Conservatory Residency 2026/2027 Open Call

About this call

Conservatory Residency, a private residency program founded in 2026 by Léna Pangalo, offers three-week residencies in a restored nineteenth century British conservatory in Caulfield North, Victoria, Australia, once the greenhouse of the nearby Labassa estate (a residence built in 1889, now part of the National Trust of Victoria portfolio). Residents live and work in a private live/work studio with full access to the communal conservatory, and receive a grant toward travel, production and living costs: AUD$3,000 for local Victorian artists, AUD$4,000 for inter-state artists and AUD$6,000 for international artists. They get up to 14 hours of supervised access to Labassa, free access to the gardens of the National Trust sites Como and Rippon Lea during public opening hours, and one free guided tour of each of those two mansions (subject to availability). The program is open to all relevant disciplines, from artists to architects, historians, gardeners and costume designers, and is designed to foster thinking, reflection, evaluation and innovation; residents are not expected to create finished works or research in three weeks. Open-call residency periods in 2027 are 1 to 22 March, 7 to 28 June and 2 to 23 August. Each residency ends with a small event on site, and participants are included in an annual exhibition and in-conversation held at Labassa with other participants and alumni.

Who can apply

• Open to applicants of any nationality
• Medium: Mixed Media
• Free entry
• Open to local, national and international professionals and artists in all relevant disciplines (artists, architects, historians, gardeners, costume designers and more). Applicants must have a proven record of professional activity over at least three years and may submit only one application per round; alumni can re-apply three years after their prior residency. International applicants must have good English language skills; the working language is English. Applicants must ensure availability for one of the set three-week periods: 1 to 22 March, 7 to 28 June or 2 to 23 August 2027 (the 9 to 30 November 2026 and 18 October to 8 November 2027 periods are invitational). The studio is small and best suited to individuals; collaborative couples are encouraged to contact the residency before applying, must nominate one primary contact and submit one application, and receive the same grant as an individual. The residency is not suited to families (Victorian applicants may discuss flexibility for carers) and is not accessible for wheelchair users (wheelchair users based in Victoria may get in touch about an alternative approach); for other disabilities get in touch, but the site has no additional accommodation for carers. Service dogs are welcome, under the participant's full responsibility. Applications opened 9am AEDT on 9 November 2026 and are submitted online through SmartyGrants; the form can be previewed. Selection criteria: quality of work and at least three years of relevant professional experience; ability to engage meaningfully with the residency and its community; a clear rationale linking the practice with the residency; capacity to share outcomes after the residency; generosity, curiosity and adaptability. Shortlisted applicants are interviewed online, and the National Trust of Victoria is notified of preferred candidates. Recipients must provide an invoice to receive the grant and, before arrival, a scanned copy of their passport, a visa if required, and travel, medical and public liability insurance as required. Labassa visits are booked in advance, include an induction and are supervised between 9am and 3pm, Monday to Thursday; there, participants must use drop sheets, use no hot work, flames or products that leave chemical residue, must not touch walls and must not wear stiletto heels. Participants hold a small event on site at the end of the residency (for example a talk, reading or open studio), take part in the annual event at Labassa exhibiting works in progress or outcomes with a public in-conversation, are asked to engage with the host to some extent and uphold the residency's values, and must submit a residency report with a financial acquittal within two months of the residency ending. The exact address is given only to successful recipients. The page states that participants do not have to pay.