China Heights: A cultural anchor in Surry Hills.

Directed by Edward Woodley and Nina Treffkorn, the space has grown from a shared warehouse studio into one of Sydney’s most recognisable independent art galleries, known for its cross-disciplinary approach and deeply embedded creative culture.

Within a now-iconic 1914 former textiles warehouse in Foster Street, the gallery holds the patina of the neighbourhood’s past and the energy of its present. “China Heights is the unofficial name of the building we're currently in… This area was the original Chinatown for Sydney. The name Heights… is a reference to Hills or Surry Hills,” Edward explains. What began as an artist-run space in the early 2000s quickly became an unofficial exhibition platform - first for friends, then for a growing network of painters, designers, photographers and multidisciplinary makers.

Across exhibitions, installations and public projects, China Heights continues to champion work that moves fluidly between fine art, sub-cultural expression and design sensibility. Salvaged signage, industrial materials and high-gloss surfaces often sit comfortably beside more traditional mediums - a reflection of Sydney’s diverse creative identity.

The gallery is currently presenting ‘Between Lands’, a new body of work by Indigenous artist Shaun Daniel Allen (Shal). Expansive and atmospheric, the exhibition traces his recent travels and residencies, exploring interconnected landscapes and the rhythms of waterways, rock pools and shifting terrain. “There is an overarching theme of waterways and rivers, but he's also kind of delved into other natural environments… even the colours that he’s experienced across all other countries,” Nina says.

The last major event in the China Heights 2025 calendar, the gallery is one that continues to shape Sydney while simultaneously being steered by place, people, and the ongoing momentum of a community two decades in the making.