Centre Stage Residency

The Centre Stage Residencies are presented by The Mill in collaboration with Adelaide Fringe as part of their Arts Industry Collaborations program.

This unique incubator program is for South Australian artists to progress a new performance work in its second or third stage of development to the next level, culminating in a season at The Mill as part of the 2026 Adelaide Fringe Festival.

The Mill will be offering 2 x 4-week Centre Stage Residencies this year.

Residencies are split into 2 x 2-week blocks. The first 2-week block will occur in 2025 followed by a work-in-progress showing at The Mill - to test ideas with audiences and develop an audience following.

The second 2-week block will occur in 2026 - to prepare the work for presentation in the 2026 Adelaide Fringe Season at The Mill.

We are most interested in theatre, comedy, physical theatre and cabaret - suitable for our small black box theatre in its 50 seat small stage set up.

Support

Between The Mill and Adelaide Fringe, the successful recipients will receive:

• Artist honorarium $6,000 + 12% superannuation ($720) will be provided, to be used for artist/s wages and development costs

• 4 weeks venue hire (2 x 2-week blocks in The Breakout at The Mill)

• A work-in-progress showing presented by The Mill at the conclusion of the first 2-week block

• Production of a professional-quality showreel/video promotional material, created from footage of the first showing and one additional filming session provided by The Mill

• Professional photography at the conclusion of the first development

• A 10-show season at The Mill during Adelaide Fringe 2026

• FOH, venue and technical staff for Adelaide Fringe 2026

• 100% box office from Adelaide Fringe 2026 season at The Mill to the artist

• Production, admin and marketing support for the residency and Fringe season from The Mill

• Contribution towards documentation or design for Adelaide Fringe season promotion/posters/flyers with support from The Mill’s Marketing and Development Manager

• Promotion of the Arts Industry Collaborations program through the Adelaide Fringe website and social media channels

• Inclusion on the Adelaide Fringe website's Arts Industry Collaborations page and associated shows listed amongst their 2026 Grant Recipients

• Direct contact with the Artist and Venue team to facilitate show registration  

• Engagement in the Honey Pot Arts Industry Marketplace Program

• Engagement in the Adelaide Fringe Professional Development series

• Provision of the 2026 Adelaide Fringe Fund Branding Pack

• 1:1 in person, or online, meetings with the Arts Industry Collaborations Adelaide Fringe project coordinator to provide advice and support in the lead up to the 2026 Adelaide Fringe season

• Access to 1:1 meetings with Adelaide Fringe's Marketing team to provide personalised advice to Fringe participants (bookings are limited and subject to availability)
  
  Please note: 

• With this significant support and funding, artists are still responsible for self producing their work

• Fringe show registration costs will need to be paid from the artist fee. Residency recipients are required to register their show as part of the 2025 Adelaide Fringe program

• We recommend applying for a Fringe Grant to top up your artist fees and development costs

Key dates

Applications open: June 11, 2025, at 9:30am

Applications close: July 21, 2025, at 12am

Applicants to be notified of outcome: Week of July 25, 2025

Residency blocks: November 3-14 or November 17-28, 2025, January 5-16 or January 26-February 6, 2026 

Adelaide Fringe season: February 20-March 22, 2026

For any questions regarding The Mill Centre Stage Residency please contact The Mill CEO/Artistic Director or The Mill General Manager.

For questions regarding presenting in Adelaide Fringe 2026 and Fringe show registration, please contact artists@adelaidefringe.com.au

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2024 Recipients

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Past Recipients + Showings

STRUT Residency

This residency unites national dance sectors by providing development opportunities for dance-makers across Australia. Presented in partnership with STRUT (WA), the residency, with a showing outcome, aims to foster national conversations in dance through participation and exposure. 

A selected South Australian dance artist will be offered the opportunity to develop and present a studio showing of their work at STRUT in Perth in 2025.

The Mill will fund $6,500 to support the artist to undertake this residency. These funds may go to travel, accommodation, materials costs and artist wages. 

