Des Res 2025 was a pilot program of professional development grounded in place-based, community-conscious practice and peer-to-peer knowledge sharing.  From the 6 - 14 September 2025, 6 established practicing artists from around the country came together in the vibrant, complex and often overlooked geographical and social terrain of Central Australia, spending time at Uluru and in Mparntwe/Alice Springs and the surrounding areas. 

Conceptualised in defiance of the rise of division and disconnection in contemporary culture, it is about enabling creative and geographical exploration, practice sharing, relationship building and national opportunities by crafting a thoughtfully considered, unique experience for artists from across Australia.

At its core, the program is about place-based learning and exchange with a focus on relationship and knowledge building, rather than the creation of an artistic product or outcome. Our hope is to build a platform that enables participants to interrogate and share their practice and contributions to the greater Australian artistic ecology. For this first iteration, 6 established practicing artists