Last year, Vulcana was looking to put an event on with new circus works from independent artists. The amount of pressures faced by independent artists meant there wasn’t much new work around, sadly. So, we dreamed up the idea of delivering 5 artist residencies across the year, where artists could be paid to make new works, be provided space and mentorship, and supported to deliver these initial works in performance settings. 

We wanted to make sure we were providing specific opportunities for communities we don’t see in circus as often. This is why we dedicated the first residency to First Nations artists, with First Nation’s mentorship. We are really excited to see a new work created that may not have been able to exist without support.

What art forms are you looking for?

Circus or circus-adjacent, generally. We prefer circus, because we are hoping this residency would contribute to creating new works in our core discipline. But, we would also be really happy to see applications from all kinds of performing arts disciplines – e.g. burlesque, physical theatre and dance.

This isn’t a visual or digital arts residency, so we probably wouldn’t consider an application whose primary intended outcome did not incorporate live performance of some kind.

What do you mean by First Nations individual or group?

All Indigenous peoples are welcome to apply, with the caveat that we are likely to preference applicants who identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander or Pasifika. Groups should be lead, or co-lead by someone identifying as a First Nations person, or have the majority of their ensemble identifying as such.

If I/my group isn’t chosen, will there be other opportunities?

Vulcana will have future call outs for artists with disabilities, youth artists and an open call out in this same project throughout 2026. In addition, we regularly host artists without cost in our space, and are always applying for funding to help support new works. If you would like your application to be considered in these other call outs, or for future opportunities, please let us know.

My question has not been answered here, how do I get it answered?

Please email circus[at]vulcana.org.au and/or community[at]vulcana.org.au and we will try to answer you within a day or so, even over the public holidays coming up. 

This is such a tight turnaround at an epic time of year. Why? 

We know. Sorry. The residency was scheduled around mentor availability. We are hoping the application is pretty straightforward, and helpful for you to articulate your own development and performance goals. Thanks so much in advance for considering Vulcana as a home to develop your work. 

How long will it take me to do apply?

Between 1-2 hours. If you’re a new artist who doesn’t already have a bio and images of your work, it might take a little longer. If you are finding the application process difficult, just reach out to the email addresses above. We’re happy to try and adjust it to make things easier for you.