STRUT Dance will support this partnership with The Mill in 2025 through providing one South Australian-based artist with a residency in Boorloo that will include, pending availability and negotiation with STRUT, the opportunity of: 

• 2 weeks studio space at King Street Arts Centre

• Documentation support (video & photo documentation during time of residency)

• Basic technical support such as cameras (film and photo), lighting and projection equipment

• A hot desk in our office at King Street Arts Centre

• Sector connection through facilitating a Practice Sharing to meet and share with local arts community

• Public connection through organising a studio showing for general public

• Teaching STRUT’s public or professional classes

• Participating in community events such as Makeshift Evenings (Boorloo open platform for performance and improvisation), Production Skills Workshops and Practice Sharing’s

Eligibility

• A South Australian artist that has been based in South Australia for at least 6 of the last 12 months.
  

Any questions or queries, please contact The Mill CEO/Artistic Director Katrina Lazaroff.

Key dates

Applications open: July 1, 2025, at 9:30am

Applications close: July 23, 2025, at 12am

Applicants to be notified of outcome: Week of July 28, 2025

Residency blocks: Artists can pitch dates in August, September, October and December before December 11 (November not available).

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OzAsia Festival Residency 2025

The Mill’s OzAsia Festival Residency is an open project development and presentation platform available to an Asian Australian performing artist based in South Australia working within contemporary culture. The aim of the residency is to offer place and space as part of a vibrant arts community for artists to develop and show new or existing work.

The residency will offer two weeks rehearsal space, technical, artistic and marketing support for the artist to develop and show new or existing work. 

The artistic genre can include dance, theatre, physical theatre or interdisciplinary performing arts practice. The residency and outcome in the form of three showings will be showcased as part of the 2025 OzAsia Festival October - November 2025, presented by Adelaide Festival Centre.

The successful applicant will receive:

• A $6,000 artist honorarium plus 11.5% super contribution

• Two week’s full-time use of The Mill’s Breakout performing arts space

• Artistic, technical and marketing support from The Mill

• Three showings and Q&A hosted by The Mill

• A photographer and videographer documenting the showing

Outcome:

The successful recipient will be required to present three ‘work-in-progress’ performances including a Q&A at the conclusion of this residency at The Mill for industry, VIPs and GP guests, supported by The Mill and OzAsia Festival.

Key dates:

Applications open: Monday, December 2, 2024

Applications close: Monday, February 10, 2025, 9:30am

Recipients notified: Week beginning February 24, 2025

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2025 Recipient

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This residency has support from

Theatre Residency 2025

The Mill’s Theatre Residency is an open project development and presentation platform available to South Australian performing artists working with contemporary culture. The aim of the residency is to offer place and space as part of a vibrant arts community for artists to develop and show new or existing work.

The genre of theatre can include physical theatre and interdisciplinary practice, where theatre is the focus of the performing arts practice.

The successful applicant will receive:

• A $6,000 artist honorarium plus 11.5% super contribution

• Two week’s full-time use of The Mill’s Breakout performing arts space

• Artistic, technical and marketing support from The Mill

• A showing and Q&A hosted by The Mill

• A photographer and videographer documenting the showing

Outcome:

The successful applicant will be required to present a ‘work-in-progress’ performance including a Q&A at the conclusion of this residency at The Mill for industry, VIPs and GP guests, supported by The Mill.

Key dates:

Applications open: Monday, December 2, 2024

Applications close: Monday, February 10, 2025, 9:30am

Recipients notified: Week beginning February 24, 2025

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2025 Recipient

Past Recipients + Showings

First Nations Dance Residency 2025

The Mill’s First Nations Dance Residency is an extension of our First Nations Dance Program launched in 2023. The residency is an open project development and presentation platform available to South Australian First Nations performing artists.

The aim of the residency is to offer place and space as part of a vibrant arts community for artists to develop and show new or existing work. The successful recipient will be supported by our First Nations Dance Program Coordinator Caleena Sansbury.

