Open Call: Waverley Artist Studios Residency Program (Australia)

Deadline: 11-Oct-2026

The Waverley Artist Studios Residency Program offers five rent-free, non-residential studio spaces to visual artists in Australia for a 12-month period. The program supports emerging, mid-career, and professional artists working across all visual media, while providing opportunities for professional development, community engagement, artist talks, workshops, public art projects, and live art activities in the Bondi and greater Eastern Suburbs area. Selected artists receive a fully subsidised studio for one year and may also access paid professional development opportunities facilitated by Waverley Council. The program includes a compulsory open studio event where residents showcase their work to curators, funding bodies, and the local community. The Waverley Artist Studios Residency Program is designed to provide visual artists with dedicated creative space and opportunities to develop their professional practice.

The year-long residency provides:

The program is based in the Bondi and greater Eastern Suburbs area and aims to strengthen the local visual arts community. Selected artists benefit from access to a studio space without paying rent for the duration of the 12-month residency. The program also creates opportunities for artists to develop their practice through: Artists may also receive paid professional development opportunities facilitated by Waverley Council. The residency is open to visual artists who meet the program’s eligibility requirements.

Applicants must:

The program welcomes artists at different stages of their careers, including emerging, mid-career, and professional artists. The program supports artists working across all visual media. This broad scope allows artists from different visual arts practices to be considered, provided they meet the eligibility requirements and can demonstrate a suitable creative practice. Applicants should clearly communicate their artistic practice and explain how access to a dedicated studio could support their professional and creative development. The residency is not limited to one career stage.

It supports:

This makes the program relevant to visual artists at different stages of their careers. Professional development is an important component of the residency. Artists may have opportunities to participate in activities facilitated by Waverley Council, including: Some professional development opportunities may be paid. These activities can help artists develop their professional networks, gain experience presenting their work, and engage with the wider arts community. Selected artists are required to participate in a compulsory open studio event. The open studio provides residents with an opportunity to: Applicants should therefore be prepared to participate in public-facing activities during the residency. The residency places strong emphasis on community engagement. Artists are encouraged to participate in opportunities that connect their creative practice with the Bondi and greater Eastern Suburbs community.

This may include:

Artists from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Artists from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds are also encouraged to apply. The program therefore seeks to support diverse perspectives within the visual arts community.

Applicants cannot be:

Applicants must also meet the other eligibility requirements, including Australian citizenship or permanent residency, being at least 18 years old, and having an active ABN. The residency can provide artists with dedicated creative space while reducing the financial burden associated with maintaining a studio.

The program also offers opportunities to:

Applicants can strengthen their application by: It is a 12-month residency program providing five rent-free, non-residential studio spaces to visual artists in Australia. The residency provides studio access for 12 months. Yes. Selected artists receive fully subsidised studio spaces for the one-year residency period. The program provides five studio spaces. Australian citizens or permanent residents aged 18 or older with an active ABN can apply, provided they meet the program’s other requirements. The program supports artists working across all visual media and welcomes emerging, mid-career, and professional artists. Yes. Artists from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Yes. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists are specifically encouraged to apply. Yes. Selected residents are required to participate in a compulsory open studio event. Artists have an opportunity to showcase their work and connect with curators, funding bodies, and the local community. Yes. Residents may receive paid professional development opportunities facilitated by Waverley Council. No. Waverley Council Councillors and their families are not eligible for the residency. The Waverley Artist Studios Residency Program provides five visual artists with rent-free, non-residential studio space for 12 months, alongside opportunities for professional development and community engagement. With support for artists at emerging, mid-career, and professional stages and encouragement for CALD and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, the residency offers a dedicated environment for creative practice and professional growth in Bondi and the greater Eastern Suburbs. For more information, visit Waverley Council.