Image: Artwork by Iteka Ukarla Sanderson-Bromley, image courtesy the artist.
Guildhouse Catapult Mentorships announced with internationally renowned mentors and inspiring new talent.
Three exciting South Australian visual artists have been selected as the first Catapult recipients for 2026.
- Catapult Mentorship: Emerging artist Alyssa Powell-Ascura will work with internationally renowned Philippines-based duo Isabel and Alfredo Aquilizan.
- Catapult Mentorship: Iteka Ukarla Sanderson-Bromley (Adnyamathanha, Narungga and Yarluyandi) will be mentored by ceramicist Fruzsi Kenez.
- Catapult + City of Port Adelaide Enfield Mentorship: Emerging artist Bianca Hoffrichter will be mentored by established practitioner and 2020 Guildhouse Fellow Sera Waters.
Catapult is an artist-led mentoring initiative delivered by Guildhouse since 2018. The program provides a flexible and paid opportunity for artists at all stages of their career to purposefully engage with established practitioners from Australia and beyond, with Guildhouse providing support and facilitation.
Each mentorship offers a transformative opportunity for both the mentor and mentee and is designed around the artistic and professional goals of each mentee. In recognition of increased cost-of-living pressures, the amount awarded for each mentorship increased in 2025.
Celebrating the impact of Catapult, Guildhouse CEO Beth Neate said that “Catapult Mentorships are a powerful career accelerator that benefits the individual artist and their mentor and strengthens the vitality of the broader South Australian visual arts sector. As we launch Guildhouse’s 60th year in 2026, we are delighted to be announcing that Bianca Hoffrichter, Alyssa Powell-Ascura, and Iteka Ukarla Sanderson-Bromley will be joining an alumnus of over 70 South Australian Catapult recipients. We warmly congratulate the recipients and their mentors and we look forward to seeing the outcomes of their mentorships. We thank our partner City of Port Adelaide Enfield and our generous donors, who have made these extraordinary opportunities possible for artists.”
In this round, Guildhouse leveraged the generous support of its Creative Champions donor circle, the success of our Catapult Creativity AusArt Day giving campaign, and partnership with City of Port Adelaide Enfield to award three new mentorships to South Australian arts practitioners.
Catapult + City of Port Adelaide Enfield Mentorship is presented by Guildhouse in partnership with the City of Port Adelaide Enfield (PAE), supporting an artist residing in the council area with additional funding to culminate in a public program for the PAE community.
Catapult Mentorships are made possible through the philanthropic support of Guildhouse’s Creative Champions donor program, with additional contributions from the Catapult Creativity campaign, part of Creative Australia’s national AusArt Day.
Images: Alyssa Powell-Ascura, Cutting Fruits, photograph Morgan Sette; Bianca Hoffrichter, _Errare_ (Latin – to Stray), image courtesy the artist.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS:
Recognised for her emerging conceptual practice, Alyssa Powell-Ascura will be mentored by internationally-acclaimed duo Isabel and Alfredo Aquilizan to advance her material exploration, community collaboration, and proposes to undertake an in-person residency with the Aquilizans in the Philippines.
Excited to begin, Alyssa said “Maraming salamat! (Thank you so much!) What a pinch me moment! First of all, my immense gratitude to the Aquilizans for undertaking Catapult with me. I grew up seeing their incredible works in exhibitions like the Asia Pacific Triennial and I truly respect their distinctive voices as contemporary artists, so I have no doubt that this mentorship with them will help sharpen my socially engaged practice. Secondly, I am so thrilled to finally be working with Guildhouse, an organisation that has supported me since I started on my journey as an emerging artist. I look forward to exploring new material processes, taking some creative risks and continuing to work with the wider community. We’re going to have so much fun!”
Working across acrylic, ceramics, silks, digital art, and mixed media, emerging Aboriginal artist Iteka Ukarla Sanderson-Bromley will be undertaking a mentorship with Fruzsi Kenez to develop sustainable ceramic hand-building practices alongside tailored arts industry advice.
Iteka shared: “I feel so honoured and so incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be the recipient of the Catapult Mentorship. I look forward to spending plenty of time learning from the amazing Fruzsi Kenez and am excited for how this mentorship will help elevate my practice.”
With an aim to transition from emerging practitioner to an established contemporary artist, Bianca Hoffrichter will work with Sera Waters to support the progression of her research-based practice and expand opportunities nationally and internationally.
Of the opportunity, Bianca shared “I am humbled and deeply grateful to Guildhouse, the Port Adelaide Enfield Council and supporters of this Catapult Mentorship program. This opportunity is such a significant next step for my practice but also for ensuring we can continue to share professional development opportunities to our wider communities. I am also thankful to Sera Waters for being willing to embark on this mentorship and honoured to be working with such an experienced contemporary artist. This mentorship would not have been possible without the generous support of all involved.”
