Artist Applications SWELL 2025
ARTIST APPLICATION INFORMATION
SWELL INTERNATIONAL ARTIST EXCHANGE APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED
NOUMÉA FESTIVAL 26 – 28 JULY 2024, NOUMÉA, NEW CALEDONIA
CALLING ALL GOLD COAST ARTISTS!
On behalf of SWELL Sculpture (SWELL) and City of Gold Coast we are delighted to extend an invitation for you to apply for our esteemed SWELL International Artist Exchange in Nouméa, New Caledonia. This program aims to foster artistic collaboration, cultural understanding, and the promotion of diverse artistic expressions among international artists.
HIGHLIGHTS
- The residency is open to a Gold Coast Artist to travel to Nouméa, New Caledonia and take up an artist residency for up to 10 days, the dates are inclusive of the Nouméa Festival 26 – 28 July 2024.
- Upon arrival, a representative from VITAL, an arts organisation, will welcome you and be your knowledgeable guide fluent in both English and French
- Collaborate with fellow artists from Nouméa, engage with local communities, showcase your work at the Nouméa Festival, attend exhibitions and galleries, and immerse yourself in the vibrant cultural scene of the host country
- SWELL will provide financial support to cover travel expenses, accommodation, and a stipend for the duration of the program
- Entries close 5th February 2024 at midnight
YOUR APPLICATION
Artwork proposals can be for sculpture, land art or workshops and masterclasses.
Your submission can include a completed work or a work in progress and should include clear and comprehensive support documentation including:
- concept drawings that are to scale with front and side elevations
- all sculptural mediums & installations welcome
- support images of completed work or partly completed work
- information and drawings of the foundation and footings
- detail on any lighting included with the sculpture
- machinery required
Prior to completing your application, please prepare and collate all information to ensure you include all relevant information.
WORK WITH SWELL - PROFESSIONAL PLACEMENT PROGRAM APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN
Undertake a paid professional placement with SWELL as Assistant Curator or Marketing & Communications Assistant.
Do you have experience working as an arts professional and a genuine desire to establish new relationships, networks, experience and knowledge to accelerate your career opportunities?
If you are a Gold Coast based early or mid-career creative or arts worker looking to deepen your understanding of working in a professional context learning from senior mentors we want to hear from you!
You can do this through the City of Gold Coast’s paid Professional Placement Program.
There is an incredible number of diverse Placements on offer across a range of artforms, which could see you working with us or another of the region’s most respected local arts organisations.
Successful applicants will be paid a stipend to support their participation in the Program.
You can apply for more than one Placement however if successful, you will only be offered one.
Applications close midnight 24 February 2025.
Questions? Contact Celia Smith on cultural@goldcoast.qld.gov.au
Assistant Curator
This role is a unique curatorial position, as SWELL Sculpture Festival is a 10-day outdoor temporary public art sculpture exhibition. Under the mentorship of SWELL’s Lead Curator, the participant will have the opportunity to liaise with artists and delve deeper into the creative processes from inception through to fabrication and installation.
Marketing & Communications Assistant
Working under the mentorship of SWELL’s Executive Director, the role will take a deep dive into the fast-paced environment of producing an arts festival and encompass all aspects of marketing, communications, and public relations. Join a small team of dynamic people to connect people, art and place and will be mentored through all aspects of the role.
SWELL 2025 APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED
INFORMATION ABOUT APPLYING FOR SWELL 2025
Artists are invited to apply to exhibit in the 23rd annual SWELL Sculpture Festival which will transform Currumbin Beach into a stunning outdoor gallery for 10 days in September.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Artist submissions can comprise of completed works, works in progress or concepts
- Entries close 31st January 2025 at midnight
- Exhibition dates for our 2025 exhibition are September 12 – 21 on Currumbin Beach, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
- SWELL Sculpture is QLD’s largest outdoor exhibition of over 60 sculptures by local, national and international artists
- Artists Awards over $30k
- SWELL Sculpture will provide installation support and an artist subsidy per artwork
- SWELL Sculpture is a wonderful platform to promote your artwork and attracts national media coverage
YOUR APPLICATION
Your artwork will be temporarily installed in a public space and as such, your supporting documentation should be comprehensive and include the required information outlined below. Should your submission not include this important documentation it may be deemed non-conforming and not eligible for consideration.
Your submission can include a completed work or a work in progress and should include clear and comprehensive support documentation including:
- concept drawings that are to scale with front and side elevations
- all sculptural mediums & installations welcome
- support images of completed work or partly completed work
- information and drawings of the foundation and footings
- detail on any lighting included with the sculpture
- machinery required
- maintenance required during SWELL
Prior to completing your application, please prepare and collate all information to ensure you include all relevant informatio
SWELL ART PRIZE 2025 APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED
Artists working in all mediums and forms are invited to apply for the SWELL Art Prize.
The inaugural exhibition will be held at the Broadbeach Community Space, 14 – 23 March 2025
HIGHLIGHTS
- Entries close 2nd February 2025 at midnight
- Exhibition dates for the gallery are March 14 – 23 at the Broadbeach Community Space, Mermaid Waters, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia
- Open to all artists working in any medium
- SWELL Art Prize of $2,000
- Have the chance to sell works and editions
- SWELL Sculpture is a wonderful platform to promote your artwork to a national audience
PUBLIC ART PROJECTS
Through a high-level curatorial approach, SWELL is seeking to host new and exciting recognised national and international artists to explore temporary art installations across all media including sculpture, digital art, street art, installation art to attract substantial audience engagement and artistic inspiration.
COMMUNITY INSTALLATION
SWELL has proven experience developing artist led community art programs to expand opportunities and encourage meaningful interactions. With the creative involvement between artist and community culminates in outstanding public art installations.
WORKSHOPS & MASTERCLASS
SWELL offers opportunities for arts education within its event and community installations framework through master classes and sculpture workshops for all ages.
MUSICIANS & LIVE MUSIC
Musicians to compliment programming with live music at the signature SWELL event at Currumbin are encouraged to get in touch. Opportunities
also exist for collaboration between artists and musicians to present new, experimental or cross platform works within the context of art
installations.
PERFORMANCE ARTIST
Performance artists to compliment programming at the signature SWELL event and who have an interest in collaborating with an artist/s to present new, experimental or cross platform works within the context of art installations are encouraged to get in touch.
IMAGES L to R: ‘Sea Dragon’ by Simon Frederick McVerry & Adrienne McVerry, Image by Ravel | ‘Time and Space’ by Frederick Beel, Image by Room4Graphics | ‘Black Birds’ by Mathieu Venon, Image by Ravel | ‘Finity 2024’ by Eleri Jones & Jordache Gage, Image by Leximagery | ‘The Golden Calf’ by Alex Seton, Image by Leximagery | ‘A Morning on the Beach’ by Charlie Trivers, Image by Room4Graphics | ‘The Last Pied Oystercatcher’ by Dave Hickson, Image by Katie Bennett Embellysh | ‘IRIS’ by parthenopi, Image by Leximagery | ‘Icosapod, Octapod, Tetrapod’ by Reuben Mergard, Image by Leximagery