has firmly established itself as a must-attend art event and the perfect place to discover and collect modern and contemporary art. Sydney Contemporary was founded in 2013 by Tim Etchells of SME London Ltd. Etchells also co-founded Art Central (Hong Kong), Taipei Dangdai, ART SG, and was co-founder of ART HK, now Art Basel Hong Kong. https://sydneycontemporary.com.au
ABOUT MA FINANCIAL GROUP: MA Financial Group is a global alternative asset manager specialising in private credit, real estate and hospitality. We lend to property, corporate and specialty finance sectors and provide corporate advice.
Our investment teams have diverse skill sets and experience across a range of strategies and market conditions and are focused on delivering long-term growth. Our conviction runs deep and as testament to this we co-invest in many of our strategies alongside our clients, aligning our interests with theirs. We invest and manage $10.3 billion on behalf of our clients, are responsible for $141 billion in managed loans and have advised on over $125 billion in advisory and equity capital market transactions. We have over 700 professionals across locations in Australia, China, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore and the United States. Website: https://mafinancial.com/ | LinkedIn: @MAFinancial Group | Instagram: @mafinancial__
ABOUT CARRIAGEWORKS: Carriageworks is one of Australia’s most significant creative industry hubs, renowned for its dynamic cultural events, performances, and exhibitions. Housed in a historic railway workshop in Sydney on Gadigal Land, Carriageworks offers a vibrant platform for contemporary art, theatre, music, dance and more, collaborating with leading local and international artists to foster innovation and creativity in its distinctive industrial setting. carriageworks.com.au; Instagram @Carriageworks; Facebook www.facebook.com/carriageworks; Twitter @Carriageworks.
For more information about Sydney Contemporary, please visit their site here . They can also be found on Instagram: here, along with Facebook and X.
