Five recipients have been awarded Regional Arts WA’s Next Level Fellowship for 2026.  

All are outstanding and exceptional young creatives and arts leaders from regional Western Australia. Each demonstrates remarkable talent, initiative and impact, supported by strong artistic achievements, growing recognition, and a clear commitment to building sustainable careers.  

Their practices reflect a deep connection to place and community, with their Fellowship activities set to strengthen both their individual development and the broader cultural landscape of regional WA.  

This opportunity is made possible through funding from the WA Government, whose support enables the continued investment in emerging regional arts leaders. Read Creative Industries Minister Simone McGurk announcement.

Read the full Media Release here

Next level Fellowship Recipients

Man standing in bushland holding a drone and controller.

Casey Jacobs

Casey is an 18-year-old photographer from the Wheatbelt, and has already earned national recognition, including two Australian Defence Force Future Innovators Awards. In 2025, he presented a successful solo exhibition following mentorship with leading landscape photographer Christian Fletcher. His Fellowship project Trees of WA, builds on this momentum through landscape photography and community storytelling.

Image: Casey photographing nature in Foxes Lair Nature Reserve. Photo courtesy of Casey Jacobs.
Woman standing in front of a step-and-repeat wall, holding a framed certificate and an acrylic trophy.

Xanthe Turner

A Peel-based multidisciplinary artist Xanthe Turner, recipient of the 2023 WA Youth Awards Creative Contribution Award, continues to build a diverse practice across visual arts, writing, music, and game development. Xanthe’s Next Level Fellowship will support her mentorship with acclaimed plein air artist Leon Holmes and strengthen her studio practice and industry skills.   

Image: Xanthe holding the Perth Festival Creative Contribution Award 2023. Photo by Nanci Nott.
Woman sitting in front of a sage green backdrop surrounded but potted plants and panting supplies.

Jenna Pickering 

Pilbara portrait artist Jenna Pickering has achieved national prominence as a finalist in ABC’s Portrait Artist of the Year, alongside awards including The Lester Prize, and has painted figures such as Phil Collins and Sandra Cox. Jenna will use her Fellowship to undertake a Sydney residency with mentors Paul Newton and Paul Field, expanding her practice and networks.

Image: Jenna Pickering official headshot. Photo courtesy of Jenna Pickering.
Woman wearing hi-vis and a hard hat, posing with a paint brush and paint bucket in front of a wall mural in progress.

Briony Bray

In the Mid West, Briony Bray is an Arts and Events Manager who has led exhibitions, managed galleries, and built strong sector partnerships. An emerging leader to watch with impressive initiative, Briony’s Fellowship will support her to attend Bo Wong’s Tide + Seek Retreat in Denmark, strengthening her leadership skills towards delivering powerful professional development for emerging artists in the regions.

Image: Mural painting with Leanne Bray, on a large-scale mural for Civic Gardens, Cannington. Photo courtesy of Leanne Bray.
Woman playing the acoustic guitar and singing into a standing microphone.

Maya Spilsbury-Slee

South West folk-pop artist Maya Spilsbury-Slee, performing as Maya Ixchell, has supported acts such as Hoodoo Gurus and Baby Animals, and her releases have attracted over 150,000 streams. She is active in the music community, serving on the Nannup Music Club Committee, which delivers the Nannup Festival. A Next Level Fellowship will allow Maya to record her forthcoming EP with regional producer James Newhouse, further building her artistic identity and audience reach.

Image: Maya performing at the Nannup Music Festival 2021. Photo by Wendy Slee.
Header image: Briony speaking at the opening of the inaugural Mid West Members Exhibition in 2024, through her role as Coordinator Gallery and Public Art at the City of Greater Geraldton. Photo by Mullermind Creative, courtesy of Geraldton Regional Art Gallery.