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2023 Billilla Artists Studio Program

Free studio space for artists – applications now closed

Tubes of paint with swatch colours laid out on an artists table

Applications for the Billilla Artists Studio Program are now closed.

This program supports artists from diverse practices and across career stages.

Located at the historical Billilla Mansion in Brighton, the program provides an opportunity for artists to connect with the local community through public programs, as well as develop their practice without the financial pressure of paying studio rent.

“As an artist-in-residence at Billilla Historic Mansion for the Bayside Council, I was given the gifts of both time and space. I was able to sit quietly with questions in addition to making the art which attempts to answer them. The room, evocative of a time which lived at another pace, provided the frame while the gardens, in their various seasonal perfections, offered a sense of place. My time at Billilla was a gift for which I am still grateful,” Joiwind Lowe, Artist in Residence 2019.

This initiative aligns with Bayside’s Community Vision 2050 of ‘Nurturing Creativity’, and creating an environment where creativity is encouraged and celebrated. This includes establishing formal and informal spaces that foster creative endeavours, promote celebration and bring people together in creative pursuits.

Once the servant quarters at the rear of the Homestead, the area has since been converted into basic studios which are accessible from 8am to 10pm seven days a week, from 1 January to 31 December 2023.

We have 7 free studio spaces available for 12 months, to offer to artists from Bayside and across Victoria.

We’re seeking high quality applications from people in the arts sector, including artists, writers, composers, filmmakers, sculptors, performers, and designers.