New Ruins is an international cultural exchange exhibition between Scotland and Australia to be held at the National Trust site of the City Watch House in the heart of Melbourne as part of the official Exhibition Youth Program of the Cultural Festival of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games, presented by Next Wave Festival. The six Glasgow based artists; Steven Dickie, Danny Holcroft, Martine Myrup, Jonathan Scott, Alexandra P. Spaulding & Katri Walker, have been invited by the curators Amy Sales & Tai Snaith to exhibit work alongside seven Melbourne based artists; Mike Tait, Sally Blenheim, Jenson Tjhung, Geoff Robinson, Emile ZIle, Jessica Russel & Chris Hill.

The City Watch House was a temporary jail but has been unused for over 20 years. New Ruins will be the first of a continuing program of art events and performances to take place in the culturally and historically loaded building. All the artists face a huge challenge in dealing with a building that already has so many stories weaved into its fabric. The exhibition promises to be a fantastic combination of history and modernity through culturally aware, intelligent and accessible artwork by the 13 young talented visual contemporary artists. The show will be open in the evenings from the 16th of March 2006 for 13 nights.