Next Wave is calling for artists who live, work or study in Merri-bek to apply for our inaugural Winter Windows Series!

Artists are invited to display video works across Brunswick Mechanic Institute’s street-facing screens, responding to the theme: Possible Worlds: Imagined Futures.

At the heart of Next Wave’s Winter Windows series is an idea central to our vision: artists don’t just reflect the world—they shape it. Art is a way of holding space for complex truths, of listening deeply and dreaming together. In this spirit, we are calling for works that are attentive to peoples, places and possibilities—transforming Brunswick Mechanics Institute’s windows into portals that invite passersby to pause, reflect and reimagine our collective futures.

In a world shaped by artists, what would our imagined futures look like?

Apply here.
Applications close Wednesday 21 May, 2025

Download the Next Wave Winter Windows Application Guide (.pdf)

Download the Next Wave Winter Windows Application Guide (.docx)

…or read more below.

Through an open callout, two artists who live, work or study in Merri-bek will be selected to present video work across Next Wave’s Sydney Road-facing screens at Brunswick Mechanics Institute.

About the opportunity

Through an open call out, two artists will be selected to present a two-channel video work on Next Wave’s street-facing screens at Brunswick Mechanics Institute. The works will be screened dusk-to-dawn for six weeks across July-August 2025.

Each artist will receive:

• An artist fee of $750 + 12% superannuation
• A community-focused launch supported by Next Wave
• Installation and technical support for testing and presentation
• Optional: ALL School public program offering in August 2025, such as an artist talk, workshop or digital extension
• Support is available for access services to the selected artists

Eligibility

• Selected artists must live, work or study in Merri-bek
• Early-career artists will be prioritised. Next Wave does not define early-career by age, and recognises that you can come to your career later in life
• Video works should be experimental in nature and respond to the theme of Possible Worlds: Imagined Futures.
• Artists must have availability in July for the installation and launch of their works

Selection

Your EOI will be considered by Next Wave staff, Merri-bek community and local artist, and the selection process will use the following criteria.

Technical specifications

• Artists to supply a video work or works to be displayed across two portrait-oriented screens
• The screens unfortunately do not sync (they’re supposed to but are notoriously unreliable), so we encourage you to consider each screen as a separate but interconnected artwork
• There is no audio capacity, so visual content is encouraged
• The screens are 9:16, 1080px x 1920px (full HD)
• The final artwork must be delivered in MP4 on a USB or via digital file transfer (such as Google Drive)

Information sessions

Online information session: Tuesday 6 May
Artist drop-in session 1: Thursday 8 May
Artist drop-in session 2: Thursday 15 May

Key dates

• Applications close Wednesday 21 May
• Artists will be notified by Thursday 29 May
• Launch event: Friday 4 July
• Screenings: 5 July – 16 August (6 weeks)

Online information session recording

Tuesday 6 May, 2025