YAYA
YAYA - The Young Avon Youth Art Exhibition - is is a Youth Week 2026 initiative presented by the Avon Valley Arts Society and proudly supported by the Department of Communities.
what is YAYA?
YAYA (Young Avon Youth Art Exhibition) is a Youth Week 2026 initiative presented by the Avon Valley Arts Society.
Designed for young creatives aged 10–25, YAYA supports emerging artists to move from creating at home to exhibiting in a professional gallery space. Through workshops, mentoring and hands-on exhibition experience, participants gain the skills and confidence to present their work publicly.
The program culminates in a public exhibition during Youth Week.
Proudly supported by the Department of Communities.
YAYA is open to young people aged 10–25 years residing in the Avon Valley.
All workshops and Exhibition Entry is FREE.
Multiple entries per artist are permitted. However, organisers reserve the right to limit entries if exhibition capacity is reached.
Key Dates
How to Prepare Your Art for Exhibition Workshop
A practical, confidence-building workshop designed to help young artists understand how to get their work ready for exhibition.
Learn about originality and copyright, why exhibitions have specific rules, and how to present and prepare your artwork so it’s ready to hang professionally.
Perfect for young creatives who want to enter YAYA but aren’t sure where to start.
Toodyay: Friday 27 March, 4.30pm, Toodyay Community Resource Centre
Northam: Saturday 28 March, 10am, Avon Valley Arts Society
'Ask an Artist' Mentoring Days
Not sure if your artwork is exhibition-ready? Want feedback or help refining your piece?
These relaxed mentoring sessions connect young artists with practising artists working across watercolour, mixed media, digital art, acrylic, oils, pastels and printmaking.
Toodyay: Sat 7 March, 10am – 12pm, Toodyay Youth Hall, Toodyay Showgrounds
York: Sun 8 March, 11am – 1pm, York Community Resource Centre
Northam: Sat 14 March & Sun 29 March, 10am – 12pm, Avon Valley Arts Society
Exhibition Entries Close
Exhibition entries close 2 April 2026.
Complete the entry form online to submit your work for the exhibition.
Artwork Delivery and Collection
Main Artwork Delivery: (preferred)
Avon Valley Arts Society, 33 Wellington St Northam, 9 April 2026, 2.00–5.00 pm.
Alternate early drop-off locations:
Northam: 25–26 March, 3.00 pm – 5.00 pm at AVAS
Toodyay: 23 March, 3.00 pm – 4.30 pm at TCRC
26 March, 4.00 pm – 6.00 pm at the Youth Centre
York: 23–26 March during opening hours at YCRC.
Curation Workshop - Learn How an Exhibition Gets Put Together
Held on the first day of Youth Week, this hands-on workshop gives young people the opportunity to learn how an exhibition is curated and installed.
Northam: Friday 10 April, 10am – 3pm, Avon Valley Arts Society
Exhibition Opening Celebration
Celebrate the achievements of our young local creatives and support youth confidence and creative expression in our community.
Light refreshments provided.
Northam: Saturday 11 April | 2pm – 4pm, Avon Valley Arts Society
YAYA Exhibition
Community members are warmly invited to attend, meet participating artists, and support emerging creative talent. Some artworks may be available for purchase.
Exhibition Period: 12–16 April
Opening Times: Sun: 10am–4pm, Weekdays: 12pm–4pm
Location: Avon Valley Arts Society, Northam