Curated by Early Career Curator Elloise Ansell, the exhibition positions emerging bodies of work within a professional collecting context, reframing experimentation as both rigorous and collectable.

Presented as an intimate, concentrated exhibition, COLLECT: Focus 2026 offers artists the opportunity to present a cohesive body of work while engaging with exhibition-making in The Lock-Up’s unique historical setting. By connecting early career artists with new audiences and collectors, COLLECT: Focus supports artistic and career development while strengthening the creative ecology of the Hunter Region.

This year, Focus showcases bodies of work by local early-career artists Emerald Ruby and Mahalia Leckner. Join us for the opening night of both exhibitions on Friday 15 May 5-9pm.

OPENING NIGHT

5 – 9pm, 15 May 2026

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This exhibition forms part of The Lock-Up’s 2026 curatorial season, A Call Across the Universe. Through sound, movement, image and encounter, artists and audiences are invited to tune in to new frequencies of understanding and exchange.