We Sit in Circle

Queen Victoria Women’s Centre (QVWC) and The Torch are proud to announce the exhibition We Sit in Circle —a powerful new exhibition presented in partnership.

We Sit in Circle celebrates strength, hope, and survival through artworks created by First Nations women who have been impacted by the criminal legal system. The exhibition foregrounds community, resilience and the healing power of creative expression.

The First Nations women artists in We Sit in Circle have lived experience of incarceration. They are mothers, aunties, grandmothers, daughters, and sisters.

For generations, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have used symbols as a visual language to pass down stories, preserve cultural knowledge and express spiritual beliefs. While their meanings vary across different language groups, many messages are shared. One such symbol is the circle, which represents a meeting or resting place. It reflects how we come together – sitting in circles, yarning (talking), and sharing. Lines extending from the circle signify journey paths, showing movement to and from that place of connection.

We Sit in Circle has been curated to reflect the circle – this resting place. The artworks positioned near the entrance and exits of the gallery space are created by artists in the community, continuing their journeys after prison. The works placed at the centre of the exhibition are by women currently inside. They are regrouping, reconnecting, and resting and, in time, will continue on their own paths. 

The exhibition is curated by Flick Chafer-Smith (Ngarrindjeri) and Sharn Geary (Bundjalung).

This National NAIDOC Week Activity is partially funded by the National Indigenous Australians Agency in line with the NAIDOC 2025 theme: The Next Generation – Strength, Vision & Legacy.

The QVWC is delighted to be celebrating NAIDOC Week with The Torch and to have an opportunity to support this exciting new exhibition in its Birnbeal gallery, a space designed to support emerging women and gender diverse artists. 


Key info: 
Location: Queen Victoria Women’s Centre, 210 Lonsdale Street Melbourne 
Date: Tuesday 1 July until Friday 18 July 2025
Opening hours: Weekdays 9am – 5pm and Weekends 11am – 5pm