Organizer Information

The Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts (PICA) is one of Australia's premier centers for the development and presentation of contemporary visual, performing, and interdisciplinary arts. Located in the heart of Perth (Boorloo), PICA champions emerging voices. For this initiative, PICA collaborates with ARTERY Magazine, an independent, Boorloo-based ekphrastic publication dedicated to nurturing intersectional dialogue between fresh literary practices and contemporary art forms.

Title & Description

Writers-in-Residence with ARTERY Magazine (2026).

Launched alongside this year's landmark Hatched: National Graduate Show, this collaborative residency selects four early-career writers to immerse themselves in the critical landscape of contemporary art. Selected residents will spend a concentrated month working within a shared studio at PICA, explicitly developing a new body of text or experimental criticism responding to the breakthrough works exhibited in Hatched. The final pieces will be polished and prominently published in Issue #5 of ARTERY Magazine.

Categories

Writing, Art Criticism / Journalism.

Eligibility

  • Career Stage: Open to early-career writers over the age of 18 who currently lack institutional affiliation, stable publishing outlets, or access to dedicated workspace.
  • Geographic Scope: Open nationally. While interstate Australian and international writers are welcome to apply, PICA cannot provide travel funding, stipends, or housing accommodations for this cycle. Artists must fully self-fund their transit and stay in Perth.

Program Benefits and Awards

  • Workspace: Secure access to a dedicated shared creative studio at PICA for four weeks.
  • Publication: Guaranteed editorial support and a dedicated features spread in ARTERY Magazine Issue #5.
  • Mentorship & Archive Access: Curatorial mentorship from ARTERY's editing team and structural networking with the Hatched national graduate artist cohort.

Fees

  • Application Fee: None (Free to submit).

Application Requirements

All submissions must be entered through the digital form portal. Candidates should prepare:

  1. Work Samples: Examples demonstrating the quality of your existing writing (can be a mix of published or unpublished texts).
  2. Practice Context: A summary detailing how a month of dedicated workspace will strengthen your critical writing capacity.
  3. Career Impact Statement: Outlining how this international exchange framework fits your current path.

How to Apply?

Complete the digital registration and submit your text attachments through PICA's secure workspace hub. Apply to the PICA x ARTERY Residency.

Key Dates

  • Application Window: May 18 – June 15, 2026.
  • Residency Term: August 31 – September 27, 2026.

Location

Australia, Perth / Boorloo (Cultural Centre, 51 James St, Northbridge).

Additional Details

Applications are evaluated by a panel including ARTERY Magazine editors and PICA’s Public Program & Studio Manager. For specific mobility accommodations or accessibility inquiries regarding Studio 0, contact Studio Manager Maile Bowen at maile@pica.org.au prior to lock-up.

Website Link: https://pica.org.au/