Image: Megan Cope, photographer: Mick Richards. Image courtesy of the artist
Quandamooka artist Megan Cope has been awarded the inaugural Helen O’Sullivan Artist Fellowship, a $25,000 award presented by the Sheila Foundation.
The fellowship will support Cope’s ambitious new project, Tides that Bind, developed with and to be presented at Gertrude Contemporary, Naarm Melbourne, in August 2027.
Building on Cope’s ongoing practice exploring Indigenous systems of knowledge, ecological care and custodial responsibility, Tides that Bind will focus on the waterways of the Kulin Nation, particularly the native flat oyster (Ostrea angasi) reefs in Port Phillip Bay.
Working alongside local marine ecological groups, Cope will invite members of the public to participate in collaborative workshops that contribute to improving the marine ecosystem of Port Phillip Bay. Participants will collectively produce artworks that draw attention to environmental degradation while engaging with Aboriginal approaches to ecological stewardship and custodial ethics.
On receiving the fellowship, Cope said:
‘The generous support from the Sheila Foundation will enable me to bring my practice interstate, connect with new places and communities, and better resource my forthcoming project. I’m honoured to join the amazing group of women artists who have been supported by the Sheila Foundation and build upon the legacies of women artists who have carved out a space for us in the industry.’
Sheila Foundation Chair Kelly Gellatly said the selection committee was impressed by the ambition, power and sensitivity of Cope’s proposal, particularly its capacity to engage communities in meaningful collaborative action to improve the ecological health of Port Phillip Bay.
Cope is a multidisciplinary Quandamooka artist from the Moreton Bay region of South East Queensland. Her socially engaged practice focuses on Indigenous stewardship, cultural continuum and custodial ethics, often involving collaboration and public participation. Her work has been presented in major exhibitions and biennials nationally and internationally, including the Biennale of Sydney, NGV Triennial and Sharjah Biennial. In 2024, she received the Creative Australia Award for Emerging and Experimental Arts.
The Sheila Foundation is a national philanthropic organisation working to address gender inequality in Australian art. Its programs support contemporary women artists, recognise the contributions of women throughout Australian art history and promote greater representation of women artists in collections and exhibitions.
Further information: Sheila Foundation announcement | Gertrude Contemporary announcement
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