The Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts (PICA) has announced the 2026 edition of its Hatched: National Graduate Show, marking the exhibition's 35th year. The show brings together tertiary graduate artists from across Australia, including Chelsea Carkeet, Madeleine Coates, and Sydney Jarrett, whose works explore themes of identity, memory, and systemic power. Notable alumni include Archie Moore (Golden Lion winner at the 2024 Venice Biennale) and Khaled Sabsabi (representing Australia at the Biennale this year), underscoring the program's role as a launchpad for emerging artists.
Hatched matters because it provides a rare institutional platform for artists at the very start of their professional careers, offering national visibility and critical recognition at a formative moment. As PICA's flagship program, it shapes the trajectory of Australian contemporary art by spotlighting urgent, multidisciplinary practices that confront ancestry, digital representation, and public life. The show's 35-year legacy and its alumni's international success demonstrate its enduring impact on the art ecosystem.