beyond the canvas
Every year, one of the most exciting moments at Art Academica is seeing our students’ artwork leave the classroom and enter a real gallery.
This November, we are proud to present the Art Academica Annual Student Exhibition 2026 at Bayley Arts Gallery.
For our students, this exhibition is much more than displaying a beautiful artwork. It is an opportunity to experience what it feels like to be an exhibiting artist — to choose a piece they are proud of, give it a title, prepare it professionally and finally see it hanging on a gallery wall.
Exhibition Details
21 November – 4 December 2026
Bayley Arts Gallery
1 Avoca Street, Highett VIC 3190
Our special Opening Celebration will take place on Saturday, 21 November, from 2:00–4:00 pm.
Bring your family and friends and help us celebrate another wonderful year of creativity, artistic growth and big ideas!
How to Participate
Every Art Academica student is invited to select ONE favourite artwork created during 2026.
All artworks MUST be framed and ready for exhibition.
Please attach a label securely to the back containing:
Artist's full name
Age
Title of the artwork
We especially encourage children to choose the title themselves. Naming a piece is part of the creative process and makes that moment of seeing their name beside their artwork in the gallery even more special.
Artwork Drop-Off
Please bring your framed and labelled artwork to Art Academica – Picasso Campus, 451 South Road, Bentleigh on one of our collection days:
Monday, 9 November | 4:30–8:00 pm
Wednesday, 11 November | 4:30–8:00 pm
Saturday, 14 November | 9:00 am–12:30 pm
Please note that we need to receive artworks during these collection times so our team has enough time to catalogue, organise and prepare the exhibition.
No entries will be available after the drop-off time.
Why We Exhibit
At Art Academica, we believe art education is not only about learning how to draw or paint.
An exhibition gives children a real purpose for their creative work. It teaches them to make decisions, present their work, talk about their ideas and have the confidence to put something deeply personal into the world.
For some students, this may be their very first exhibition. For others, it is another step in a growing artistic journey.
And there is something incredibly powerful about a child being able to walk into a gallery, point to the wall and proudly say:
“That one is mine.” ❤️
We cannot wait to fill Bayley Arts Gallery with the imagination of our young artists and celebrate their achievements together.