Tony Chong Creative Fellowship 2026 Guidelines
The 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 Barking Gecko Arts'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.
- Announcement Thursday, 22 January 2026
- EOI’s Open Tuesday, 3 March 2026
- EOI’s Close Tuesday, 24 March 2026
- Notifications Thursday, 2 April 2026
- Fellowship Commences April 2026 (subject to Fellow’s availability)
About the Fellowship
The Fellowship is a creative development initiative hosted by Barking Gecko Arts that supports Asian emerging or mid-career artists to research, experiment and grow their practice, with a focus on work for children, young people, and families.
The Fellowship prioritises process, exploration, and artistic confidence, rather than production outcomes.
What does the Fellowship offer?
Each Fellow receives:
- $40,000 Creative Development Fund
- A structured creative residency hosted by Barking Gecko Arts (valued at $10,000)
The residency includes access to:
- Development and rehearsal space
- Artistic mentorship and dramaturgical support
- Producing and technical expertise
- Sector connections and professional networks
How long does the Fellowship run?
Each Fellowship runs for a maximum of 12 months, depending on the agreed residency structure.
Residencies are flexible and artist-centred, and may take place:
- In one concentrated block
- Across several shorter development periods
- Through a hybrid model that suits the artist’s circumstances
How many Fellows will be supported?
The Fellowship will support:
- One artist per year
- Over an initial two-year period
Eligibility
Who is eligible to apply?
The Fellowship is open to individual artists who:
- Identify as Asian (inclusive of East, Southeast, South, Central and West Asian diasporas)
- Are based in Western Australia
- Are emerging or mid-career artists (defined by years of practice, not age)
- Work in theatre or interdisciplinary performance
- Are interested in creating work for children, young people, and families
Artists do not need to have worked with Barking Gecko Arts before.
Who is not eligible to apply?
- Do not identify as Asian (inclusive of East, Southeast, South, Central and West Asian diasporas)
- Are a student or early-career artist without an established independent practice
- Are an established or late-career artist
- Are part of an artistic ensemble
- Work exclusively outside interdisciplinary performance
- Have no interest in creating work for children, young people, or families
- Are seeking funding for a finished production, touring, remounts, or presentation costs
- Are proposing a project that is already fully funded or in advanced production
- Are unable to commit time to a structured residency with Barking Gecko Arts
- Are a current Barking Gecko Arts staff member or Board member
- Are not legally able to work in Australia
- Submit an incomplete or late application
Focus
Is this a commissioning or production opportunity?
No. The Tony Chong Creative Fellowship is not a commissioning program and does not require a finished work, public performance, or touring outcome.
The Fellowship is designed to support research, experimentation, skill-building and creative risk, without pressure to deliver a final product.
What kind of work can be developed through the Fellowship?
The Fellowship supports:
- Early-stage ideas and questions
- New directions in an artist’s practice
- Cultural research or storytelling
- Interdisciplinary exploration
- Work that may eventually become a performance, but is not required to
The focus is on creative enquiry, not scale or polish.
Do I need to have a finished proposal or script to apply?
No. Applicants do not need:
- A finished script or concept
- A confirmed creative team
- A production timeline
Applicants are encouraged to apply with ideas, questions or areas of curiosity, rather than fully formed plans.
How can the Creative Development Fund be used?
The $40,000 Creative Development Fund can be used for costs such as:
- Artist fees
- Collaborator or mentor fees
- Research and development expenses
- Materials or resources
- Travel related to the creative development
Budget use will be agreed with Barking Gecko Arts to ensure flexibility and transparency.
What makes this Fellowship different from other opportunities?
The Tony Chong Creative Fellowship:
- Centres process over outcomes
- Provides significant financial and structural support
- Is designed with artist care and flexibility at its core
- Focuses on children, young people, and family audiences
- Invests in Asian representation and leadership within the arts sector
Residency & Support
What is expected of the Fellow?
Fellows are expected to:
- Engage meaningfully in creative development
- Participate in agreed residency activities
- Maintain communication with Barking Gecko Arts
At the end of the Fellowship, Fellows will participate in reflective sharing and reporting agreed in advance and appropriate to their work.
Selection & Governance
How are Fellows selected?
Applications are assessed by an independent panel, including:
- Barking Gecko Arts representatives
- External sector peers
- Cultural advisors where appropriate
Assessment focuses on:
- Artistic curiosity and vision
- Alignment with children, young people, and family audiences
- Potential for growth and impact
- Readiness to engage in a supported residency
- Alignment with Fellowship values
After the Fellowship
Will the Fellowship lead to future opportunities with Barking Gecko Arts?
The Fellowship does not guarantee commissioning, presentation, or touring opportunities.
However, Fellows become part of Barking Gecko Arts’ extended creative network, and the Fellowship is designed to support long-term artistic growth and sector connection.
Applications
How do I apply?
Applications will be made through an open call, with clear and accessible guidelines.
Applicants may apply via:
- Written submission
- Video submission
- Audio submission
Uploaded materials will be sent to a designated Dropbox folder.
Can I access this information in a language other than English?
Yes. If you require translation assistance, you may use your browser’s built-in Google Translate function or a Google Translate widget.
Please note that automated translations are provided by a third party and may not be fully accurate. Barking Gecko Arts not responsible for errors, omissions, or misinterpretations arising from machine translation.
On Google Chrome (Desktop)
- Open the application webpage in Google Chrome
- Right-click anywhere on the page
- Select “Translate to [your language]”
- If needed, click the translation icon in the address bar to choose a different language.
On Mobile (Chrome App)
- Open the webpage in the Chrome app
- Tap the three dots (⋮) in the top right corner
- Select “Translate”
- Choose your preferred language.
For interpreting assistance in languages other than English, please contact Barking Gecko Arts. We can arrange telephone interpreting support through the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National) on 13 14 50.
If you require special assistance in preparing your application, please contact Barking Gecko Arts on (08) 6184 4905.
Who can I contact for more information?
For all enquiries, please contact:
Creative Careers & Sector Development
ph: (08) 6184 4905
e: creative@barkinggecko.com.au
To ensure consistency and respect for governance arrangements, all enquiries regarding the Tony Chong Creative Fellowship should be directed to Barking Gecko Arts; applicants and stakeholders are kindly asked not to contact Tony Chong directly.