The Bundanon Trust Artist-in-Residence program is the largest of its kind in Australia, making it highly sought after by artists nationally.

Accessible Arts partners with Bundanon to present an annual residency program specifically for artists with disability or who are d/Deaf. These residencies have been important stepping stones in the creative and career development of many successful Australian artists with disability.

The 2022 Accessible Arts and Bundanon Trust Artist-In-Residence Program is now open to musicians and visual artists with disability from NSW and the ACT. Up to five (5) musicians and/or visual artists will be funded to undertake a six (6) night residency at the renowned Bundanon Trust estate from 21 – 27 November 2022.

Successful applicants will be accommodated in self-catering cabins incorporating an artist’s studio, or musician’s cottage. They will also be given a bursary to cover per diems.

About Bundanon Trust

The Bundanon Trust is a beautiful rural property near Nowra, located on the idyllic Shoalhaven River. It is approximately a three-hour drive from Sydney.

Arthur and Yvonne Boyd opened the Bundanon complex in 1998 as a gift to the Australian people. Their vision was to provide an inspirational haven for artists of every discipline and in all stages of their careers. Bundanon supports new work, research and collaborations by artists and researchers from around the world.

Selection Criteria

Application selection criteria includes:

• Potential of the artist – artistic standing of applicant and artistic merit of the proposal
• Impact on career – benefit of the residency to the applicant’s professional development or the successful realisation of the proposal

Apply Now

Applications are open to emerging or mid-career visual artists or musicians with disability or who are d/Deaf. Applicants must be living and/or working in NSW or the ACT and identify as being a person with disability or who is d/Deaf.

You can apply via Survey Monkey or download a Word Document or PDF of the application form.

We also welcome applications submitted in alternate formats including Auslan, audio, video, printed, dictated, electronic and handwritten.

View the Guidelines here: Word | PDF

Applications close at midnight on Monday 1 August 2022.

Access

Artists and Musicians in residence will each have one bedroom, a studio space and kitchen access. The residency will take place across the Musicians Cottage and visual artist spaces. Accessible accommodation is available.

Applicants are requested to outline any access requirements they may have on their application (for example: Auslan, wheelchair accessible accommodation, accommodation for a support worker, etc.)

Please note that there is no additional funding available for access costs. Successful applicants will be encouraged to use NDIS funding towards access costs if you are an NDIS participant.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss your access requirements, please email info@aarts.net.au or phone (02) 9251 6499.

Online Information Session

We will host an online information session to provide more details about the program and the application process on Tuesday 5 July from 2pm – 3pm.

Our Arts Development Manager, Marika Perrow, will run the session and will be joined by a representative from Bundanon. It will include information about:

• How residencies work
• Participation criteria
• Eligibility criteria
• Bundanon Trust and it’s accommodation and services
• Bursary for per diems

This is a free information session however bookings are essential.

Click here to book into the Online Information Session.

Closed captioning and Auslan interpreting are available on request. Please advise of your access requirements during the registration process and note that we require 4 working days notice.

Testimonials

Taking 5 In Bundanon – Video Testimonial

This video showcases the experience of our 2020 program participants. The five selected artists – Bernadette Smith, Liz Cooper, Eugenie Lee, Rhiannon Pegler and Michelle Teear – each undertook a one-week residency. Watch the video.

Digby Webster

“I loved being at Bundanon. It was a fantastic opportunity to completely focus on creating my art and to be inspired by the beauty of the place and the creativity of the other artists.”

Digby has undertaken two residencies at Bundanon in 2014 and 2018 and his career as a professional artist has skyrocketed since with several local and international exhibitions, various commissions and selection as a finalist in the 2020 Archibald Prize. Digby is a visual artist with Down Syndrome from Sydney who paints, draws and designs. Digby’s residencies enabled him to create 16 works for a new exhibition at Redfern’s Bearded Tit.

Rhiannon Pegler

“Bundanon is such an amazing and inspirational place and I am so thankful for this incredible experience to develop myself creatively and professionally.”

Rhiannon participated in our 2020 Bundanon residency program. Rhiannon is an emerging visual artist from the Illawarra region who works in the medium of acrylic paint to interpret microscopic aspects of the natural world. Rhiannon has overcome various professional and personal barriers related to mental health and chronic pain to practice as a professional artist. Rhiannon’s residency enabled her to create works for a new exhibition inspired by the Bundanon microverse of fungi, slime mould and plant cross-sections.

Lucas Wright

“I loved being at Bundanon, making art inspired by the beauty of nature and the buildings, I developed new works for my future exhibition and I loved connecting with the environment and other artists. This time was very useful to me also because my art mentor and support worker was able to be there with me to guide me through the studio process.”

Lucas participated in our 2019 Bundanon residency program. Lucas is a visual artist with Down Syndrome from Lismore who paints, draws and creates ceramic artworks. He works out of the REDinc. Supported Art Studio and has is a connoisseur of high and popular culture who revels in the beauty around him and translates this into his paintings. Lucas’ residency enabled him to create new works for an exhibition at the Lismore Regional Gallery.

Michelle Teear

“It was really so wonderful to be at Bundanon with an incredible group of people and in a location that holds so much provenance for Australian artists. I’m so grateful to have had this opportunity to grow my practice in this phenomenal place.”

Michelle participated in our 2020 Bundanon residency program. Michelle is an emerging Newcastle-based visual artist whose work celebrates the vibrancy and character of the Australian landscape. She produces raw gestural landscape paintings, works with natural fibres to make woven sculptures and extracts plant colour onto textiles. Michelle lives with chronic fatigue syndrome and multiple chemical sensitivities. Michelle’s residency enabled series paintings small paintings using handmade oil and tempera paints. Michelle was subsequently shortlisted for the prestigious Evelyn Chapman Award.

Angie Goto

“My Bundanon residency allowed me to take a big step forward in my creative practice by having time and space to explore and develop ideas. The program is a really practical way of helping artists with disability create work or activate ideas that will make a unique contribution to art and culture.”

Angie participated in our 2019 Bundanon residency program. Angie is a Deaf visual artist based in Sydney whose vivid paintings reflect her interpretation of the images and stories she experiences in silence. Angie also works as an Art Educator at Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art. Angie’s residency enabled her to explore how to represent sound in a visual context.

Sri Thulin

“It was such a great opportunity. I got everything done I set out to do. Having my support worker there was important.”

Sri participated in our 2019 Bundanon residency program. Sri is a First Nations visual artist from Western Sydney who works across a range of mediums. She works out of the Little Orange supportive studio in Campbelltown and uses texture and bright colours to explore themes of hope and possibility. Sri’s residency focused on creating a series of paintings which explored her family connections and cultural heritage from the Bundanon region.

ENDS

Image Description: A photo of the Dorothy Porter Studio situated in tranquil bushland. Photo credit: Chris Jallard.