Dancehouse is on Wurundjeri Country. We offer our respects to the Wurundjeri woi-wurrung people — and to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people — who continue to dance on Country, and have done, for thousands of generations. Always was and always will be Aboriginal land.

Trans-Tasman Dance Residency 2027 EOI

Dancehouse (Naarm / Melbourne) & Wellesley Studios (Tāmaki Makaurau /Auckland)

Opportunity
Rose Philpott with Max Burgess in the Sylvia Staehli Theatre, Dancehouse, 2026
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Rose Philpott with Max Burgess in the Sylvia Staehli Theatre, Dancehouse, 2026
EOIs close on 5pm, Fri 23 Oct 2026 (Melb time)

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Dancehouse and Wellesley Studios are delighted to each offer a residency opportunity in 2027 to extend relationships between Australian and New Zealand dance artists. 

Our shared ambition is to build and extend creative relationships, networks, collaborations, and opportunities across the Tasman through well-timed and well-hosted annual residencies (2025-2027).  This is the third year of the Trans Tasman Dance Exchange with:
Amber McCartney (Aus) and Joshua Faleatua (NZ) participating in 2025.
Deanne Butterworth (Aus) and Rose Philpott (NZ) participating in 2026.

Annually, each organisation will host an international artist from the other country for a 2-week residency: Dancehouse will host an artist from New Zealand, and Wellesley Studios will host an artist from Australia. 

The New Zealand artist is offered: 

  • Up to 2-weeks of studio space at the Dancehouse host venue;
  • 2-weeks stipend of NZD $1,400 per week;
  • 2 weeks of per diems @ NZ$500 per week;
  • NZ$700 contribution to flights;
  • NZ $250 for airport transfers;
  • NZ$2,000 accommodation allowance.

The Australian artist is offered:

  • Up to 2-weeks of studio space at the Wellesley Studios host venue;
  • 2-weeks stipend of AUD $1,300 p/w;  
  • 2-weeks of per diems AUD $476.46 p/w; 
  • 1 x return international flight between Auckland and Melbourne;
  • Accommodation for 2-weeks when on residence;
  • Free attendance at Independance classes;
  • Airport transfers.

The timing of the residency is proposed by the artist based on availability. 

In addition to the active studio based full-time residency, artists are welcome to leverage residency opportunities with local engagements, activities, projects, presentations, collaborations or opportunities in each city. 

The successful artists will be required to offer a workshop, masterclass or exchange opportunity for local artists as part of their residency, and to offer a sharing or showing at the end of the residency to invited guests.  

>> Read further for more information about eligibility requirements, how to apply, and specific residency information and local city contexts.

ABOUT THE PARTNERS

Dancehouse (Naarm / Melbourne) is Australia’s only presenting and producing house dedicated solely to the year-round presentation of dance by and with independent dance artists and communities. Dancehouse represents a diversity of visions, practices, and generations committed to the expression, development and celebration of dance artists, and the artform itself. 

Wellesley Studios Dance House (Tāmaki Makaurau /Auckland)  is a purpose-built facility supporting the creativity and growth of Aotearoa’s dance and performing arts community. Located in the heart of Auckland’s theatre district, Wellesley Studios is a hub for connection and innovation, providing an inclusive environment where artists can train, collaborate and push boundaries.

ELIGIBILITY NOTES

  • The opportunity is open to practicing independent choreographers with a strong track-record of dance projects and works.
  • All dance artists, forms, and practices are welcome.
  • This opportunity is available for both Australian and New Zealand residents. Artists must be resident in their “home” country for at least 1 year before applying for the respective international residency. 
  • Multiple artists may apply for the residencies but there is only financial provision for ONE artist per residency — please outline how you will support, share, or leverage other resources or opportunities to make the residency viable.
  • Please note that there is no provision for additional travel i.e. domestic/ internal flights for artists outside of Auckland and Melbourne.
  • The residency must be fully undertaken in the 2026 calendar year. 
  • Local collaboration or engagement with artists, communities and/ or audiences when on residence is encouraged.
  • Artists are welcome to leverage the residency opportunity i.e. by building the residency into an existing tour or project, presentation opportunity, or timing the residency with local events, festivals or contexts.
  • Australian artists with a confirmed Dancehouse presentation in 2026 or 2027 are not eligible for the residency at Wellesley Studios for the development of that project.
  • Residencies are not necessarily project or outcomes focused but artists with a clear rationale, purpose, and approach to local collaboration, engagement, leverage or opportunity around their residency will be prioritised.
  • Residencies will likely happen from February 2027 onwards. 

