Rae is third Barossa Artist in Residence
31 Jul 2025The 2025 Barossa Women’s Artist in Residence has been awarded to regional Victorian artist, Rae Howell, who will spend five weeks in the Barossa, starting in October.
The established composer, multi-instrumentalist and director of multi-artform projects has worked all over the world on large scale, award-winning projects, her works stemming from environmental sustainability and the current climate issues facing communities.
Rae said the residency comes at an opportune time as she expands her creative practice in music across an immersive visual arts lens into sonic installation.
“I'm very much looking forward to working with the community in the Barossa Valley through my current work in development 'The Piano: Hook, Line & Tinker', which honours treasured family heirlooms and the many musical stories they embrace,” added Rae.
The Barossa Women’s Artist Residency, now in its third year, is open to established and mid-career female artists of any discipline. It allows them to experiment and grow their practice within the environs of the Barossa region, while creating work in the context of and in response to “place”.
Rowena Sloane, The Barossa Council’s Team Leader Arts and Culture, said the initiative, which is driven by the Barossa Regional Gallery, funded by community donations and supported by Council, is open to both Australian and international artists.
The program provides an opportunity rarely offered exclusively to female artists and aims to raise the profile of female artists and increase the likelihood of them developing long and sustained careers.
"In previous years we have hosted landscape artist Belinda Wilson, from Melbourne and figurative painter Ruth Murray, from Manchester UK.
“Both artists delivered excellent public workshops and engagements, free to our community during their time with us, demonstrating the positive impact arts initiatives such as this can bring to artists and the region.”
This year’s Artist in Resident’s current focus will result in the creation of a large-scale 'exploded-view' sonic installation of an entire upright piano.
“Alongside her project work, we anticipate Rae’s time in the region may involve multi-generational recordings and storytelling, educational piano focused and composition workshops, community music recordings and a hearty exploration of our region’s wonderful array of local Pipe Organs,” said Rowena.
The Barossa Council Mayor Bim Lange said the annual residency delivered yet another opportunity to reflect on the region’s rich cultural heritage and “the place we call home”.
“We look forward to creating ongoing artistic opportunities that reinforce the Barossa as a premier arts and cultural destination,” he added.