Expression of Interest for artists is now live for next Wunder Gym program as part of Melbourne Fringe Festival! Closes 9 July.
Now in its fourth iteration, this bold and timely community arts program invites 24 emerging creatives to take part in Transcriptions, a unique project responding to this year’s theme of personal truth and collective storytelling.
Led by acclaimed artist and mentor James Nguyen, Transcriptions will delve into how memory, migration, and identity are shaped by the stories we inherit and those we’re never told. Through family records, forgotten archives, official documents, and whispered histories, participants will explore how art can recover, remix, and reframe the narratives that shape us.
Together, we’ll uncover what lies between the lines, what is redacted, mistranslated, or deliberately erased and create new artworks that give voice to silence and space to untold stories.
As part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival, the program will culminate in a compelling multi-site public exhibition, transforming spaces across Hobsons Bay and Wyndham City into sites of personal transcription. Locations to be announced soon.
This is your chance to be part of a boundary-pushing project that challenges how we see ourselves and others through humour, performance, language, and imagination.
Apply now to be part of Transcriptions and contribute to a deeply moving, highly original exploration of identity and memory.
APPLY NOW
More details and submit your Expression of Interest
Contact Annette Wagner at hello@wundergym.co for further information.
INFORMATION SESSIONS
Join an information session to understand the program and ask questions.
Information Session 1 (Online Q&A): SUNDAY 1 JUNE 2025 (7-8 PM)
Topic: WGxMFF 2025 Information Session #1
Time: Jun 1, 2025 07:00 PM Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney
Meeting ID: 847 4367 1631
Passcode: 612068
Information Session 2 (Online Q&A): SUNDAY 22 JUNE 2025 (7-8 PM)
Topic: WGxMFF 2025 Information Session #2
Time: Jun 22, 2025 07:00 PM Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney
Meeting ID: 815 6062 5222
Passcode: 893998
Information Session 3 (Online Q&A): SUNDAY 6 JULY 2025 (7-8 PM)
Topic: WGxMFF Information Session #3
Time: Jul 6, 2025 07:00 PM Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney
Meeting ID: 862 7409 9694
Passcode: 591654
Contact Annette Wagner at hello@wundergym.co for further information.
KEY DATES
- Promotion Commences & Recruitment/EOIs OPEN: 9am MONDAY 12 MAY 2025
- Information Session 1 (Online Q&A): SUNDAY 1 JUNE 2025 (7-8 PM)
- Information Session 2 (Online Q&A): SUNDAY 22 JUNE 2025 (7-8 PM)
- Information Session 3 (Online Q&A): SUNDAY 6 JULY 2025 (7-8 PM)
- Application Closing Date: 3pm WEDNESDAY 9 JULY 2025
- Final Recipients Announced (WG responds to all applicants): FRIDAY 11 JULY 2025
Benefits of Program to artists
The program is designed to encourage and support individuals own artistic practice and aid in developing access to broader support networks and audiences.
On completion of the program, individuals will:
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Generate an artwork to nurture creative confidence
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Meet peers and establish stronger bonds with community artists across municipalities
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Meet an established artist mentor and grow from one-on one coaching experience
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Have artwork included in the group exhibition
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Have artwork documented for personal and promotional use
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Potential for artwork to be included in a later exhibition outcome
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Individuals will benefit from larger cross-community shared knowledge
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Build creative confidence for future community collective activities and exhibitions of their own
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Participants will benefit from peers promoting the exhibition and events, supporting each other
About Mentor James Nguyen
Drawing out conversations with family, friends and strangers through poetry, sculpture, film, music, and other shared experiences, James tries to understand the profound creativity and humour of migrants and our relationships.
Nguyen has a PhD from the University of NSW, and trained at the Sydney College of Arts, the National Art School, and UnionDocs Centre for Documentary Arts (NYC). He has exhibited at the National 2019, Next Wave Festival and ACE Open in Australia and has commissions from the Sydney Opera House, the Australian War Memorial and support from the Anne and Gordan Samstag Fellowship, Millumbuk Arts, the Clithroe Foundation, the Australian Council for the Arts, Create NSW, and Creative Victoria.
About Wunder Gym
Wunder Gym is a unique professional development program for artists and creative practitioners at all career stages. Through the program, participants create new work for an exhibition outcome with the support of an established artistic mentor. Wunder Gym participants develop new skills and techniques, extend their creative practice, engage with new audiences and connect with a broad network of practising artists.
FAQS
Is this a free program?
Yes, the program is free, but you must be able to commit to the following dates over 12 weeks from July to October.
| DATE/TIME | ACTIVITY |
| 21 July 7 - 8 pm | Program On-Boarding – via Zoom |
|
2 August 2 – 4:30pm |
IRL session at Werribee |
|
25 August 7- 8pm |
Program check-in – via Zoom |
|
6 September 2 – 4:30pm |
IRL session at Werribee |
|
19 September COB |
Artworks statements submitted |
|
20 September 10am – 2pm |
Artworks to be delivered to Louis Joel Gallery – Altona |
|
25 September 5:30pm – 7pm |
Mentor session and exhibition opening |
|
4 October 12:30pm – 2pm |
Collection of artwork |
|
4 October 2:30pm – 5:30 pm |
Wyndham Mentor-Led Participant and Community Event |
Who can participate in the Wunder Gym program?
The Wunder Gym program is for artists at any stage of their practice. All mediums of practice welcome.
What do l need to apply for the Expression of Interest?
You will need to supply the following through the Smart Grants portal.
- Address
- Contact Email
- Contact Phone Number
- Short artist statement – no more than 150 words (this may be used in promotion and marketing) .Please include your artist name if different to your application name.
- A one-page Artist CV
- A website or social links (this may be used in promotion and marketing)
When will l be notified of expression of interest outcome?
All applicants will be notified by the 11 of July.
Do you need to have an association with Wyndham or Hobson Bay municipalities to participate?
Priority will be given to artists who live or work in Wyndham and Hobson Bay areas. We do encourage artists to apply outside these areas as your expression of interest will be considered.
Who is eligible for the program?
- Artists who reside in the western regions of Melbourne, however priority will be given to Hobson Bay and Wyndham based artists.
- Participants must be over the age of 18 years.
- Applicants must agree to commit to all program dates listed above.
- To ensure accessibility and diversity, previous participants who have engaged in the program three times are not eligible.
Do l need to pay for my own materials for the artwork produced as part of the program.
Yes, you will need to fund the materials for the artwork presented as part of the exhibition at Louis Joel Gallery. The Wunder Gym program will be able to suggest suppliers. Photographs of your artwork from the exhibition and fabrication of photographs for the billboards will be funded by the program.