Arts residencies
Multi-Arts Residency Program
Cairns Regional Council owns and operates two of the city’s key performance and exhibition venues, which attract national and international artists, as well as providing a platform for local artists, and access to resources.
Artists' Residencies provide space for personal and professional creative exploration and experimentation, enabling career-development opportunities.
Creative Life invite residency applications from artists intending to focus and develop their practice through the creative
development of new work.
Projects and artworks produced for and around these venues during a residency will interpret and amplify the significance of the venue, the city of Cairns and the people who live here, our cultures, our environment, our place in the region and our relationship with the rest of the world.
Note
Our venues are well utilised, so there may be times when other projects and events occur concurrently in the same space. We will ensure that multiple bookings are advantageous to one another. This crossover of audiences can be advantageous to artists in residence, exhibitors, performers, and the community.
Proposals for residencies, exhibitions and performance events are assessed against the following criteria, but need not meet them all:
- The project and the work should have a high degree of collaboration. This may be between artists,
between artists and communities or between artists and professionals in other disciplines such as
science, natural history and cultural heritage. - Projects that involve a high level of creative engagement are encouraged. Communities and
audiences may be involved in the work through participating in production or interacting with
the product in a way that enriches the work. - Projects that respond to the site in an innovative way are encouraged. Works may be site specific,
or designed to locate and relocate around the buildings and grounds of the precinct. - Proposals should consider innovative ways of extending the life and accessibility of the work
beyond the period of the project. - Projects that offer a potential for generating income for the artists are supported.
Proposals may be developed in consultation with the Cultural Services Team and will be assessed internally.
Initiatives by prospective residencies should respond to one or more of these themes.
- Indigenous Cultures
- Asia Pacific Region
- North Queensland Region
- Local Communities and Community Issues
- Local Industry - a focus on activation and programming which builds a deep connection with the
local community - Local History - celebrate our city’s unique environment and heritage and celebrates the art and
culture created in Cairns
Successful applications can expect support from Cultural Services including:
- Curatorial and/or programming services
- Introductions to potential project partners
- Provision of letters of support to funding bodies and sponsors
- Residency rates for studio/production space
- Possible exhibition or performance space
- Marketing and promotional support
- Handling of ticket sales and/or sales of artworks (ticket sales all through Ticketlink).
- Affordable accommodation at No. 5 Collins Avenue
No. 5 Collins Avenue, Edge Hill is a four-bedroom timber house, built in the traditional “Queenslander” architectural style with a large deck at the back and a lush garden. It includes an office/studio with telephone and wireless internet upstairs and a workroom downstairs. It can sleep up to 5 people as a family or in a share-house situation. It is in walking distance from the Tanks Arts Centre, the Arrows walking tracks, and adjoins the beautiful Centenary Lakes parkland.
| Residencies available | Rate (per week) |
|---|---|
| Studio space | $108 |
| Residency accommodation per room/person | $172 |
| Whole house residency accommodation (maximum 5 people) | $516 |
* A minimum of 2 weeks will be charged for short stays.
Local artists applying for a residency might also be interested in Cairns Regional Council’s grants program for in-kind and cash assistance. Projects that involve and benefit the Cairns community might be eligible for grant funding.
Applying for a residency
To apply for a residency, you will need to provide a CV, a summary of your project and partners, and a timeline of your planned activities. The application form is available in the following formats.
Venues
Tank 3 at Tanks Arts Centre
A partially empty shell offering the flexibility for positioning of table setup (seats 350) and staging.
Tank 4 at Tanks Arts Centre
A versatile space that can seat up to 372 people and can be reconfigured by the automated flooring system to create racked seating, standing room or a level floor for tables.
Botanic Gardens Visitor Centre
A modern multi-purpose space incorporating an outdoor undercover amphitheatre, and an air-conditioned multi-purpose room.
Cairns Performing Arts Centre studio
A versatile space that can seat up to 372 people and can be reconfigured by the automated flooring system to create racked seating, standing room or a level floor for tables.
The Court House
An art gallery and performance venue in the centre of the city with a variety of different spaces to access.
Last Updated: 5 March 2026
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