Wellesley Studios Summer Choreographic Residency 2026

Wellesley Studios provides a dedicated space for development, collaboration, creativity, connections and conversation for professional dance artists and the community. As part of our vision to provide support for the professional independent dance sector, Wellesley Studios is calling for expressions of interest for its Summer Residency 2026.

The 2026 Summer Residency is a fully supported residency and is open to project based work of any movement based performance medium, at any stage of development.

Residencies under the 2026 programme must be project focused, for any performance medium. The project can be at any phase of development. Preference will be given to artists who can demonstrate that this Residency aligns with their strategic development of the work. Evidence of forward planning will be valued.

The 2026 Residency includes:

• Studio space and facilities over three weeks in early 2026 for one choreographer or collaborating group of artists

• $4,500.00 artist stipend
• Financial contribution towards collaborators

• An informal showing hosted by Wellesley Studios

In return the successful applicant will be asked to provide a class or workshop offered to the dance community, and an informal showing hosted by Wellesley Studios at the culmination of the residency to share your process and experience.

Summer Residency Dates:
12th January - 30th January 2026
Studio space will be available Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm (Excluding 29th Jan — Auckland Anniversary Day)
113 Wellesley St West, Auckland

Applications close 5pm Monday 22nd September 2025.
Applicants notified no later than Friday 17th October 2025.

The Residency is open to NZ citizens and residents, or artists who have attended a NZ tertiary institution and are presently contributing to the arts culture and community of Aotearoa.

For more information and to apply please click here to visit the Wellesley Studios Residency webpage.

This Residency is supported by Creative New Zealand and Wellesley Studios.

Photograph by Jinki Cambronero of Lucy Lynch, Sharvon Mortimer, and Oli Mathiesen performing The Butterfly That Flew Into the Rave. Final development of this work took place during the 2024 Summer Choreographic Residency.