Friday 14 November
The Helpmann Academy is thrilled to announce Josh Juett as the recipient of the Helpmann Academy British School at Rome 2026 residency, valued at $30,000.
Working primarily as an oil painter, Josh explores relational dynamics and self-inquiry. His exacting and technically precise paintings trace the way in which identity develops through our attachments to objects, images and forms that echo childhood, consumer culture and the subconscious.
Ideologically, Josh’s work stems from an uncomfortable awareness of his own thought processes, invoking a cryptic personal symbology that is by turns irreverent and affecting in its allusion to the transience of life. His exhibitions are complex, densely allusive hordes of symbols and coded meanings that invite you to ruminate.
“This opportunity offers me the chance to immerse myself in the very roots of art history. It provides the time and space to refine how I create work that balances symbolic imagery with technical precision. I’m particularly looking forward to garnering critical feedback on how I communicate my ideas, and to explore new approaches to research and development within the context of the BSR and its community. It’s an opportunity to explore a city dense with creative legacy and to stand in dialogue with some of the most recognisable artworks and influential artists in history, while unravelling these lessons alongside people equally devoted to the pursuit of human understanding. It’s difficult to overstate what it means to experience this at such a formative point in my career.”
Josh Juett, British School at Rome Residency resident 2025
Josh intends to focus on three strands of Rome’s painting history during his residency: the dramatic realism of Caravaggio, the monumental compositional and symbolic achievements of the Sistine Chapel and the united clarity of Raphael’s School of Athens. Another valuable aspect of the British School at Rome residency for Josh is the opportunity to work alongside professionals from archaeology, architecture, and the humanities.
“During my residency at the British School at Rome, I intend to focus on the intersection of historical research, digital modelling, and contemporary painting. My primary goal is to create a series of paintings and preparatory works developed from direct engagement with Rome’s cultural heritage, supported by the BSR’s archival resources and interdisciplinary community. This will be a period of concentrated exploration, combining fieldwork at heritage sites, scholarly investigation in the BSR’s collections, and sustained studio-based production.”
Josh Juett, British School at Rome Residency resident 2025
For 100 years, world-class researchers and contemporary artists have been nurtured at the British School at Rome (BSR). It is one of the leading research institutes and most prestigious foreign academies in the Italian capital. The BSR residency is a once in a lifetime opportunity for an emerging South Australian artist to undertake an immersive three-month residency in the heart of Rome.
“The Helpmann Academy is proud to offer this extraordinary residency in partnership with the British School at Rome. For an emerging South Australian artist, the opportunity to live and work within one of the world’s great cultural capitals is truly transformative. This residency not only provides time, space, and world-class facilities to develop one’s practice, but also opens doors to international perspectives, collaboration, and artistic growth. We are deeply grateful to David McKee AO and Pam McKee, and to the Lang Family Foundation, whose generous support makes this life-changing experience possible.”
Jane MacFarlane, Chief Executive Officer, Helpmann Academy
Congratulations to Josh!
SUPPORTED BY
This career-expanding opportunity is generously funded by David McKee AO and Pam McKee, and the Lang Family Foundation.
PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
