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Tony Chong Creative Fellowship 2026 Guidelines

The Tony Chong Creative Fellowship is designed to:

  • Elevate Asian emerging or mid-career artists working in an interdisciplinary practice.
  • Support the development of new work for families, children, and young people.
  • Provide time, space, resources and sector access to meaningfully accelerate artistic practice.
  • Strengthen Barking Gecko Arts’ leadership in equity, representation, and new work development in Western Australia.

The Fellowship combines financial investment, creative development time, and deep organisational support, recognising that sustainable artistic growth requires more than funding alone.

Each year, one Fellow will receive:

  • $40,000 Creative Development Fund
  • Structured Creative Residency at Barking Gecko Arts (valued at $10,000)
    Including access to:
    • Rehearsal and development space
    • Artistic mentorship and dramaturgical support, with input from diverse artists and cultural practitioners to support culturally informed creative development.
    • Producing, technical, and sector expertise
    • Introductions to BGA’s networks and partners

The Fellowship will run over two years, supporting one artist per year.

Applicants must:

  • Identify as an Asian artist (inclusive of East, Southeast, South, Central and West Asian diasporas)
  • Be based in Western Australia
  • Be emerging or mid-career (defined by years of practice, not age)
  • Be working in an interdisciplinary performance practice
  • Demonstrate interest in or experience creating work for children, young people, and/or families

Applicants do not need:

  • A finished script, concept or production outcome
  • A prior relationship with Barking Gecko Arts
  • To commit to touring or presentation outcomes
  • Applications assessed by a diverse, independent panel, including:
    • Barking Gecko Arts representatives
    • External sector peers
    • Cultural advisors where appropriate
  • Assessment criteria to include:
    • Artistic vision and practice
    • Alignment with children, young people, and family audiences
    • Potential for creative growth and sector impact
    • Readiness to engage in a supported residency environment
  • One Fellow selected per year
  • Unsuccessful applicants offered feedback where possible

During the Fellowship year, the artist will:

  • Undertake a structured artist residency with Barking Gecko Arts (this may be one concentrated block, several shorter development periods or a hybrid model responsive to the artist’s circumstances.
  • Receive staged access to the Creative Development Fund
  • Engage in:
    • Creative experimentation and research
    • Mentorship and peer dialogue
    • Informal showings and/or discussion (non-outcome driven)
  • Develop a new work, concept, or body of practice (no obligation to produce a finished work).

The focus is on process, exploration, and artistic confidence, not production pressure.

At the conclusion of the Fellowship:

  • The Fellow will participate in a reflective conversation and report.
  •  Barking Gecko Arts will document learnings to:
    • Strengthen future Fellowship iterations
    • Inform broader sector practice
  • Fellows become part of an ongoing alumni network, contributing to BGA’s creative ecosystem over time.
  • Program oversight will be held by Barking Gecko Arts and will be accountable for:
    • Budget
    • Artist care
    • Reporting
  • Tony Chong will be acknowledged as:
    • Founding Benefactor and Namesake of the Fellowship
  • The Fellowship will be positioned as a long-term legacy initiative, demonstrating how individual philanthropy can create structural change in the arts sector.
  • Co-design and finalise Fellowship framework and eligibility criteria with Tony Chong, ensuring it reflects his values, vision, and legacy.
  • Confirm:
    • residency structure
    • expectations and outcomes (process-focused, not production-driven),
    • timeline
    • governance, reporting, and acknowledgement mechanisms
  • Develop accessible application materials and assessment processes
  • Prepare public announcement and sector communications
  • Launch Fellowship in early 2026 - Open call for expressions of interest, with a strong focus on:
    • Asian artists based in WA
    • Emerging to mid-career practitioners
  • Targeted outreach through:
    • Asian arts networks
    • Industry partners
    • Community and sector organisations
  • Information sessions hosted by Barking Gecko Arts to clarify the process and support equitable access.
  • Announcement 22 January 2026
  • EOI’s Open 3 March 2026
  • EOI’s Close 24 March 2026
  • Notifications 2 April 2026
  • Fellowship Commences April 2026 (subject to Fellow’s availability)