First Nations Art Residency EOI: Wunggurrwil Dhurrung

About the Residency

This emerging-artist residency is hosted by Koling wada-ngal Aboriginal Corporation at the Wunggurrwil Dhurrung Centre, Wyndham Vale-a purpose-built First Nations cultural space on Wadawurrung Country.

This residency supports emerging First Nations artists (or collectives) to test ideas, experiment, and further their art practice in a culturally safe environment, with access to studio space, mentoring, and community connection. The residency is open to all types of artistic practice, from illustration and writing to sound and digital-based art.

The Wunggurrwil Dhurrung Centre is a community space used by local First Nations families and organisations. The residency is designed with this in mind-artists are supported to work alongside and be present within that community context, rather than in isolation.

The residency runs from early May to July 2026, with some flexibility on timing. The artist fee is $3,000, paid on commencement.

This residency stream is open to emerging First Nations artists who live, work, or have a demonstrable connection to the Wyndham area.

Assessment Criteria

Applications will be assessed on:

  • Quality and depth of artistic practice
  • How the residency will support the development of the artist’s practice and/or cultural connection
  • Connection to the Wyndham area
  • Responsiveness to place, culture, and community

Privacy Collection Statement

Your personal information is being collected by Wyndham City Council for the purpose of administering your expression of interest (‘EOI’) to participate in the First Nations Art Residency at Wunggurrwil Dhurrung, hosted by Koling wada-ngalartist in residency program. Any information you submit as part of your EOI will be processed by Council in accordance with the project Terms and Conditions.  Your personal information will be stored in Council’s Customer Database and used to identify you when communicating with Council and for the delivery of services and information.  You can access or amend your personal information at any time by writing to mail@wyndham.vic.gov.au. Your personal information will be handled in accordance with the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic). For further information on how your personal information is handled, visit Council’s Privacy Policy.

Applicant Details
Eligibility

To be eligible for this residency, you must answer Yes to all questions below.

Note: answering No to the Public Liability Insurance question does not exclude you from the process.
Are you 18+ years of age? (required)

You are unable to proceed with the EOI.

Do you live, work or have a demonstrable connection to the Wyndham area? (required)

You are unable to proceed with the EOI.

Do you hold Public Liability Insurance? (required)
Please note that by answering no does not exclude you from the EOI process.
One file only.
10 MB limit.
Allowed types: txt rtf pdf doc docx odt ppt pptx odp xls xlsx ods.
Are you willing to obtain PLI for the duration of the residency?

You are unable to proceed with the EOI.

If successful, will you undergo a police check at your own cost? (required)

You are unable to proceed with the EOI.

Aboriginality Declaration (required)

This residency is open to First Nations artists only.

About you
Do you identify with any of the following?
How would you describe your gender?
What is your age range?
Which of the following best describes where you live?
Application (required)

Your application should be submitted as a single PDF document (maximum 10MB). The panel will use this document alongside your form responses to assess your expression of interest.

Applications close 22 April 2026, with applicants notified by 30 April 2026. The residency commences in early May 2026.

If you haven't written an artist biography before, that's fine - a brief bio is all you need.

NAVA (the National Association for the Visual Arts) has a free fact sheet.

Your PDF should include the following sections:

1. About You
Your name and a brief artist biography or CV (1–2 pages). This can include your artistic background, training (formal or informal), exhibitions, projects, or community work.

2. Your Creative Practice
Describe your creative practice and the kinds of work you make. This is open to all art forms, from illustration and writing to sound, digital, textiles, or any other medium.

3. Connection to Wyndham
In around 50 words, describe how you live, work, or connect to the Wyndham area.

4. Residency Proposal
Provide an overview (approximately 500 words) of your ideas and intentions for the residency. What would you like to explore, test, or develop? How does this connect to your practice?

5. Examples of Your Work
Share examples of your work. This could include links to an online portfolio, website, or social media, and/or images and documentation within your PDF.

Your application: Please collate all of the above into a single PDF file (maximum 10MB) before uploading.
Unlimited number of files can be uploaded to this field.
10 MB limit.
Allowed types: pdf .
Declaration

By submitting an expression of interest (‘EOI’) to participate in the First Nations Art Residency program (‘program’) run by Wyndham City Council (Council), you agree to be bound by these terms and conditions.

These terms and conditions should be read in conjunction with other documents and information relating to the program, including your EOI form and the information made available on Council’s website.

ELIGIBILITY

Eligible applicants must:

  • Identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander
  • Live, work or have a demonstrable connection to the Wyndham area
  • 18 years of age or over
  • Be a practising artist or artist collective able to demonstrate evidence of an art practice
  • Applicants must not be employees of Wyndham City Council or Koling wada-ngal Aboriginal Corporation

EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

2.1EOIs must be submitted between between 9:00am on 1 April 2026 and 11:59pm on 22 April 2026 via Council’s website. EOIs which are incomplete or received outside of this period will not be accepted.

2.2 You agree to immediately notify Council of any changes to your EOI, including the request to withdraw your EOI by emailing arts@wyndham.vic.gov.au. 

ASSESSMENT OF EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

3.1 EOIs will be assessed by a selection panel consisting of Council officers and representatives from the residency hosting organisation on 30 April 2026. One applicant will be selected.

3.2 All applicants will be contacted no later than 5:00pm on 30 April 2026 and advised of the outcome of their EOI.

SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS

4.1To accept the invitation to become the artist in residence and participate in the program, the successful applicants will be required to enter into a further agreement(s) with Council and will be required to provide evidence of their:

a) public liability insurance in a minimum sum of $20 million per single event;
b) National Police Check and
c) being over the age of 18 and that they live, work or socialise in the Wyndham municipality. 

NO RELATIONSHIP

Nothing in these terms and conditions or in the conduct of Council and you creates a relationship of agency, partnership, employer and employee or joint venture between you and Council. 

GENERAL

6.1 Council reserves the right to change or modify these terms and conditions at any time and without notice to you.

6.2 Council’s decisions are final and no correspondence will be entered into.

The following information is collected by Council as part of its reporting data. Information will be deidentified for the selection process and will be deleted after data is collated. Please select ‘Prefer not to say’ if you would prefer not to provide the information. 

More Information

Steven Rhall (First Nations Creative Arts Officer)

steven.rhall@wyndham.vic.gov.au or 03 8353 4048

 

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