Performing Arts Residencies

The Mill’s Performing Arts Residencies foster the creation of new work by South Australian independent artists. The program supports performing and interdisciplinary artists in developing and presenting new work through exploration, with a series of funded residencies. Artist Call Outs for these programs occur the year before so artists have time to plan and seek additional funding.

The aim of these residencies is to offer place and space as part of a vibrant arts community, for artists to develop and show new or existing work with the view to take that work interstate for further development, presentation and networking opportunities.

The Mill is most interested in genre-pushing, cross-artform work that blends, merges or investigates connectivity across performance / art-making modes and encourages artists to be ambitious with their proposals.

Past Showings

First Nations Dance Program

In 2022, The Mill undertook a First Nations Dance Community Consultation with SA-based dance artists, to understand their needs and challenges. This consultation has informed the development of a broader extended program to benefit the First Nations dance community as a whole.

In 2023 The Mill created our First Nations Dance Program supported by BlakDance (QLD) and Australian Dance Theatre, coordinated by proud Ngarrindjeri, Narungga and Kaurna woman Caleena Sansbury, supported by The Mill’s CEO/Artistic Director.

In 2024 the program continues with the aim to support First Nations dancers and dance groups who reside in South Australia by offering them the following - as identified needs through the consultation;

• Business development and grant writing skills workshops

• Free rehearsal space at The Mill

• Residencies at The Mill

• Culturally safe dance technique classes at The Mill and Australian Dance Theatre

• Culturally safe choreography and composition classes at The Mill and Australian Dance Theatre

• Secondments at Australian Dance Theatre to learn about the creation of a new work

• Project planning/pitching/producing mentorship from BlakDance

Through this program, artists are supported to explore new ideas, interrogate existing work, explore new collaborative relationships, and/or research their movement practice in connection to Country and kin. They are supported to make new work and explore dance practice to develop new or existing ideas or processes and make space for experimentation and culturally engaged collaboration.

Call-outs

Past Programs

Photographer in Residence

The Mill is proud to announce a new Photographer in Residence program presented in partnership with the Ana and Christopher Koch Foundation Fund. One South Australian-based photographer will be given the opportunity to join The Mill community, receiving a 12-month studio space in 2024 and an exhibition outcome as part of The Mill’s Visual Arts Program in 2025. The photographer will be selected through an open call-out.

Thanks to the Ana and Christopher Koch Foundation Fund, the selected photographer will join our community of studio artists with their own private workspace at 154 Angas St, allowing them to develop their practice within a professional environment. Working at The Mill positions artists alongside other professional and emerging artists, providing encouragement, and inspiration and facilitating networking and collaboration.

Selection criteria:

This opportunity is specifically being made available to photographers who are:

• Emerging, mid-career or established

• Committed to their practice and have their own equipment

• Seeking space and time to develop a concept/body of work for exhibition

• Looking to connect with a community of professional practitioners

• Based in South Australia

Who is not eligible:

• Photographers who are current students or who work full-time in another field.
  Note: if you work full-time as a photographer and want to make this your main studio this is encouraged.

Key dates:

Applications open: Wednesday, February 7, 2024

Applications close: Monday, March 4, 9am, 2024

Recipients notified: Monday, March 14, 2024

Studio residency timeframe: From March 18, 2024 - March 18, 2025
Exhibition: April 2025

2024 Recipient

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The Photographer in Residence program is presented in partnership with the Ana and Christopher Koch Foundation Fund.

Visual Arts Program

The Mill’s visual arts program highlights the practice of art-making and aims to make process more available to audiences. The Mill’s galleries are open to the public Monday to Friday, 10am - 4pm.

Call-outs

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Gallery I

The Gallery I program includes a mix of curated exhibitions and exhibitions programmed through call-outs and EOI.

Current Events

Past Events

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Gallery II

Gallery II is an ongoing public gallery featuring work created under our own roof by our community of Studio Artists. In 2024, Gallery II will also include exhibitions that are outcomes of our Visual Arts Studio Residency and Delima Residency.

