Situate 24 25 Lab - Image by Melanie Kate

SITUATE 26–27: YOUNG WORLDS

SITUATE 26–27 is dedicated to developing bold, experimental and deeply relational work by regionally based emerging and mid-career artists from all disciplines. This iteration of the program places children and young people at the centre of the creative journey, supporting artists to develop practices that are responsive, ethical and genuinely collaborative with younger communities.

The program prioritises artistic excellence while ensuring that the process and outcomes create meaningful, positive experiences for children and young people, as well as sustainable pathways for participating artists. SITUATE 26–27 has a particular focus on participatory, intergenerational and youth-led creative models.

The theme for this two-year program asks artists to investigate what it means to make work for and with young audiences. What does it mean to co-create with care, to design with agency in mind, and to build creative processes where children and young people contribute as collaborators, performers and leaders. 

This program will be designed and led by Situate, with specialist guidance from Provocateurs drawn from youth-arts practitioners, child-safe facilitators, and intergenerational performance practitioners.

SITUATE 26–27 AIMS TO:

  • support artists to create and present innovative work for and with young people.

  • build artists’ confidence and capacity in child-centred creative methodologies, ethical collaboration, and intergenerational practice.

  • create culturally safe, accessible and authentic creative experiences for young audiences and communities.

  • connect artists with national and international networks, including those specialising in youth arts, intergenerational practice, and socially engaged performance.

  • foster long-term pathways for artists to embed youth-focused work into their broader practice.

ARTIST RECRUITMENT

The SITUATE 26–27 program will support three Tasmanian artists and three regionally based artists from across Australia to undertake this two-year journey. Participating artists may come from any discipline, dance, theatre, sound, visual art, digital media, social practice, and must be committed to developing work with and for children and young people.

Three partner organisations from across Australia will support the selection and mentoring of the regional artists. These may include a mix of youth-arts organisations, regional arts centres, and interdisciplinary creative hubs (final list confirmed early 2026).

Applications will include a mix of written and video responses and will be assessed by the SITUATE team, partner organisations, and selected provocateurs with experience in youth-led and intergenerational practice.

WHEN AND WHERE IS SITUATE 26–27?

Proposed Dates

  • Expressions of interest open: Monday 23 February 2026

  • Expressions of interest close: Friday 20 March 2026

  • Shortlist phone interviews: Late March 2026

  • Successful participants notified: Early April 2026

Labs

  • Online Lab 1: 17th and 24th July 

  • Face-to-Face Labs:  3- 7th August and 5th – 9th October 2025

  • Online Lab 2: 30th October 

SITUATE 26–27 PROGRAM PHASES

Hybrid Labs & Mentorship (July 2026 – October 2026)

The lab phase introduces artists to youth-focused creative frameworks, creative rights for children and young people, collaborative models, and intergenerational processes. Artists work with senior Artist Provocateurs, including youth-arts specialists, and community-engaged practitioners, to build confidence and skills in co-creation with young people.

Artists will be challenged to think expansively about scale, community, and care, and to explore how digital and live modalities can give agency to young voices.

Research & Development (Nov 2026 – April 2027)

This mentoring and R&D period provide high-level, tailored support to each artist. Situate scaffolds artists to develop proposals that are conceptually strong, ethically grounded, and responsive to children and young people as collaborators and audiences.

During this phase artists will:

  • develop relationships with young people and youth-led groups.

  • design child-safe and accessible creative processes.

  • shape early concepts for outcomes.

  • prepare for fundraising, partnerships, and 2027 creative developments.

Creative Development & Commissioning (Across 2027)

Throughout 2027, artists will undertake creative development periods working directly with children and young people in communities, schools, creative hubs or regional settings.

Situate will support artists to refine their projects, deepen relationships with young collaborators, and design outcomes that respond meaningfully to young people’s ideas, needs and imaginations. Artists will also explore digital formats that can extend access and engagement.

Some artists may be commissioned to advance their work into presentation-ready stages.

Presentation (Across Late 2027 and beyond)

If a project progresses to a presentation outcome, Situate will support the artist to partner with festivals, schools, youth-arts organisations or regional venues to realise the work. Presentations may be live, digital, participatory, site-specific, or hybrid.

We will help artists negotiate partnerships, manage production, ensure youth-safe practices, and connect the work to local, national and international platforms.