First Nations
The First Nations Directorate serves as a transformative force within the museum, ensuring that our cultures and knowledge are authentically represented and integrated into its practices, fostering inclusive and culturally respectful ways of working.
We are actively integrating First Nations ways of working across every part of Powerhouse — from collections and exhibitions to administration and governance. By transforming systems that once excluded us, we honour historical truths and living cultures, shifting from ownership of objects to relationships with their makers and custodians. We recognise First Nations peoples as enduring, living cultures deserving time, space and self-determination.
First Nations Initiatives

galang Residency
Powerhouse Parramatta and Cité internationale des arts (Paris) offer an opportunity for two Australia-based First Nations creative practitioners to travel to Paris for a fully supported 12-week residency.

Blak Powerhouse
After a huge year of Blak arts, music and culture that has witnessed mob taking things to new heights, an era of Blak brilliance is here, and with it, the rising of new kings and queens.

Talanoa Forum
First presented at the 59th Venice Biennale, the Talanoa Forum extends the themes of the Paradise Camp exhibition by bringing together 24 artists, curators, scholars, activists and policymakers.
First Nation Collection Initiatives

Deed Of Deposit
An initiative enabling First Nations communities to place cultural material in Powerhouse’s care while keeping full ownership.

Right Of Reply
A unique opportunity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander photographers to undertake a photography commission that responds to the Powerhouse Collection.
'In Indigenous culture, Country is vast, all-encompassing and limitless and transcends western notions of property and land ownership.
Country is multifaceted and includes all tangible and intangible cultural heritage. It means the lands, waters, seas, and skies and everything on it, including people, plants, animals and landscapes.
Country also is the song lines, stories, language, cultural expressions and knowledge. It is all parts Australia, the deserts, rainforests, mountains and plains.
Urban areas, the streets, parks, and the buildings are situated all on Country.
Country is holistic and living.
Country is spiritual belonging.
Country shapes individual and communal identity and wellbeing. It is the ‘people, family, mob, who walk on Country.’ Country is kin. The relationship between people and Country must include reciprocity.'
Terri Janke, Powerhouse Taking Care of Country Principles, Terri Janke and Company, 2022.
Powerhouse acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which the Powerhouse stands. We recognise their continuous connection to Country and extend our respect the diverse First Nations peoples that now call these places home.
In consultation with First Nations peoples of the Country on which the Powerhouse sites are situated, Caring for Country Principles now form the foundation of the Climate Action Plan, they are our Acknowledgement to Country in practice.
True acknowledgement is not just a sentiment or a proceeding, but an ongoing behaviour and responsibility. Through the stories we tell, our care for cultural belongings and collaboration with Community – we remember and respect Country, Always.

Powerhouse Parramatta: Green Star
Powerhouse Parramatta will be a climate positive building — highly energy efficient and operating on 100% renewable electricity.

Powerhouse Climate Action Plan 2022–2025
This panel launching the Powerhouse Climate Action Plan was recorded at Powerhouse Ultimo as part of 100 Climate Conversations.
Events

Celestial Emu

New to who? First Nations creators in conversation

Powerhouse Late: PAWA

Powerhouse Late: BERTHA

Powerhouse Late x Vivid Ideas: Paradise Fair
