Local creative collaborations

A program for the Waverley local creative community to connect and create at Bondi Pavilion

Designed to support artists at every stage of their practice – from emerging to established – this program celebrates and amplifies the vibrant artistic life of our local area and supports artists to connect, develop, and showcase new work at Bondi Pavilion.

We encourage applications from creatives who live, work, or have a demonstrable connection to the Waverley community.

Bondi Pavilion is an inclusive cultural hub. We welcome applications from individuals and groups of all backgrounds, including First Nations artists, culturally and linguistically diverse creatives, LGBTQIA+ communities, neurodiverse artists, and artists with access requirements.

Expressions of interest for all the 2026 opportunities are now open and close at 5 pm Monday, 16 February 2026.

Expression of Interest (EOI) now open for Local Creative Collaborations 2026. 

Submissions can be made via Smarty Grants. Guidelines can be downloaded here.

Yalagang Room Residency 

Applications are now open for the 2026 Yalagang Room Artist Residency. The expression of interest period closes at 5 pm on Monday, 16 February, with residencies becoming available from March 2026.

This residency is open to creatives across all art forms, with priority given to the development of new artistic works.

• Four residencies will be awarded in 2026, with up to $5,000 financial contribution available for each project to support artists’ fees and direct project costs.
• One additional two-week residency will be offered for a significant development project, with funding available of up to $10,000.
• Subsidised venue hire of the Yalagang Room will be offered for up to two weeks.

Priority will be given to projects that strongly resonate with local audiences or develop new artistic work or creative practice.

Projects must include a public presentation at the conclusion of the residency, giving artists the opportunity to share their work with the local community. This can take the form of a work-in-progress showing, a Q&A with the artist, or a short performance or exhibition.

Please note: availability of the Yalagang Room is limited, and you will be required to nominate your preferred dates from one of the available options as part of the expression of Interest process.

Apply now to be part of Waverley’s thriving creative community and bring your vision to life at Bondi Pavilion.

Bondi Pavilion Artist Studio Residency 

Applications are now also open for the 2026 Artist Studio Residency.

The Artist Studio is for visual artists across all media and writers at all stages of their practice. Successful applicants may access the dedicated studio space at Bondi Pavilion for up to six weeks to immerse themselves in their practice.

Bondi Pavilion Music Studio Residency 

Applications are now open for the 2026 Music Studio Residency.

This opportunity is for local musicians who are interested in creating, developing or rehearsing new music in the music studios at Bondi Pavilion. A limited number of two-week residencies will be available in 2026.

Assessment

All EOIs are reviewed by an internal programming and curatorial panel, and applicants will be advised of the results of their submission within six weeks of the closing date of the relevant round. Projects will be assessed against the following core program aims:

Artistic Merit:

• How does your experience and creative practice best position you to deliver the proposed project?
• Is the project timely and relevant to our community today?
• Will the proposed project have the potential for an audience at the conclusion of its development locally or nationally?

Value of the Residency:

• How will the proposed project extend your creative practice and/or contribute to the development of new creative work?
• How will the proposed residency support the applicant’s professional and/or artistic development?

Connection to Community: 

• Does the artist have a demonstrated connection to local community?
• Will the proposed project resonate with local Bondi and Waverley audiences, connect with local community, environment and/or history?
• Are there opportunities proposed during the residency for the artist to meaningfully engage with the local community?

Overall Quality of the Application: 

• Have you outlined your project proposal, project aims and creative rationale clearly and effectively?
• Have you included supporting material, including examples of past works?
• Have you included a clear and well-researched budget (if required)?

Successful applicants will receive a letter of offer, an agreement outlining the details of their program and agreed public outcomes and will be required to complete a short acquittal at the conclusion of the project.

Unsuccessful applicants who wish to develop or present their work independently may be directed to Bondi Pavilion venue team to progress their project enquiry.

Background 

Since its launch in 2023, Local Creative Collaborations has supported dozens of innovative projects, providing artists with the resources and space to bring their creative ideas to life in our Yalagang Room, Artist Studio and Music Studio.