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Performance Space is delighted to announce a new development initiative supported by the Stephen Cummins Bequest, which aims to nurture and critically foster Sydney’s queer performance scene.

While there are many excellent performers and some consistently supportive and fabulous venues, the opportunity to dramaturgically develop work in a critically rigorous context and to cross over from the club scene into a contemporary performance context has been somewhat lacking. The cabaret, short-act format has remained the dominant presentation model and there have been few new models developed to provide opportunities for emergent queer artists who are extending their practice into other performance realms.

Performance Space is seeking proposals for three, one-week intensive residencies, to enable emerging artists working in the realm of queer performance to develop an aspect of their practice. The residency will be supported by an artist fee, technical support, and through one-on-one mentorship with an established Australian performer, director, or dramaturge.

Performance Space is offering:

• 3 one-week-long solo residencies. Artists will be paid a fee of $1,000 (total) per residency.
• Technical and curatorial support and feedback
• Mentorship with an established artist
• A facilitated showing and feedback session

Dates:

• 1st Residency: Week beginning Monday 20 August 2012
• 2nd Residency: Week beginning Monday 27 August 2012
• 3rd Residency: Week beginning Monday 3 September 2012

CLICK HERE to download the Stephen Cummins Bequest form in PDF format.
CLICK HERE to download it in Word format.

Please submit your proposal as a single pdf document along with support material to projects@performancespace.com.au with ‘CUMMINS BEQUEST’ in the subject line. If you have questions or would like to discuss your proposal please call 02 8571 9114 or email projects@performancespace.com.au with ‘CUMMINS BEQUEST’ in the subject line.

The deadline for proposals is Midnight, Monday 30 July 2012.

ABOUT STEPHEN CUMMINS

Stephen Cummins (1960-1994) was an Australian filmmaker, photographer and curator.

After studying Sculpture and Photography at Sydney College of the Arts, Stephen’s early work included several solo and group photographic exhibitions, and collaborative work in theatre with several dance and performance groups, often at Performance Space.

His work often demonstrated a fascination with the subcultural signification of the male body. In 1991, he won the Best Short Film Award at Sydney Film Festival with the film Resonance, a collaborative work with Simon Hunt that examined anti-gay violence in Sydney from the perspective of dance. The film went on to great success at over one hundred international film festivals, and is still in international distribution some twenty years later.

ABOUT PERFORMANCE SPACE

Performance Space is Australia’s leading agency for interdisciplinary arts, producing and presenting new artistic experiences across a multiplicity of sites, locations and venues. Performance Space is where exciting futures for Australian contemporary arts and artists are forged. Our mission is for artistic excellence and innovation to inspire, captivate and create audiences.

We underpin the work we do through the following values:

• Advancing the contemporary
• Embracing risk
• Challenging the normative
• Innovating processes
• Bringing diversity
• Giving respect
• Ensuring sustainability

CLICK HERE for more information about Performance Space.

Our Co-Directors Jeff Khan and Bec Dean shed some light on the Stephen Cummins Bequest!