Program
Support
Information
Expression of Interst – Front Studio Residency 2027
Front Studio Residency
Opportunity
EOIS OPEN
Thursday 3 September 2026
EOIS CLOSE
Monday 12 October, 11:59pm
NOTIFICATIONS
Week commencing
2 November 2026
Now in its third year, the 2027 Front Studio Residency is Temperance Hall’s flagship program, supporting six independent artists annually, with 2-months of exclusive access to the Front Studio at Temperance Hall. Facilitating independent artists to develop their practice and research in body-based, enquiry-forward forms, including but not limited to: dance, performance, interdisciplinary practice and expanded approaches to choreography.
Each selected artist will receive:
- A $5,000 stipend
- Exclusive access to the Front Studio for a two month period. The Front Studio is a private 6x7m space with polished wooden floors
- Professional photographic and video documentation of a public outcome
- Support to develop and share a public outcome: this may take the form of a work-in-progress showing, conversation, workshop, installation, gathering or another format appropriate to the artist’s process.
We are interested in Expressions of Interest that are experimental, rigorous, unresolved, or difficult to accommodate within conventional commissioning and presentation contexts. Priority will be given to applications that emphasise practice, research and enquiry over the presentation of a finished product. Applications that read primarily as a pitch to present, commission or tour an existing work may be considered less favourably. The panel is interested in the artist’s practice, methods, questions and areas of enquiry.
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Applications will be considered in relation to:
- Strength, rigour and clarity of the artistic enquiry
- Relationship to body-based practice
- Experimentation, risk and non-conformity
- Value of time and space to the practice
- Relevance of the practice to the artistic landscape and to Temperance Hall
HOW TO APPLY
Via this google form here, before midnight Monday 12 October, 11.59pm
Expressions of Interest are assessed by Temperance Hall’s Artistic Subcommittee and an external peer. The panel will select a cohort, rather than exclusively looking at the six highest-scoring applications, therefore considering how different practices, perspectives, methodologies and career stages sit alongside one another.
The EOI form for the artists is intentionally simple in recognition of the unpaid labour involved in arts application processes. As such, they are asked to respond to two questions:
- Tell us about your artistic practice – providing a short bio & artistic summation (up to 300w)
- Tell us about the artistic enquiry you would like to pursue during the residency. How do you hope to use the space/opportunity? How is this opportunity useful or timely for you and your practice? (up to 300w)
- Support material: please include at least one link to show your past work (website, Vimeo, Instagram). Video material should be no more than 5 minutes – please include timestamps for longer material.
All links must be accessible to the panel. Applications with support material that cannot be opened or viewed will not be considered.
WHO CAN APPLY
- We encourage applications from First Nations, CALD, Deaf or Disabled, and LGBTQIA+ artists.
- We will favour artists with established professional practices (3+ years). Recent graduates are not encouraged to apply.
- Individuals and collectives can apply – whilst noting the artist stipend will remain the same.
- The Front Studio Residency does not include accommodation, international travel or visa support, but we encourage international artists to apply so that Temperance Hall may consider whether other opportunities may be suitable, including our Apartment Studio Residency.
Artists who have applied in previous rounds are strongly encouraged to reapply. This is a competitive process, and the applicant pool, assessment panel and composition of the residency cohort change from year to year. This is a competitive process, we anticipate many more worthy applicants than the six spaces available.
In 2027, our Front Studio Residency is made possible through the generous support of the Neilson Foundation, the City of Port Phillip, private donors, and the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body.