Current Events

Past Events

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The Virtual Gallery

The Virtual Gallery was initially launched in 2020 in response to Covid-19, allowing artists to continue exhibiting work and accessing audiences.

Workshops

The Mill's workshops are presented in partnership with major South Australian festivals including Adelaide Festival, OzAsia Festival as well as through our international, national and local partnerships.

This professional development program offers artists workshops with established international, national and local artists in both performing, visual arts, craft and design. These diverse sessions draw South Australian artists into global conversations around aesthetic, performance and creative practice.

The Mill also offers multi-art workshops with our independent network of artists, that are accessible for people without arts experience who are looking to expand their creative practice and knowledge of the arts.

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Current Events

Past Events

Umbrella Festival: The Breakout Sessions

A selection of handpicked musicians showcase the breadth of their craft in The Mill’s intimate venue.

Exploring the range of their work from instrumentation to genre, from solo to collaborative projects; peek inside the artistic process of some of SA’s preeminent music creators.

The Mill is an accessible space. Disability access is available via Angas St, and a disability toilet is also available. If you have any questions or additional accessibility requirements, please contact us at info@themilladelaide.com

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Photo: Nick Astanei

Slowmango x The Bait Fridge Variety Show
Sunday, September 12, 2021

A showcase of Slowmango and The Bait Fridge’s varied practices - a tasting plate of their artistic menu.

Notorious for their visually striking hand-made costumes, eclectic songwriting and immersive (and slightly chaotic) performances, this show will provide long-time collaborators Slowmango and The Bait Fridge a platform to explore the many avenues of creativity which they have travelled down over the years.

Improvised explorations in music and performance; ‘live-green screen’ video works; thoughtfully crafted compositions accompanying expressive performance; and audience interaction are among some of the elements to be explored.

Book tickets

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Oisima & Friends play BARAKA
Saturday, September 18, 2021

With the support of The Mill and Roadshow Film Corporation, Anth Wendt (Oisima) performs his original composition and score for the critically acclaimed film BARAKA with close friends Alexander Flood (Traditional percussion/drums) and Giovanni Clemente (Brass/Woodwind).

BARAKA is a non-narrative documentary film shot in 24 countries on six continents over a 14-month period exploring natural events, life, human activities, and technological phenomena. The film is named for the Sufi word “baraka” meaning blessing, essence or breath.

Oisima’s score will be performed in solo, duo and trio forms, exploring the film’s themes through subharmonics, textures, and melodies.

Book tickets

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Photo: Rosina Possingham

Naomi Keyte
Saturday, September 25, 2021

In this special, intimate performance at The Mill, Naomi Keyte and her band invite you to observe, and be a part of, their creative process. Over two sets, the threads of songwriting, arranging and collaboration will be subtly unpicked and rewoven to bring to life the elements and alchemy of song creation. 

Naomi is in the process of making her second full length record and this show will also explore her progression as a songwriter and performer. She will play songs from her debut EP ‘Edge of Morning’, her award nominated record ‘Melaleuca’ as well as new, unreleased songs from her forthcoming album.

Naomi will be joined on stage by her bandmates Felicity Freeman (bass), Tom Kneebone (guitar), Jack Stremple (keys/synth), and Angus Mason (drums), with visuals by George Greatz + Rosina Possingham.

Book tickets

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Jen Lush: Song Story Collab 3 Ways
Sunday, October 17, 2021

Jen Lush, lover of collaboration with other artists dives into the wonders of the tease and tangle of ideas three ways - through her songwriting with little people, poets and her fellow music makers.

Join Jen solo, and with her band for three short and sweet sets that explore processes and performance, live poetry, and maybe even get your hands dirty on an impromptu collab in the room!

Book tickets

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Quartz Pistol
Friday, January 28, 2021

Quartz Pistol AKA Abbey Howlett is a multi-disciplinary artist and performer based in Naarm. Born and raised on Peramangk country, her practice is fuelled by the divine chaos found in nature. As a music producer, instrumentalist, craftswoman and performer Quartz Pistol independently creates a world in which her sonic creations take on a life of their own with the aid of hand crafted props, costume and intuitive performance. Quartz Pistol has independently toured nationally and internationally, performed with artists such as Mo’Ju, Sampa The Great, Nai Palm and more, as well as appeared at renowned music festivals such as WOMADelaide and St Jeromes Laneway Festival.

