Inside Adelaide’s Creative Village: Washdog Studio & fab

Tucked away in Adelaide’s east is a thriving creative ecosystem where experimentation, collaboration and craftsmanship take centre stage.

Two shared studio spaces — Washdog Studio and fab — are quietly shaping some of South Australia’s most exciting contemporary art, design and installations.

Washdog Studio is a multi-artform shared artist studio that brings together a diverse group of artists working across painting, ceramics, sculpture, installation and immersive media.

With a strong focus on digital and new media practices, Washdog is a place where physical making meets emerging technology — and where bold ideas are encouraged to grow.

The studio operates as an open, collaborative environment.

Artists work side-by-side on everything from intimate, small-scale pieces through to large festival installations, often sharing skills, tools and creative problem-solving along the way.

This culture of experimentation and mutual development is central to Washdog’s identity, making it as much a creative community as it is a workspace.

Washdog’s objective is simple but powerful, “to provide artists with a safe, functional place to work, to support them wherever possible, and to create meaningful opportunities to connect their work with audiences, clients and commissioners”.

Through regular open studios, public events and workshops, Washdog opens its doors to invite the community into the creative process.

The studio currently hosts artists working across painting, ceramics, digital, electronic, lighting and immersive media, including Conor Mercury, Dave Court, Eva Jones, Hari Koutlakis, Joel Van Moore, Michael Carney, Miles Dunne, The Bait Fridge, James Dodd and Abbey Murdoch.

Nearby in Kent Town, fab (formerly George St Studios) has been supporting artists and makers for more than 25 years.

Established in 1997, fab is a shared artist and design studio specialising in sculpture, installation, design, metalwork and multidisciplinary craft.

Over the decades, fab has supported more than 50 practitioners, building a reputation for deep material knowledge, shared skills and collaborative problem-solving.

The studio offers metal fabrication services alongside creative and technical support for artists, festivals and organisations, playing a vital role behind the scenes of many large-scale public works and events.

fab is also deeply committed to nurturing emerging talent.

Through partnerships with Helpmann Academy and Adelaide Fringe, the studio delivers annual residencies that provide artists with access to professional tools, fabrication resources and hands-on mentorship.

Volunteer-run and artist-led, fab remains focused on supporting independent practice and helping creatives build sustainable careers.

Current studio members include Matthew Adey, Eleanor Amor, Kurt Bosecke, Benen Hamon, Bianka Kennedy, Cameron Longshaw, Claire Markwick-Smith, Joanna Majchrowska, Jennifer Mathews, David McMurray, Martin Murray, Michelle Nikou, Tara O’Conal and Nat Penney.

Together, Washdog Studio and fab represent the vibrancy of Adelaide’s shared studio culture — spaces where artists are supported, ideas are tested, and the public is welcomed into the process.

Whether you’re an art lover, a commissioner or simply curious, these studios offer a rare glimpse into the making of contemporary art.

Visit today!

Washdog Studio

12 King Willian Street, Kent Town
I: /washdog.studio

fab

12 King Willian Street, Kent Town
W: https://fabworkshop.com.au/