The Institute for Water Futures warmly invites Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander thinkers, researchers, creatives, artists, storytellers, and activists to apply for the 2026 Water Futures Cultural Residency — a program designed to explore and elevate Indigenous perspectives on water.

Open to individuals working across a wide range of mediums, disciplines, and interests, the residency offers time, space, and resources to pursue a water-related project of your choosing. Throughout the residency, we invite you to share your insights with the IWF community to foster a greater recognition of Indigenous knowledge around water and its connection to people, Country and place.

Originally established in 2022 to support Indigenous artists, this year we’ve reimagined the program to welcome applicants from any discipline or field — including (but not limited to) art, design, science, history, media and technology, and activism.

At a glance

Residency project

You will have one year to complete your project, with the flexibility to work from a location of your choice. We’re committed to supporting a project that’s meaningful to you, in a way that’s empowering, culturally safe, and tailored to your needs. You, as the resident, will own the Intellectual Property and/or project outputs.

Project ideas could include:

• Storytelling
• Histories
• Poetry
• Research project plan or design
• Educational resources
• Short stories
• research publication
• A play, performance piece or film

We see this this residency as a two-way exchange. As part of this, the IWF will support the resident by facilitating dialogue and knowledge-sharing with our researchers. Our team works across environmental science, hydrology, economics, engineering, social science, and earth systems, and can provide support such as:

• Guidance on publishing in academic journals
• Advice on writing grants and securing funding
• Scientific consultation for creative works (e.g. story, script, or film)
• Connections with other researchers or experts across ANU

To help facilitate the exchange of ideas and knowledge, we encourage meaningful engagement with the Institute during your residency. If you are based locally, we invite you to spend time working on-site at the Australian National University (ANU) campus in Canberra, where a suitable workspace will be provided. For those based interstate, the residency will cover the costs of travel for at least two visits to Canberra over the course of the year.

The details

The residency offers

• The opportunity to create a water-related project in 2026
• An appropriate workspace at ANU, depending on need
• A commissioning fee of up to $10,000
• Interstate travel and accommodation in Canberra (if required)
• Project materials, production or performance costs as negotiated
• Advice and support from IWF water experts who specialise in fields including hydrology, earth sciences, social science, engineering and economics.

If selected, we’ll work with you to co-design a residency package that aligns with your project and working style.

The residency asks you to

• Engage with IWF staff and students to explore cultural knowledge, stories and practices around water.
• Share your project at up to two IWF hosted events during the year
• Visit ANU in Canberra on at least two occasions (travel and accommodation covered if based interstate)
• Where appropriate, support IWF in deepening connections with local communities and fostering long-term collaborations 

To apply

Please email waterfutures@anu.edu.au with ‘Water Futures Cultural Residency 2026’ and your name in the subject line.  In your email, please include:

• Your full name and contact details.
• A brief bio & description of your interest, work or practice

Up to 2 written pages or a 2–5-minute video describing:

• Why you are interested in this residency.
• The water-related project you would like to explore as part of the residency.
• As far as you are aware at this time, what you will need to conduct your work during the residency, for e.g., space, materials etc.
• Proposed dates for your visits to Canberra (if applicable)
• Links to examples of any related work

If you are interested in this residency but are unsure about any part of your application, we would love to talk it through with you.  Please reach out to Erin - Erin Neil-Awali: Erin.neil@anu.edu.au  or 02 6125 2621.

Applications close on 1 October 2025.

Testimonials

 “The IWF’s residency has provided me with the opportunity to lead a participative learning process designed to shift perspectives in relation to Aboriginal knowledge and culture. It has provided me an opportunity to explore Aboriginal ideas, contexts and experience of coloniality in a safe and open space. It has also allowed me to create a significant piece of art that speaks of the fragility of water security and the example of water management from an Aboriginal perspective. Without a doubt, this was an amazing experience and one I am excited to recommend to other Aboriginal artists active in any discipline.”

Glenn Loughrey – 2022 water futures cultural resident

“Building networks like this with the residency and traveling here to Canberra and meeting all these people is important to me.  Knowing that it’s not only our First Nations People who are fighting for the environment and Country, but non-Indigenous people too, it’s really encouraging.  The future is all about Indigenous and non-indigenous young people learning together and sharing both ways.”

 

Hozaus Claire – 2023 water futures cultural resident

I was fortunate enough to be selected for the Institute of Water Futures Cultural Residency, and it was genuinely the highlight of 2025 for me. After seeing the two previous Aboriginal artists successful residencies, I knew that I wanted to partake on my own journey with IWF. I can’t tell you how glad I am in hindsight that I did that.  This residency gave me the opportunity to completely slow down, be on country and take my time creating. It's been healing to do. 

I'm a Wiradjuri woman with deep linkages to waterways and river systems, and I knew I wanted this residency to reflect that. For this project I had envisioned the largest, and most intricate art piece I have ever made before, and they both encouraged and stood by me. They helped make my creative goals achievable. The ongoing support, kindness and encouragement that I was showed by the IWF team.  The recent growth in my career and arts practice is purely down to this residency, and the support I was shown by them. 

The culturally safe space they held for me, and other mob, is rare. They are genuine allies, and I'm thankful to have been able to connect and learn from them. I can’t recommend this residency to other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists enough. It's a life changing experience.
 

Jessika Spencer - 2024 water futures cultural resident 

The cultural residency program supports of IWF's mission to celebrate and explore the ancient and contemporary expertise of First Nations People in managing and protecting Australia's waterways.