ACE x firstdraft Short-term Residency

We look for artists who will benefit from the opportunity at this moment in the development of their career, and whose practices align with our vision and mission. To identify how your work might fit to explore ACE and firstdraft’s previous exhibitions and live programs, and consider how strongly you could articulate your proposed plan to experiment, explore and expand your practice given this opportunity.

To be eligible, you must be at least 18 years old. firstdraft, as the name suggests, is a place for artists early in their career to explore their practice, with a view to gaining practice history and vital expertise in installing and presenting work. Therefore this opportunity is best suited to early career artists (18+) aiming for a sustainable career.

Artists who work across all contemporary art forms are eligible to apply. While you do not require formal qualifications, those who can demonstrate a developed visual arts’ practice will make strong candidates.  

ACE is committed to working with artists to understand their individual access needs. If you are selected, we will discuss any access requirements with you to identify how we can support your participation in the Residency, including studio use, program delivery and presentation of work. 

If you face barriers in completing application forms, we welcome you to reach out to find a suitable way to apply. The application form also provides the option to submit responses in video or audio format. You can view more information about ACE’s accessibility here. 

Regionally-based artists should consider if they can meet the following requirements:

• Minimum allocation of 20 hours per week (on average) to work in their studio.

• Attendance at key after-hours events that support the delivery of the ACE x firstdraft Short-term Residency.

To be eligible, applicants must have been residents of South Australia for a minimum of 12 months by July 2026.

Proposals should consider the scale of the work for freight and size of firstdraft gallery spaces. The artist will be responsible for self-installation, and the proposal should reflect a practical approach to scale, complexity, and logistics. Competitive applications demonstrate a clear, realistic approach to logistics and installation.

Guildhouse and NAVA provide relevant information and tips for preparing and writing proposals that we encourage you to access. Our assessment panel will be considering the strength of existing practice and also the conceptual development/ideas, artistic research, and new directions, experimentation, exploration and expansion you aim to pursue. The feasibility of your freight and self-installation plans will also be an important consideration in the assessment process. We recommend a clear and rigorous focus on your ideas. Additionally, high-quality documentation is highly regarded. 

Yes, you can apply for both opportunities but you can only be awarded one.

Applications are considered by an advisory committee comprising ACE staff and external industry professionals. Applications are assessed against: the quality of the artist’s existing work and their proposal to experiment, explore and expand their practice; the artist’s exhibition experience and ways their practice has been evidently developed; the artist’s demonstrated long-term commitment to their practice; and demonstration of how the Residency would benefit the artist’s professional development. In selecting the overall makeup of the cohort, the advisory committee also considers the representation of a diverse range of artistic mediums, approaches and voices.

Please contact danni@ace.gallery if you wish to arrange a 15 minute viewing of the studios. 

Viewing times are available between 10am–4pm, Tuesday to Friday.

This is ACE’s only open callout for studio opportunities until 2027, as the Studio Program transitions to a two-year model supporting longer-term artistic development.