HOW TO APPLY

Artists may submit ONE expression of interest for this residency opportunity.

The EOI uses an online Airtable form (you don’t need to log-in or set-up an account).

The Airtable form requires your basic contact information, bio, and preferred dates. The main part of the EOI is a single YOUR RESIDENCY proposal as either:

  • A 2-page document about YOUR RESIDENCY (Word or PDF only); OR
  • A link to a downloadable 5-min video about YOUR RESIDENCY (Vimeo, YouTube, WeTransfer only)


YOUR RESIDENCY

The majority of the application will be the YOUR RESIDENCY attachment (either a 2-page document, or a 5-min proposal video). 

This attachment is freeform and should give Dancehouse, Wellesley Studios, and the assessors a clear sense of who you are, what you plan to do during the residency, and why, when, and how you’d like to undertake it. 

The residency structure and purpose is yours to define. 

The application is freestyle: please express in the way that best supports you and your proposal ensuring you include both creative and practical information.

You are encouraged to include images, hyperlinks, writing, bios, visual, and or video material in the YOUR RESIDENCY attachment (2-page document, or 5-minute video).

No budget is required.

Here are some prompts …

  • WHO are you as an artist? Tell us about your dance training, history and lineage.
  • SHOW us a link of a recent performance that you created or performed in
  • WHAT do you plan to do on residence? How will you spend your time? 
  • HOW will this residency allow you to better connect, collaborate, create with the local city, artists, communities, or contexts you are visiting?
  • HOW will this residency extend your practice, relationships, projects, or capacity?
  • WHO specifically will you connect with on the residency? Names are helpful.
  • WHY is this residency opportunity exciting to you? 
  • WHY now? Why is this a timely opportunity?
  • WHEN would you like to go? And why then? 
  • DO you have any specific requirements, conditions or considerations for your residency e.g. working with collaborators, additional travel or connections, community engagement, access needs, technical or spatial requirements, or non-availability?

SELECTION PROCESS

The partners: Dancehouse and Wellesley Studios, will both review and appraise applications with the advice of 1-2 independent Australian and New Zealand artistic advisors. 

The application form and process is the same for both New Zealand artists applying for the Dancehouse residency, and Australian artists applying for the Wellesley Studios residency.

Applicants may be invited to a short online zoom/ phone conversation for the partners to hear more about the proposal, and to discuss pertinent availability and logistics before a decision is reached.

The invited Residencies will go to the artists who best evidence:

  • A generous, collaborative, and exciting choreographic practice and project; 
  • A specific, timely, and exciting residency proposal;
  • An exciting potential opportunity for them and the local artists, communities, and/ or audiences; and
  • Be viable with strong potential to further networks, connections, collaborations and exchange between Australia and New Zealand in the future.

KEY DATES

EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST OPEN / 10am (Melbourne time) Thursday 17 September 2026

EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST CLOSE / 5pm (Melbourne time) Friday 23 October 2026

OUTCOMES ADVISED BY / Mid-November 2026

RESIDENCIES TO BE UNDERTAKEN / Throughout 2027

QUESTIONS?

James Welsby, Program Manager, Dancehouse
[email protected] +61 3 9347 2860

Shona McCullagh, Creative Producer – Residencies, Wellesley Studios
[email protected] + 64 27 277 9326

SPECIFIC RESIDENCY INFORMATION

VENUES / STUDIOS
Dancehouse is a heritage Victorian building in North Carlton on unceded Wurundjeri Country. Dancehouse has five spaces: Sylvia Staehli Theatre (a black box theatre), Upstairs Studio (white box space), Skylab (a small studio), DSB – East, and DSB – West. As a working year-round theatre, Dancehouse can provide basic production and technical equipment and support if required.

