Young Creators Mentorship Program 2025
Image: Mentees Eadie Enkelaar, Nina Rapa-Edmunds, Tess Rogers and Mia Georgiou. Community Arts Officer Bridey Ellis (second from the right)
A new round of creative exchange unfolded through this mentoring program. Four emerging artists were paired with experienced mentors from across the arts to share knowledge, ideas and the realities of creative practice. Over the three-month program they connected through conversation, experimentation and guidance while building confidence and expanding pathways into the creative sector.
Funded by VicHealth Local Government Program, with the view that investing in creativity and creative careers improves the mental health of young people.
Meet the participants in this year’s program:
Mentees: Mia Georgiou, Nina Rapa-Edmunds, Eadie Enkelaar & Tess Rogers
Mentors: Saffron Newey, Emma Shepherd, Bri Horne & Megan Herbert
Eadie Enkelaar and Saffron Newey
Eadie has recently graduated from her Visual Arts Diploma student at Chisholm (2025)
Saffron is a painter who also utilises digital media processes. Her practice interrogates the effect of the Internet upon painting, both as a contemporary medium and as an arbiter of art-historical narrative. Saffron has been exhibiting for 30 years and is in various private and public collections across the world. She is currently a Lecturer for Bachelor of Fine Art (Painting) at RMIT University
Learnings: Eadie gained valuable insights into university art courses, interview techniques, folio presentation, and sketchbook preparation. Through visits to several galleries—including Neon Parc, Counihan, Brunswick Street, Sol, Daine Singer, NGV Ian Potter, and MARS—Eadie observed a range of artistic practices and career stages while connecting with gallery directors and curators. Studio sessions focused on developing painting techniques such as palette use, glazing, colour harmony, and the Grisaille method, while refining Eadie’s artist statement and beginning a portrait commission. The experience deepened Eadie’s understanding of both practical art-making and the professional art world.
Mia Georgiou and Emma Shepherd
Mia graduated from The University of Melbourne in Masters of Art Curatorship (2025). Holds a Bachelor of Fine Art from Monash University (2022)
Emma Shepherd practices one of the world’s oldest crafts, weaving, with the sensibility of an artist deeply embedded in her environment. Solo exhibitions at Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery, Brunswick St Gallery, Craft Vitrine Gallery, Lon Retreat and Trocadero Projects.
Learnings: Mia received valuable career guidance while developing practical skills in weaving, studio management, and business planning. She visited Villa Alba and MARS Gallery, worked on loom restoration, and explored new weaving techniques. Sessions covered commission preparation, product development, pricing, and identifying potential stockists, alongside learning about website setup, photography, and marketing. Through discussions on residencies, grants, and gallery representation, Eadie gained a stronger understanding of the professional stages of an artist’s career and built strategies for future creative and business growth.
Tess Rogers and Bri Horne
Tess graduated from VCA with a Bachelors Degree in Visual Arts at the end of 2025. Keen to pursue a career in photography whilst maintaining an art practice.
Bri Horne is a photographer and poet living in Shoreham. Bri is interested in creating live and immersive experiences within the community, to inspire deepened connection with self, nature, and spirituality.
Learnings: Tess strengthened both her creative and professional photography practice through technical training, creative exploration, and business development. She refined editing and printing skills at Wetlabs Film Lab, experimented with collage and woven prints, and visited key photography spaces like Heide Museum and Casey Moore’s studio. Alongside learning about pricing, rates, and shoot logistics, Tess deepened her conceptual thinking around memory and perfectionism, building confidence and direction in her photographic work.
Megan Herbert and Nina Rapa-Edmunds
Nina finished her studies at Chisholm in 2024 with a Diploma of Visual Arts, interested in illustrating.
Megan is a cartoonist, illustrator and writer. Political cartoonist of the Year 2024.
Learnings: Nina expanded her creative practice through focused study in illustration and storytelling. She strengthened her technical skills with daily drawing exercises, figure and live drawing sessions, and lessons in Procreate, watercolour, and mixed media. Through exploring character design, point of view, and voice, she developed a picture book manuscript and gained insight into narrative structure and visual storytelling. Drawing animals from life and connecting with the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators further supported her growth as an emerging illustrator and author.