FLEX: EXPERIMENTAL DANCE PROGRAM/
EXPRESSION OF INTEREST:
FLEX/
EXPERIMENTAL DANCE PROGRAM
The Substation invites independent dance artists and collectives to submit an Expression of Interest for FLEX, our new 2027 Experimental Dance Program.
FLEX. Show us what you’ve got: the big swings, strange ideas, bold moves and choreographic flexes. Bring forward your most ambitious ideas and experiments with dance that is generous, playful and unapologetically confident.
The program welcomes works at different stages of development, recognising that contemporary dance exists not only in finished performance but in the processes of making, revising and becoming.
Test an idea, share a vision, or present something polished.
By placing completed works alongside works-in-progress, FLEX invites audiences into the vitality of an artform that is continually adapting, experimenting and reimagining itself.
Selected works will be presented as part of a four-performance season at The Substation, running Wednesday–Saturday evenings. The program will bring together finished works and choreographic experiments, creating a shared audience experience across the evening.
The program will be structured as a shared audience experience across the venue, with audiences moving through different spaces and encountering multiple works throughout the evening. The format will likely include:
- simultaneous performances in the Djilak Djirri Studio and Substation Galleries
- a performance in the Main Space
- simultaneous performances in the Djilak Djirri Studio and Substation Galleries
The final structure of the presentation season will be developed in consultation with selected artists and will respond to the unique requirements of each work and the possibilities of The Substation's performance spaces.
SUPPORT PROVIDED BY THE SUBSTATION
Selected artists will receive an all-inclusive presentation fee alongside support from The Substation, including:
- Technical labour for bump-in and bump-out
- Technical operators, where required, subject to negotiation
- Front of House staff and venue supervision during the season
- Marketing support, including website listings, e-news, invitations and social media promotion
- Venue access and production support
- Additional development and rehearsal support may be available, including access to studio space at The Substation where required and negotiated with the team.
We invite Expressions of Interest across three streams:
STREAM 1: MAIN SPACE
We are seeking presentation-ready experimental contemporary dance works suited to The Substation’s Main Space.
Works should be developed for a larger audience environment and demonstrate a strong performance outcome suitable for public presentation. The Main Space can accommodate audiences of up to 120 people, or more depending on seating configuration.
One work will be selected for presentation in the Main Space in 2027. The selected artist will receive an all-inclusive presentation fee of up to $8,000, depending on the nature, scale and scope of the work.
Presentation fees will be paid in milestone payments. Fees will be determined in consideration of:
- venue capacity
- ticket pricing
- the scale, requirements and scope of the proposed work
This stream is suited to:
- fully realised works ready for presentation OR works requiring less than 2 weeks development time before presentation
- ambitious performance works requiring a larger spatial environment
- works incorporating interdisciplinary elements such as sound, visual art, technology or new media
STREAM 2: DJILAK DJIRRI STUDIO
We are seeking experimental contemporary dance works suited to the intimate setting of the Djilak Djirri Studio.
This stream supports shorter works that benefit from a closer relationship between performers and audiences. Works should be under 45 minutes in length and may still be in development, however proposals should demonstrate a clear artistic vision and be sufficiently developed and refined for public presentation.
This stream is also suited to presentation-ready works that are designed for, or enhanced by, a more intimate performance environment. The Djilak Djirri Studio can accommodate audiences of up to 50 people.
One work will be selected for presentation in the Djilak Djirri Studio in 2027.
Works should be low-tech and minimal in production requirements, with a focus on the relationship between bodies, space and audience experience.
Selected artists presenting works in the Djilak Djirri Studio will receive an all-inclusive presentation fee of up to $3,000, depending on the nature, scale and requirements of the work.
This stream is suited to:
- shorter experimental works under 45 minutes
- refined works in development
- intimate performance formats
- experimental approaches to choreography and movement
- works that benefit from a closer audience experience
- low-tech works with minimal production requirements
STREAM 3: SUBSTATION GALLERIES
We are seeking site-responsive experimental dance works that engage with The Substation’s gallery spaces.
This stream is for artists who are interested in working within a more intimate setting, developing emerging ideas or creating works that respond directly to The Substation’s unique architecture and unconventional performance environments.
Works should be under 45 minutes in length and may be suited to artists exploring new ideas, testing approaches or creating work specifically for a non-traditional performance context. We are interested in works that activate the galleries as a space for encounter — where audiences and performers share proximity, where movement responds to place and where the boundaries between performance and exhibition are blurred. The Substation has five gallery spaces of varying sizes. Audience capacity will vary depending on the space(s) activated and the nature of the proposed work.
One work will be selected for presentation in The Substation Galleries in 2027. Works should be low-tech, portable and minimal in production requirements, allowing artists to respond flexibly to the gallery environment and the changing conditions of the space.
This stream is suited to:
- shorter experimental works under 45 minutes
- site-specific or site-responsive works
- emerging ideas with a strong artistic vision
- performances that activate unconventional spaces
- intimate works that create a closer relationship between artists and audiences
- movement-based practices that intersect with visual art, installation, sound or spatial practice
- low-tech works with minimal production requirements
Selected artists presenting works in The Substation Galleries will receive an all-inclusive presentation fee of up to $3,000, depending on the nature, scale and requirements of the work.
ASSESSMENT
Expressions of Interest will be assessed by The Substation’s Creative Director/CEO Nuala Furtado and Executive Producer Nicholas Tee.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
The Substation is committed to providing equal opportunities and creating an inclusive environment for artists and audiences. We welcome Expressions of Interest from artists of all backgrounds, experiences and identities, and encourage applications from First Nations artists, artists from culturally and linguistically diverse communities, LGBTQIA+ artists, Deaf and disabled artists, and artists from underrepresented communities.
We are committed to removing barriers to participation and encourage applicants to let us know about any access requirements or support needs as part of the application process. Reasonable adjustments can be discussed with The Substation team.
Selection decisions will be based on the artistic merit of proposals, alignment with the Experimental Dance Program and the capacity to deliver the proposed work.
HOW TO APPLY
To submit an Expression of Interest for the Experimental Dance Program, please complete the online application form.
Artists will be asked to provide details about themselves, their practice and their proposed work, including the preferred stream, artistic concept, development stage, presentation requirements and supporting material. Please review the opportunity guidelines and submission requirements before applying. Expressions of Interest must be submitted through the online form by 30 September 2026.
The Substation welcomes applications from artists based outside of Melbourne. Please note that all presentation fees are inclusive of all costs, and The Substation is unable to provide additional financial support for travel, accommodation or associated expenses.
The Substation is committed to supporting artists in seeking additional funding opportunities and can provide letters of support for relevant funding applications where required.
KEY DATES
- Applications open: Wednesday 19 August 2026
- Online information session: 3 or 10 September 2026, 12:00pm via Google Meet. Register here.
- Applications close: 30 September 2026
- Applicants notified by: Mid-October 2026
For further information, please attend the online information session, contact info@thesubstation.org.au or visit our website.
Photography:
The Street Dance Exchange, 2026, documentation by Namchops (Nam Nguyen).
