Onespace warmly congratulates Darren Blackman on being selected as the inaugural artist-in-residence for the Outerspace x Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) international residency in Santa Fe, New Mexico, taking place in 2026.
Supported by Creative Australia’s International Engagement Fund, this First Nations exchange will bring together Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists with Native American artists for cross-cultural dialogue, research, and shared creative practice. The exchange will begin in 2026, with the first phase hosted at IAIA in Santa Fe. A reciprocal program will follow in Magandjin (Brisbane), creating sustained opportunities for artists to learn from one another, build networks, and develop new work.
IAIA President Dr. Shelly C. Lowe (Navajo) also suggested, “This exchange centers Indigenous artists in conversation with one another—across oceans and cultures—to strengthen creative practice and community”. “We’re honoured to collaborate with Outer Space and grateful to Creative Australia for supporting Indigenous-to-Indigenous connections that advance IAIA’s mission.”
Reflecting on the opportunity, Darren shares:
“I live and work on Kabi Kabi Country, the homeland of my relatives north of Brisbane. It would be an honour to represent my family—the Meerooni Clan of the Gurang people—and the wider Gooreng Gooreng Nation while engaging with the First Nations peoples of the Southwestern United States. This residency offers a meaningful opportunity for cultural exchange, dialogue, and the cultivation of sustainable relationships that foster solidarity among our peoples.”
Onespace extends our sincere thanks to Georgia Hayward, outgoing Director of Outerspace, as well as IAIA and Creative Australia, for their support of this important international exchange and the opportunities it will create for First Nations artists in both Australia and the United States.
Image: Ketakii Jewson Brown. Courtesy of the artist and Onespace.
