Down the Lane Artist Residency 2027
One artist. One month in Melbourne. Return airfare, accommodation, a private studio and a production budget, so you can spend the time making work.
Read about the residency ↓A month to make new work, with the practical things taken care of
Down the Lane is a fully supported, one-month studio residency for one artist, held in Melbourne in March 2027. It covers your return airfare, your accommodation for the month, a private studio, and access to a shared workshop space, along with an A$500 production budget.
It's run by Down the Lane Studios in partnership with Culture Focus. The idea behind it is simple: give an artist real time, a real studio, and enough support that they can actually use it.
Everything you need to focus on the work
The residency is designed so cost isn't a reason not to apply.
Return airfare
Flights to and from Melbourne are covered for the residency period.
Accommodation
A place to stay for the full month, arranged for you.
A private studio
Your own working space for the month, approximately 6 × 6 metres.
Workshop space
Access to a shared workshop area alongside your private studio.
A$500 production budget
Towards materials and the costs of making new work while you're here.
Melbourne connections
Introductions into the local arts community during your stay.
An open studio
A chance to show the work you've made, by negotiation towards the end of your stay.
Visa support
A letter of support for international artists who need one to travel.
Down the Lane Studios, Collingwood
Down the Lane is a working studio space in Collingwood, Melbourne. It doesn't have its own website: this page is the best place to see it. The residency studio sits alongside a shared workshop area, with room to spread out, experiment, and make a mess if the work calls for it.
A city built around its laneways and its studios
Melbourne has one of Australia's most active independent arts communities: artist-run spaces, small galleries, studio complexes and a culture of people dropping in on each other's work. A month here means access to that network, not just a change of scenery.
Practising artists, working in any medium
The residency is open to practising artists worldwide, at any career stage. You'll need to be able to travel to Melbourne and be present in the studio for the full month in March 2027, and to submit your application in English.
(Eligibility wording is being finalised. If your practice sits across categories, such as writing or research-based work, get in touch and ask.)
A clear plan, and the ability to work independently
Strong, consistent existing work; a clear and achievable idea for what you'll make during the month; genuine curiosity about Melbourne as a place to make new work; and the ability to work independently in a shared studio environment.
Meet the selection panel
Applications are assessed by a panel of Melbourne and international arts professionals. We're finalising the full panel and will publish names and bios here once they're confirmed.
In the meantime, you can see how the panel reviews applications and what they're assessing on this page.
Meet the panel →Six stages, from application to notification
Applications close
All applications must be submitted by 20 December 2026.
Eligibility check
Every application is checked against the eligibility and submission requirements.
Panel review
Eligible applications are reviewed independently by each panel member against the assessment criteria.
Panel discussion
The panel meets to discuss and compare their assessments.
Final decision
The panel agrees on the successful artist.
Notification
All applicants are notified of the outcome by 20 January 2027. There's no separate shortlist announcement beforehand.
What the panel is assessing
Quality and consistency of existing work
Evidence of a developed practice, seen across the work samples you submit.
Clarity and feasibility of the proposed project
A project plan that's achievable within one month, in a shared studio, with the production budget provided.
Likely benefit of the residency to your practice
A sense of what this specific time and place would add to where your work is heading.
Ability to work independently in a shared environment
You'll be working alongside others in the space, so self-direction matters as much as ambition.
One PDF, everything in it
Your application is a single PDF, up to 10MB, containing:
- Up to 10 images of your work
- An artist bio (maximum 500 words)
- A CV (maximum two pages)
- A project plan for the residency (maximum 1000 words)
(This page states a 10MB limit per the residency brief. The current application form allows up to 20MB; worth reconciling the two before this page goes live.)
What's in the studio
The studio and shared workshop space come with basic working amenities. Specialist facilities such as a press, darkroom or kiln aren't on site, but if your practice needs access to equipment elsewhere in Melbourne, we can help you find it.
Be here, and be part of it
Live and work from the studio for the full month, take part in the open studio at the end of your stay, and stay in touch with the Down the Lane and Culture Focus team while you're here.
Founder, Down the Lane and Culture Focus
Bronek Kózka founded Culture Focus and Down the Lane Studios in Melbourne. The residency grew directly out of running both: a working studio, and an organisation that spends its time connecting artists with places, people and opportunities.
What the month looks like beyond the studio
2026–2027
A$50 to apply
The fee is non-refundable and goes towards the cost of assessing applications. Exchange rates move day to day, so treat the conversions as a guide rather than an exact figure. Payment instructions are provided as part of the application process.