The successful applicant will receive:

• A $6,000 artist honorarium plus 11.5% super contribution

• Two week’s full-time use of The Mill’s Breakout performing arts space

• Artistic, technical and marketing support from The Mill

• A showing and Q&A hosted by The Mill

• A photographer and videographer documenting the showing

Outcome:

The successful applicant will be required to present a ‘work-in-progress’ performance including a Q&A at the conclusion of this residency at The Mill for industry, VIPs and GP guests, supported by The Mill.

Key dates:

Applications open: Monday, December 2, 2024

Applications close: Monday, February 10, 2025, 9:30am

Recipients notified: Week beginning February 24, 2025

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2025 Recipient

Past Recipients + Showings

Dance Residency 2025

The Mill’s Dance Residency is an open project development and presentation platform available to South Australian performing artists working with contemporary culture. The aim of the residency is to offer place and space as part of a vibrant arts community for artists to develop and show new or existing work.

The genre of dance can include physical theatre and interdisciplinary practice, where movement is the focus of the performing arts practice.

The successful applicant will receive:

• A $6,000 artist honorarium plus 11.5% super contribution

• Two week’s full-time use of The Mill’s Breakout performing arts space

• Artistic, technical and marketing support from The Mill

• A showing and Q&A hosted by The Mill

• A photographer and videographer documenting the showing

Outcome:

The successful applicant will be required to present a ‘work-in-progress’ performance including a Q&A at the conclusion of this residency at The Mill for industry, VIPs and GP guests, supported by The Mill.

Key dates:

Applications open: Monday, December 2, 2024

Applications close: Monday, February 10, 2025, 9:30am

Recipients notified: Week beginning February 24, 2025

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2025 Recipient

Past Recipients + Showings

Dancehouse Residency

This residency unites national dance sectors by providing development and performance opportunities for dance-makers across Australia. Presented in partnership with Dancehouse (VIC) the residency and performance outcome aims to foster national conversations in dance, through participation and exposure. A selected South Australian dance artist participating in our Performing Arts Residency program will be offered the opportunity to develop and present their work at Dancehouse in Melbourne, over 1-2 weeks in 2024.

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2024 Recipient

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Brand X Residency

The Mill in partnership with Brand X, Sydney, present the Brand X Residency: an open project development and presentation platform available to South Australian performing artists working with contemporary culture. The aim of the residency is to offer place and space as part of a vibrant arts community, for artists to develop and show new or existing work and then take that work interstate for further development, presentation and networking opportunities. 

The residency is intended as a second or third-stage development of a new performing arts work exploring avant-garde ideas that provoke and push creative boundaries. The Mill and Brand X select one of The Mill’s 2024 Performing Arts residency artists to undertake a one-week residency and performance season in Sydney at Brand X’s Flying Nun program, in 2024.

The successful applicant will receive:

$6,500 from The Mill allocated to:

• Return Flights to Sydney

• On the ground travel to the venue and to networking opportunities with future presenters

• Artist Fees

• Per diems

$12,830 value from Brand X including:

• Accommodation for 1.5 weeks in the Sydney CBD in a 53sqm one-bedroom apartment with separate dining and kitchen. The apartment also features a 35sqm adjoining workspace and is located on the top floor of a new 5-storey creative hub.

• 1 week rehearsal space at the East Sydney Community and Arts Centre, in Darlinghurst. View the venue specs here

• Friday and Saturday night performance season at the East Sydney Community and Arts Centre. With ticketing, front of house and marketing support. View the venue specs here

• Videography and editing package for The Flying Nun season with streaming hosted on Brand X’s OnDemand platform. The artist will have full access to final video.

• $1,300 Stipend recommended to spend on tech operators for The Flying Nun Season

• Net box office takings, typically ranging from $2,000 - $4,000 dependent on audience numbers with Covid-19 considerations. Venue capacity is 50-70 dependent on social distancing restrictions and venue configuration.

Outcome:

The successful applicant will present two to four performances across two nights as part of The Flying Nun program. Performances will be attended by industry and special guests along with general public.

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2024 Recipient

Past Recipients