NotFair 2026 will be re-titled “Lust for Life” in honour of NotFair co-founder, arts writer and critic, Dr Ashley Crawford, who died unexpectedly this week at the age of 64.

NotFair Chair, artist Sam Leach, said all those who knew Ashley are shocked and saddened by his untimely death.

“We have met the passing of our co-founder, collaborator, and dearest friend, Dr Ashley Crawford, with heavy hearts and a profound sense of dislocation.

“Ashley was a true literary force, a veteran journalist, author, critic, editor, publisher, curator and scholar. His editorial direction shaped numerous publications, including Tension, 21C, World Art, and Photofile alongside a vast body of his own books and countless catalogues, reviews, profiles and essays.

“To many, he was a loyal friend and inspirational mentor. To us, his partners in the venture that became NotFair, he was more than that: he was the compass that kept us true to our course”, said Leach.

Fellow NotFair co-founder, artist Tony Lloyd, described Crawford as a keystone in the Australian art world.

“Ashley championed the belief that art should be dangerous, honest, and accessible. It was his conviction that transformed our humble idea, persuading others to join the cause and establishing NotFair as a compelling event on the cultural landscape.

“With a passion for discovering new art, Ashley was incredibly generous with his time, his formidable intellect and his wide range of connections.

“Ashley’s spirit remains the foundation of everything NotFair achieves”, said Lloyd.

The title of NotFair 2026 reflects an incident shared by Sam Tony and Ashley on a road trip in the Northern Territory in 2010.

Tony Lloyd recalls,

“We were driving down a dusty Outback Road in a troop carrier, listening to an Iggy Pop track, ‘Lust for Life’. Ashley was his irrepressible self, dancing in his seat, kicking his feet and waving his arms about, saying, ‘I want this song played at my funeral.’

“Ashley had a true lust for life which shone through his professional and personal life and relationships”, said Lloyd.

Sam Leach says NotFair’s first step in celebrating Ashley’s amazing life is to name NotFair 2026 “Lust for Life” in his honour.

“It’s a title that not only reflects Ashley’s way of being, but also resonates with many of the art works on which Ashley has been responsible for shining a light through NotFair over the years.

"Ash possessed an ability that is truly rare in our field. He was capable of slicing through the pretension of the art world to find the raw, beating heart of creativity underneath, and to articulate that in a way that was both exciting and comprehensible.

“We are grateful that he has witnessed the torch being passed on to a new generation of curators, ensuring that his legacy of "larrikin intellect" will long outlive us all.

“We extend our deepest sympathies to Ashley’s family and to the thousands of readers and artists whose horizons were expanded by his brilliant elucidations of art and its place in the culture”, said Leach.

Vale, Ashley.