Organizer Information:
Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay connects artists and audiences in the performing and visual arts, by thoughtfully bringing stories to life and sparking fresh perspectives. Our programmes are curated for different audiences and communities, complemented by performances staged by arts groups and commercial presenters who hire our venues. Everyone is given an opportunity to experience the arts in their own way.
- Title and Description:
Contemporary Performing Arts Research Residency
Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay invites local and international artists, curators, programmers, writers, researchers and practitioners across all disciplines in the performing arts to apply for the Contemporary Performing Arts Research Residency, taking place in Singapore between April and June 2026. This fully-funded residency aims to support creative research in contemporary performing arts by providing its residents the time and space for artistic inquiry, experimentation, development, research activities and opportunities for interdisciplinary and transcultural dialogues.
There is no commitment for residents to create a production during or after the residency. Instead, residents will be asked to present at least one public programme of their choosing, developed in conversation with the Esplanade residency team.
For this edition, the residency presents the thematic focus This Time. This Time talks about the concept of living in the present moment through a broad and critical scope, whether conceptually addressing this day and age or on a methodological level. The residency seeks to support research projects that employ performativity as a lens to examine pertinent issues on a personal or macro level.
- Category: Performing arts
Eligibility:
The residency is open to local and international artists, curators, programmers, writers, researchers and practitioners at any stage of their career who practice in contemporary performing arts. This includes but is not limited to theatre, dance, music and multidisciplinary works.
Key Dates:
| 22 June 2025 | Deadline to submit application (11:59pm, GMT+8) |
| June – August 2025 | Review of the applications by the Selection Panel |
| September 2025 | Announcement of the outcome |
| April – June 2026 | Residency period in Singapore |
Application Fee: NA
Awards & Benefits:
- A stipend of S$2,000 per month (minimum one month, maximum three months)
- An allowance of up to S$1,000 for research materials or support (subject to approval)
- Shared-working space for all residents
- Studio spaces when required
- Accommodation and international airfare to and from Singapore, if from abroad
- Resources for organising a public programme (to be further discussed with the Esplanade residency team)
- Consultation with the Selection Panel to support and strengthen the research
- Opportunity to engage with fellow residents for peer feedback and support
- Programming support in the form of research connections, networking, etc.
Contact Information:
Email: residencies@esplanade.com
Additional Details:
Submission Requirements:
Submit the application here with the following:
- Completed application form
- Research Proposal (less than 1,500 words for texts and 12 minutes for audio and video)
- Short video presentation (maximum 5 minutes)
- Curriculum vitae and Biography
- Portfolio of selected works (web/video links, images etc. must not exceed 12 pages)
- Any other supporting documents (reviews, interviews, references, etc.)
All required documents must be submitted through the online application form by 22 June 2025. Please upload all documents and files to Google Drive and share the link via the field indicated in the online form.
Selection Procedure:
Residents are chosen through a Selection Panel comprising leading international curators, programmers, academics, artists and managers. They have been appointed based on their thought-provoking practices, dynamic networks with practitioners from a wide variety of disciplines and their invaluable knowledge of the performing arts across Singapore, Asia and beyond. The Selection Panel of the 2026 Contemporary Performing Arts Research Residency comprises Nanako Nakajima, Ming Wong, Wu Mali, Faith Tan and Hoon Jia Jia.