Book tickets

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Visual Arts Residencies

The Mill’s Visual Arts Residencies support artists with time, space and support to evolve their practice and create new work. Our residencies position artists alongside other professional artists, providing encouragement, inspiration, networking and collaboration. Each residency includes an exhibition and public program, profiling the artist to a wider audience.

Call-outs

2023-2024 Recipients

Past Recipients

Engage

Engage is a program of opportunities uniting national dance sectors by providing professional development and performance opportunities for dance-makers across Australia.

Presented in partnership with Dancehouse (VIC) and Critical Path (NSW), Engage aims to foster national conversations in dance, through participation and exposure.

Selected South Australian dance artists will be supported to attend workshops at Dancehouse and Critical Path. Additionally, some dance artists participating in our Breakout Residency program will be offered the opportunity to present their work in Victoria at Dancehouse in 2021.

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Past Events

Digital Offerings

In 2020 The Mill launched a number of digital programs in response to the global pandemic. Digital Offerings has since become a permanent part of our program, allowing us to reach regional, interstate and international audiences.

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Breakout Residency showings

As part of The Mill’s Breakout Residency program, recipients have the opportunity to present a showing of their work in development. Below, you will find an archive of Breakout Residency showings.

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Performing / Interdisciplinary Arts

These digital offerings provide a snapshot of The Mill’s performing and interdisciplinary arts programming.

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The Virtual Gallery

The Virtual Gallery was initially launched in 2020 in response to Covid-19, allowing artists to continue exhibiting work and accessing audiences.

Fringe Festival Season

The Mill’s 2023 Adelaide Fringe Festival season will be held in The Mill’s Breakout, programming everything from theatre to circus, comedy, live music and more. We will be hosting a broad and lively season over 5 weeks by artists from SA, VIC and NSW.

The Mill is an accessible space, with disability access available via Angas St, ramp access to The Breakout through internal doors and a disability toilet also available.

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Past Events

International Collaborations

The International Collaborations program is designed to support South Australian based artists to build and sustain international connections. The program fosters cultural exchange, creative collaboration and skills exchange and market development for Australian work.

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Past Events

Expand

Expand is a responsive process and development program, with interest in challenging artists to explore interdisciplinary, site-specific and audience-focused new work. Expand supports artists to explore different modes of collaborating and encourages peer-learning with targeted opportunities and high-level outcomes. It enables risk taking, experimentation and freedom of expression in the creation and realisation of new works, and builds sector capacity to support sustainable arts practice. It invites audiences to not only appreciate, but actively participate in the practice of art-making through artists talks, Q&A’s and public workshops.

Projects come about through connections forged with our ever-expanding pool of local, interstate and international arts partners and individuals. This program allows for research via collaboration and seeks opportunities for artistic exchange both nationally and around the world, enriching The Mill’s community in Adelaide. It ensures that The Mill community is part of important conversations and connects artists to dialogue nationally and internationally.

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Past Events

Writer in Residence

The Mill’s Writer in Residence program supports writers from a variety of disciplines. The program focuses on developing and supporting emerging writers in the areas of arts, criticism and creative writing. The Writer in Residence program is delivered in partnership with CityMag and Scotch College.

The Mill’s writer in residence program, in partnership with CityMag, supports writers by creating a broader audience for writing through leadership, mentorship and publication. One 12-month residency in The Mill’s CBD studios is offered per year, culminating in four pieces of commissioned writing by the recipient and mentorship from CityMag’s Editor and The Mill team. The program also includes fees for a personal project and aims to assist emerging writers develop connections and explore opportunities to collaborate with The Mill’s community. Work funded under this program may include, but is not limited to; creative essays, creative non-fiction and storytelling, artist profiles and response to art and exhibitions.

