Task Eternal: a major new aerospace exhibition at Powerhouse Parramatta, co-curated with industry and community

Powerhouse Parramatta is one of the world's most significant new museum projects. Opening in 2026, it represents the largest investment in cultural infrastructure by the NSW State Government since the Sydney Opera House and is the first major cultural institution to be established in Western Sydney, making new offerings accessible to diverse audiences. Task Eternal is the groundbreaking new exhibition that will open Powerhouse Parramatta, bringing together significant objects related to aviation and spaceflight alongside industry innovations and artist commissions to investigate the social, political, scientific and environmental impacts of leaving the ground. From the vantage point of the Southern Sky, Task Eternal upends traditional narratives of flight and space, using the sky as a mirror to reflect upon urgent issues we face on Earth. This paper presents Task Eternal as a case study of the pioneering Powerhouse model of exhibition-making and discusses concrete examples of how co-curatorial methods allow for many different stories about space to be told. We assess the impact and anticipated outcomes of close Powerhouse collaborations with the Australian and international space industry, globally recognised artists and local communities, and share knowledge gained with other cultural and science institutions around the world.