Space to Create: First Nations Music Residency Program (Australia)

The aim of the program is to create a dedicated space so each of the participants can take the time to sustain, grow creative ideas and collaborate including composition, voice coaching, strengthening technical skills and providing professional development opportunities for the future.

The program is open to emerging to established First Nations musicians, artists, songwriters, audio engineers, producers and those employed in the music industry.

Stages

• The Program will offer 2 stages:
  • Stage 1: A one-week group residency at ANU between 17 and 25 March 2025
  • Stage 2: A one-week individual residency to complete your project between April – October 2025.

Benefits

• Travel, accommodation, per diems, ground transport costs to and from ANU campus
• A participation fee for the attendance at the group and individual residential periods
• Access to Yil Lull First Nations Recording Studio control room, software, mastering and video editing resources
• Technical, studio production support from Yil Lull First Nations Recording Studio Senior Technical Officer and Producer, Will Kepa
• Mentoring from selected music industry professionals
• Music industry masterclasses and creative labs.

Eligible Activities

• Space to Create: Music Residency activities can include (but are not limited to):
  • Album or EP concept
  • Engaging with a producer
  • Multi-disciplinary and cross sector projects
  • Film soundtrack and commercial jingles
  • Music for theatre productions
  • Sound engineering, production and mastering projects
  • Music recording projects
  • Informed instrumental/vocal plans of development
  • Cross-genre music projects
  • Music industry planning (workshop).

Eligibility Criteria

• Australian First Nations artist, composers, and creators over 18 years of age
• You must be an Australian citizen or an Australian permanent resident.

Ineligibility Criteria

• You cannot apply for this grant if:
  • You are not an Australian First Nations practising artists or arts professional
  • You are a group or organisation
  • You are based outside Australia
  • You have an overdue grant report
  • You owe money to Creative Australia
  • You are an artist manager or agent.

Assessment Criteria 

• Artistic merit, experience, and previous works
  • vision, ideas and artistic rationale
  • demonstrated ability, skills and creative thinking
  • contribution to cultural expression
  • quality of work previously produced.
• Impact on artists’ career development
  • significance of the work and relevance to the artist’s career development
  • effective use of resources
  • capacity to strengthen skills and ability of the individual.
• Viability:
  • relevance and timeliness of the residency to the applicant’s career
  • where relevant to the project, evidence that the Protocols for using First Nations Cultural and Intellectual Property in the Arts have been adhered to.

For more information, visit Creative Australia.