Wellesley Studios is a transformed 1960s warehouse in central Auckland. It offers three large, well equipped professional dance studios, shower and changing facilities, a community meeting space and green room.

ACCESSIBILITY
The Dancehouse Sylvia Staehli Theatre is fully accessible. Other spaces (Upstairs Studio and Skylab) are accessible only via an internal staircase. DSB is a wheelchair accessible space, with level access through DSB-West.

Wellesley Studios is fully accessible featuring a flat entry at the rear and a wheelchair lift between levels. All floors are flat, doors open easily, and ground-level changing rooms include wheelchair-accessible showers and toilets. A dedicated disabled parking space is also available.

RESIDENCY AVAILABLE / TIMING PARAMETERS
Dancehouse spaces are open 9am-10pm but have varying availability and times because of existing hires and uses. Dancehouse will need to negotiate with the invited resident artist noting that different spaces may be available and space will not likely have standard full-time availability (9am-5pm, Mon-Fri).

Wellesley Studios Residency hours will be between 9am – 5pm Mon – Fri with some flexibility and variation depending on studio availability. Independance classes run on selected evenings and Saturday mornings. 

ACCOMMODATION
Both Dancehouse and Wellesley Studios will consult with the successful resident artist to find convenient and appropriate accommodation nearby to the venue. 

GETTING THERE AND AROUND
Dancehouse is accessible by tram, bike, car and by walking from the Melbourne CBD and the inner-Northern suburbs.

Wellesley Studios is located centrally on Wellesley St, Auckland. It is easily accessible by major bus routes, car and within walking distance of the inner city venues.

REQUIREMENTS OF EACH RESIDENCY

  • Meeting with host organisation
  • An informal sharing at the end of the residency to invited guests. This can be as formal or informal as the artist chooses and may be any form of showing/ conversation/ enquiry/ engagement at the end of the residency
  • A debrief conversation with Dancehouse and Wellesley Studios following the residency

SOME KEY CONTEXTS IN TAMAKI MAKAURAU / AUCKLAND 2027

OUTSIDE OF AUCKLAND, OTHER REGIONAL FESTIVALS INCLUDE: 

SOME KEY CONTEXTS IN NAARM / MELBOURNE 2027

  • Midsumma Festival: 17 January-7 February 2027 – Annual queer arts and cultural festival

  • Season 1 @ Dancehouse: February-April 2027 – A series of shows, events, and programming offers from Dancehouse; note that residency space may be limited

  • Out of Bounds: 17-18 April 2027 – Choreographic ideas-sharing platform of works in progress in partnership with Lucy Guerin Inc

  • YIRRAMBOI Festival: 6-16 May 2027 – Melbourne/Naarm’s biennial First Nations arts festival, presenting experimental and evolutionary First Nations work across artforms; 2027 marks 10 years of YIRRAMBOI

  • RISING: May/June 2027 – Annual major festival of new art, performance, and music; dates TBC; note that residency space may be limited

  • Dance (Lens) Festival @ Dancehouse: July 2027 – Dancehouse’s biennial festival and Australia’s premier platform for screendance, featuring screenings, talks, events, and masterclasses; dates TBC

  • Season 2 @ Dancehouse: June-August 2027 – A series of shows, events, and programming offers from Dancehouse; note that residency space may be limited

  • Now or Never: August 2027 – Annual festival focused on art, ideas, sound, and technology; dates TBC

  • Melbourne Fringe Festival: September/October 2027 – Cross-artform, large-scale open-access festival across the city; dates TBC; note that residency space may be limited

Similiar Events

2025 Trans Tasman Dance Exchange Participant Joshua Faleatua (NZ).

Trans-Tasman Dance Exchange

What will the space be used for?

Rehearsal / Class Performance / Event

Have you hired a space at Dancehouse before?

Yes No