Exhibition Residencies for Curators and Recent Graduates

Organisation: Project 100
Location: Whakatū Nelson, New Zealand
Residency duration: One month
Residency periods: May and November 2027
Funding: Travel and food stipend of up to NZD $1,000
Application deadline: 14 September 2026 at midnight
Eligibility: Recent art graduates and curators based in Aotearoa New Zealand

About the Open Call

Project 100 invites curators and recent graduates to submit proposals for its 2027 exhibition residency programme.

Two opportunities are available:

• May 2027: Recent Graduates Exhibition Residency.
• November 2027: Curators Exhibition Residency.

Both solo and collaborative projects are welcome. Project 100 is seeking ambitious, conceptual and contemporary proposals that push boundaries, test new ideas and create meaningful experiences outside a commercial gallery context.

Applications are welcome across all contemporary art disciplines. Collaborative projects bringing together different artists, ideas and communities are particularly encouraged.

About the Residencies

Each selected resident will receive exclusive use of the Project 100 gallery in Whakatū Nelson for one month to present an exhibition, public programme or experimental project.

The residency is intended primarily for presenting a developed exhibition or programme rather than creating new work on site. Depending on the nature of the selected practice, there may be opportunities to use the gallery as a working space during the exhibition period.

Residents must be based in Whakatū Nelson for the full duration of their exhibition.

Recent Graduates Exhibition Residency

The May 2027 residency is open to artists who graduated from a tertiary arts programme within the previous two years, preferably from an institution in New Zealand.

The opportunity is intended to support outstanding emerging practitioners who demonstrate:

• A strong conceptual proposal.
• The ability to work independently.
• The capacity to realise an exhibition or public programme successfully.

Curators Exhibition Residency

The November 2027 residency is open to:

• Emerging and established curators.
• Independent practitioners.
• Curatorial collectives based in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Previous curatorial experience is welcomed but not essential. Project 100 encourages proposals demonstrating ambitious thinking and a clear approach to engaging audiences through contemporary exhibition-making.

What Is Provided

Each selected resident will receive:

• Exclusive use of the Project 100 gallery for one month.
• One month of accommodation in a centrally located apartment.
• Administrative and promotional support.
• Up to four hours of technical support.
• A travel and food stipend of up to NZD $1,000.

Resident Responsibilities

As Project 100 is an artist-run space, residents are expected to participate actively throughout the exhibition period.

Responsibilities include:

• Taking creative responsibility for developing and delivering the project.
• Remaining in Whakatū Nelson for the duration of the exhibition.
• Opening the gallery during its regular public hours.
• Delivering at least one additional public activation.

Public activations might include an artist talk, workshop, performance or discussion.

About Project 100

Project 100 is an artist-run contemporary gallery and project space in Whakatū Nelson.

Operating as a charitable trust, it provides a commission-free platform for artists and curators to experiment, take creative risks and realise ambitious projects outside a commercial gallery context.

Through exhibitions, events and public programmes, Project 100 supports contemporary practice and creates opportunities for meaningful engagement between artists and audiences.