Elisa Jane Carmichael, a Ngugi woman from Quandamooka Country, has been named the 2026 recipient of the Wandima Fellowship by Brisbane Powerhouse and Queensland University of Technology.
The year-long fellowship will support Carmichael through mentoring, professional development and industry experience with QUT and Brisbane Powerhouse. The resulting work is expected to culminate in an exhibition at Brisbane Powerhouse in mid-2027.
Carmichael will develop a new body of work inspired by The Legend of Lightning’s Playground: The Creation Story of Gheebulum and Coonoongai on Mulgumpin. The project will be developed under the guidance of Ngugi Elder Uncle Bob Anderson.
The work will extend Carmichael’s multidisciplinary practice across weaving, cyanotypes, textiles and glass, exploring the relationship between story, place and material. She will also undertake a six-week residency at Canberra Glassworks, where she will have access to specialist facilities and expertise to develop new techniques.
“This Fellowship provides an opportunity to deepen my practice while remaining grounded in my identity as a Ngugi, Quandamooka woman,” Carmichael said.
Her work has been recognised through four finalist selections in the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards, the QUT Young Outstanding Alumni Award in 2024 and the Wangaratta Contemporary Textile Award in 2025. Her work is held in collections including the British Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia and Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art.
Brisbane Powerhouse has published the full fellowship announcement.