Daniel Bartholomaeus, the 2025 ACT Young Australian of the Year, was taken by surprise when he received the award at the National Gallery of Australia last month, saying it “was a moment.”

“I sat there thinking I wasn’t going to win it,” he said.

“My jaw dropped, and the photographer took a picture, I was wide-eyed and had my hand over my mouth.”

The other nominees in the category were Dainere’s Rainbow co-founder Jarrett Anthoney, Concussion Australia founder Brendan Swan and Voice for youth’s Hayley Whatman.

Daniel is an artist and neurodiversity advocate. The 21-year-old, who lives with autism and ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder), has had anxiety since he was young, and found school challenging, contributing to him developing depression. During this time, he also had to deal with bereavement on several occasions.

Now, he is a mentor with The With Friends Initiative, a social group for young neurodivergent people and works with neurodivergent people through Daydream Machine to explore their interests and talents in music, arts and technology.

“If it wasn’t for the Daydream Machine, I don’t think I’d be where I am now. Daydream Machine has probably been the biggest part of my life,” Daniel said.

You can also find him at the National Gallery of Australia on Sundays with a sensory program for children who live with a disability or are neurodivergent.

He has also been involved with the United Nations, and Studio&, an inclusive art program for neurodivergent adults (aged 18-35).

Daniel said art had been part of his life “since I could pick up a pencil”.

“I’ve always been drawing. It’s a way of relaxing and calming myself,” he said.

“When I was a kid, it was very difficult to express how I was feeling or what I was thinking in my head, I couldn’t speak well in kindergarten.

“Growing up, I was a highly anxious kid, and it became a calming mechanism and a way to express the way I’m feeling.”

When not creating art, he is at the gym.

“I’m very passionate about staying fit and healthy, it helps me cognitively and mentally and it makes me function as well,” Daniel said.

He is also studying a Bachelor of Visual Arts at the Australian National University and volunteers as an assistant art teacher at his old school, Erindale College.

Daniel said his work is about showing what you can do rather than what you can’t, championing children who live with autism or a disability, and improving mental health. He also wants to use his lived experience with mental health to improve the school system to show “you can get through it”.

“My goal is to avoid getting to where I was at – I was admitted to hospital for severe depression and mental health challenges,” he said.

Daniel is also the recipient of the 2023 Young Canberra Citizen of the Year Award arts and multimedia award recipient and 2023 ACT Chief Minister’s Inclusion Awards Emerging Young Leader award.

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