Artist in Residence programs offer fresh stimuli, support, and meaningful connections; an exciting opportunity to step into new environments with purpose and focus.
The City of Stirling has delivered an artist in residence program biennially since 2021 supporting fifteen (15) artists to date. Now in its fourth iteration, the AIR program gives artists a space to explore their practice while activating community spaces and inspiring our residents.
AIR 2026 - Expressions of interest now open
The City of Stirling invites proposals from creative practitioners seeking to deepen and extend their practice through an immersive, site-responsive residency. Artists are encouraged to respond to a nominated studio location - engaging with its history, geography, material conditions, character and community.
The program welcomes proposals for site-specific installations, research-led approaches, and community-engaged or participatory projects. Artists are encouraged to consider how their practice may enter into dialogue with place, audiences and lived experience, and to explore processes that are experimental, reflective and responsive.
Artists who are Aboriginal, culturally and linguistically diverse, living with a disability, LGBTQI+, or are from refugee or migrant backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
Applicants are required to submit:
- A current CV
- A Statement of Intent (maximum 500 words), outlining your practice, research interests and proposed approach to your preferred residency site.
FAQs
We welcome EOI's from:
- Artists who live, work or study within the City of Stirling, or who can demonstrate a strong connection to the City, or alternatively can outline their suitability through a clear and compelling statement
- Artists who are across a diverse range of disciplines, including visual arts, literary arts, performing arts and other cross-disciplinary practices
- Artists who are Aboriginal, culturally and linguistically diverse, living with a disability, LGBTQI+, or are from refugee or migrant backgrounds are encouraged to apply
- Artists must be aged 18 years or over.
Applicants are required to submit:
- A current CV
- A Statement of Intent (maximum 500 words), outlining your practice, research interests and proposed approach to your preferred residency site.
EOI’s must be received on or before the deadline by emailing art@stirling.wa.gov.au
Vista studio
Location: Mount Flora Regional Museum
30 Elvire St, Waterman’s Bay WA 6020
This residency suits artists interested in local history, material culture and layered narratives. Artists will have facilitated access to the Local History Collection of the adjacent museum housed within a repurposed 1940s water tank with a rooftop lookout. During WWII the museum’s rooftop was an observation post and now offers breathtaking panoramic views of the coast and the surrounding suburbs. Located near the Star Swamp Reserve and the Indian Ocean, the site sits within an area of significant Nyoongar history.
The Atelier
Location: Stirling Leisure - Scarborough Community Centre (42sqm)
173 Gildercliffe St, Scarborough WA 6019
The Nook
Location: Stirling Leisure - Scarborough Community Centre (40sqm)
173 Gildercliffe St, Scarborough WA 6019
These two adjacent studios are located within the lively Scarborough Community Centre, embedded in a residential neighbourhood. Artists are invited to respond to Scarborough’s cultural identity, coastal geography and suburban rhythms within this highly active community hub.
Courtyard studio
Location: Osborne Community Hub (36sqm)
11 Royal St, Tuart Hill WA 6060
Located within the energetic Osborne Community Hub, this studio is surrounded by light industry, commerce and residential zones. The site invites artists to explore the dynamic relationships between process, production and imagination.
- Rent-free studio space with flexible access
- $5,000 residency stipend and up to $1,500 materials allowance reimbursement
- Promotion and marketing, including professional documentation of the residency
- Professional development, mentoring and networking opportunities
- Practical and curatorial support.
- Maintaining a studio presence of at least 3 days per week over the duration of the residency
- Setting up the studio, including equipment and materials
- Delivering one community engagement/public program, i.e., an artist’s talk or creative workshop
- Participating in both an Open Studio Day and a Meet the Artists presentation
- Producing work or work in progress for the cohort exhibition
- Developing site-responsive work informed by place and community.
Still have questions?
Contact the Arts Officer on 9345 8555 or email arts@stirling.wa.gov.au or refer back to the Expression of interest guidelines for full details.
Find out about the 2024 Artist in Residence program
Five selected artists were provided with opportunities, funding, and resources from 7 October to 8 December 2024:
- Ross Potter investigated slow movements of nature and the ecology within Star Swamp, gaining a deeper understanding of the site through community consultation
- Claire Billie Bushby explored the diverse birdlife at Star Swamp Reserve and the entwined relationships of people and birds
- Sally Stoneman used her residency at the Stirling Women's Shed to invest time and creativity into the transformation of wooden treasures from her southwest property
- Annette Peterson explored the concept of ‘Tender Connections’, inspecting the coastal plain and surrounding areas of Mount Flora Regional Museum to illuminate intimate, often overlooked moments
- Robyn Jean invited Aboriginal women and community members to participate in portrait sessions at Stirling Libraries - Mirrabooka, using props or fabrics of personal significance to capture stories, identities, and connections to culture.
Artists in Residence 2024
Ross Potter | The Conservatory (Henderson Environmental Centre, North Beach)
Ross Potter is a Kamilaroi man residing in Walyalup (Fremantle). He works with graphite and paper to produce highly detailed, often large-scale representations of his subjects.
For his residency, Ross investigated slow movements of nature and the ecology within Star Swamp, gaining a deeper understanding of the site through community consultation. Ross created a series of unconventional animations that explore ideas of growth, movement, and decay.
Image: Jess Wyld
Claire Billie Bushby | The Library (Henderson Environmental Centre, North Beach)
Claire Billie Bushby is a multidisciplinary artist and curator. Their work is influenced by their lived experience at the intersection of disability and queerness and embraces the concept of interdependence.
During their residency, Claire explored the diverse birdlife at Star Swamp Reserve and the entwined relationships of people and birds. They interpreted cues from the “language of birds” in the area and weaved these together with stories gathered from the community.
Image: Fifi Wong
Sally Stoneman | The Workspace (Stirling Women’s Shed, Scarborough)
Sally Stoneman is a mid-career artist based in Maranup. Her work encompasses painting, sculpture, woven forms, and installation, incorporating recycled materials such as sections of the ‘Rabbit Proof Fence’.
While living on her property in Southwest WA, Sally has collected a variety of wooden treasures including a jarrah burl, marri trunk and oregan floorboards. She used her residency to invest time and creativity into their transformation, develop her woodworking skills and further her sculptural practice.
Annette Peterson | Vista Studio (Mount Flora Regional Museum, Watermans Bay)
Annette Peterson is a conceptual artist who uses painting, digital media and textiles to respond to her environment. Annette received the Major Acquisitive Award in the City of Stirling Art Awards and Exhibition 2021 for her digital work Shotgun Through Scarborough.
Annette’s residency explored the concept of ‘Tender Connections’, inspecting the coastal plain and surrounding areas of Mt Flora Museum to illuminate intimate, often overlooked moments.
Image: Kristy Scadden
Robyn Jean | Meeting Place (Stirling Libraries – Mirrabooka)
Robyn Jean is a Noongar/Yamatji woman, and local resident of Stirling with a practice that spans photography and visual arts.
During her residency Robyn invited Aboriginal women and community members to participate in portrait sessions with props or fabrics of personal significance, capturing stories, identities, and connections to culture.
Image: Wesley Jackson