In partnership with Scotch College, The Mill offers a five-week annual Writer in Residence program within the Scotch College English Faculty. The Mill’s WIR undertakes a paid residency funded by Scotch College with aim of the program to help further develop students’ writing/ communication skills via written/verbal/multi-modal responses to creative themes.The pieces created by the students are collated into an anthology by The Mill’s WIR and used within the English Faculty or further afield. This opportunity gives our writers paid employment and builds a relationship with an educational facility that may lead to future employment. 

Call-outs

2024 Recipient

Past Recipients

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Read the articles

Marina Deller

Marina Deller

Aushaf Widisto

Aushaf Widisto

Aushaf Widisto

Piri Eddy

Piri Eddy

Piri Eddy

Renee Miller

Renee Miller

Renee Miller

Tanner Muller

Tanner Muller

James Murphy

James Murphy

James Murphy

Read the artist spotlights

Emerging Producer Xchange

The Emerging Producer Xchange is a flagship mentorship program developed between Metro Arts (QLD) and The Mill with the support of The Ian Potter Foundation and Arts SA Market Development and project grants. Over 2021-2022, six emerging producers will be invited to participate in paid 10-month internships, embedded within nationally-recognised multidisciplinary arts organisations.

Under the mentorship of a lead producer in each state, the emerging producers will receive exclusive insights into the operation of two professional and prolific Australian arts organisations, and have unparalleled access to networking, skill-sharing and professional development opportunities. Between January – November, the emerging producers will support the delivery of the host organisations’ annual artistic programs, supporting artists in the creation, presentation and touring of new work.

The emerging producers will also accompany lead producers to attend a number of major industry events, conferences and marketplaces throughout the year, and participate in a series of dedicated activities specific to the Emerging Producer Xchange. This includes an intensive 3-day skills-sharing and development bootcamp. Emerging Producers will complete the program with a detailed understanding of the Australian performance landscape including funding and tour/presenting frameworks, and meaningful new connections with artists and fellow producers around Australia and internationally. The Emerging Producer Xchange is designed to address the ongoing shortfall of professional development opportunities for skilled producers in the independent performance sector who are equipped with the knowledge and networks to practice rewarding, long-term careers in their home states.

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2022 Associate Producer

The Mill Producer Support 2022

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2021 Associate Producer

The Mill Producer Support 2021

Dance Launchpad

Presented by The Mill and supported by venue partner Australian Dance Theatre (ADT).

Dance Launchpad is a professional development program designed to support emerging dancers to build experience in the professional industry, by working with local South Australian choreographers. The program nurtures the ecology of dance in SA by commissioning established SA choreographers to make new work, and share their industry knowledge with emerging SA dance artists.

In 2022 the outcome will be the creation of two choreographic works performed by four dancers, presented in a double-bill performance platform at ADT’s Odeon Theatre. The dancers will be paid under a professional contract and selected through the process of EOI and audition. The choreography will be filmed by a professional videographer, to create a ‘showreel’ for each dancer to showcase their skills nationally and internationally, promoting their skills for future employment.

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Past Events

Breakout Makes

Breakout Makes is a new pilot program presented by The Mill. It is designed to provide performing artists with a regular platform for sharing newly developed work with audiences as part of a showcase, alongside other local makers.

Breakout Makes aims to build an open and inclusive community of makers across different disciplines - including dance, theatre, physical theatre, improv, spoken word, cabaret, music, and interdisciplinary performance - and to bring audiences into the process of making new work, encouraging them to value the ‘blood sweat and tears’ that goes into creating a performance.

The pilot will run in June to October 2024, with showings at 3:30pm and 6:30pm on Friday, August 30, featuring up to five 10-minute acts.

Pricing

Breakout Makes is priced at $200, which includes 10 hours in The Breakout and inclusion in our August or October showings. We encourage artists to book additional hours, available at a 50% discounted rate.

Application process

Fill out our simple application form to be considered for Breakout Makes, The Mill’s Venue Manager will contact you to complete the application process.

Artistic inquiries: The Mill CEO/Artistic Director Katrina Lazaroff

Venue inquiries: The Mill Venue Manager Peter Owen

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Showings