Cultivate @ Nexus Arts Residency: Announcing Successful Recipients
Nexus Arts is thrilled to announce the very first recipients of the Cultivate @ Nexus Arts Residency: Jennifer Trijo and Nahlla Barbosa!
Through the Cultivate @ Nexus Arts residency, Jennifer and Nahlla will develop bold new works over the rest of the year, with their projects to be shared with audiences at Adelaide Fringe 2026.
This residency aims to foster experimentation and creation in culturally diverse and intercultural artistic practice, offering a co-collaborative residency and mentorship between an emerging artist, a mid-career artist and Nexus Arts. The two selected performing artists will get a 4 week access to Nexus Arts, to progress one new work each to present at Adelaide Fringe 2026.
This residency will include:
Emerging artist grant – $4k + mentorship sessions (up to 6 sessions)
Mid- career artist grant – $7k ( will be required to also offer mentorship to other artist)
Adelaide Fringe Show Registration costs ($395 per artist – to be paid from Artist Fee)
Provision of Venue Manager, Stage Manager and Venue Technician for each Adelaide Fringe season by Nexus Arts
Nexus Arts Studio Residencies 2026
Patricia Ingram's exhibition "Paika". Photo by Lana Adams
Applications for our 2026 studio residencies are now closed.
The Nexus Arts Studio Residency Program delivers professional development outcomes for emerging and early career South Australian artists from culturally diverse or First Nations backgrounds. This program supports artists to develop and present new work with access to a mentor of their choice, a free onsite studio space and a solo exhibition at the end of the residency.
Nexus Live
Nexus Live is a performance series showcasing contemporary music by culturally and linguistically diverse and First Nations artists from across Australia, presented across the year at Nexus Arts.
At the heart of Nexus Live is a commitment to intercultural collaboration, within individual performances and across the program. Each season features musicians working across diverse art-making practices, creating, and premiering new works that contribute to a rich and ongoing dialogue of cultural connection. This also provides opportunities for experimentation, risk-taking, and growth in a supportive environment.
Every year, Nexus Live presents 4–8 performances, featuring up to 15 ensembles and 35 artists, bringing a thriving and dynamic intercultural music scene to Adelaide audiences.
By fostering adventurous collaborations, we are more than programming, we are providing opportunities for artists to develop their creative practice and learn through collaboration. Nexus Live nurtures both artists and audiences—building a vibrant space where cultural diversity and creativity intersect.
In 2025, Nexus Live will feature performances from leading Australian artists between June and September. Keep an eye on our Events page for upcoming announcements or explore our Archive to revisit past performances.
PAST EVENTS
2025 – Daftar Aval Duo + Silk Strings Ensemble
This collaboration masterfully weaves together Persian classical traditions, improvisation, original composition, and Huqin-inspired string techniques for a uniquely transcultural musical journey.
2021 – Noriko Tadano + Adam Ritchie
The premiere performance of a new commissioned collaborative work from master shamisen virtuoso, Noriko Tadano, and composer and sound artist, Adam Ritchie. Two stellar performances from contrasting musical backgrounds come together to explore new sonic possibilities in a performance that will intrigue and engage.
This Nexus Live commission explored the original sonic possibilities reached by exploring and blending their contrasting musical backgrounds. Zhao’s mastery of the guzheng framed by diverse percussive and electronic sounds, using automated looping and live treatment to enhance the acoustic properties of this compelling instrument. A true expression of intercultural artistic experimentation.
Interplay
Nexus Arts’ Interplay program offers a unique forum for contemporary musicians from culturally diverse and First Nations backgrounds to develop their practice, networks, and community.
Interplay provides individualised and group-based development activities over the course of one year. The program aims to provide dedicated space for artists to develop, share and connect, bringing contemporary musicians together in the spirit of intercultural communication, exploration and creation.
With the support of the Music Development Office, Nexus Arts is inviting contemporary musicians from culturally diverse and First Nations backgrounds to apply to take part in a unique program that encompasses career guidance, a tailored mentorship, a creative intensive and a performance series. The yearlong program aims to bolster creativity, connection, and community in an intercultural and supportive environment.
Interplay Callout
ARTIST CALLOUT
With the support of the Music Development Office, Nexus Arts is inviting contemporary musicians from culturally diverse and First Nations backgrounds to apply to take part in a unique program that encompasses career guidance, a tailored mentorship, a creative intensive and a performance series. The yearlong program aims to bolster creativity, connection, and community in an intercultural and supportive environment.
If you’re looking to deepen your creative practice, connect with other artists, work with a mentor, develop new skills and partnerships, hone your performance practice and connect with Nexus Arts and the broader South Australian music and arts industry, we welcome your application.
40 for 40 quick response grant
Ms Chipeta supporting Meena De Silva at The Jade (2024). Photography by Pretty Bull Productions.
This grant, of up to $1000, is available to support First Nations artists and those who identify as being culturally and racially marginalised or culturally and linguistically diverse, based in South Australia.
Open to all eligible artists, this grant can be used to access small project or professional arts development and training opportunities that arise at short notice, or that fall outside the scope of other funding opportunities from funding bodies such as Arts South Australia.
Note that this fund will priortise artists who are First Nations and culturally and racially marginalised.
ARTIST CALLOUT FOR ADELAIDE FRINGE 2026 AT NEXUS ARTS VENUE IS NOW CLOSED.
Welcome to the Nexus Arts Venue Fringe 2026 Artist and Presenters Expression Of Interest.
For our 2026 Fringe Season, Nexus Arts is seeking to program work by South Australian artists from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, with a particular focus on the performance of original music. We especially encourage applications from First Nations artists and artists with a disability.
We are of course open to EOI applications from artists of any background. Interstate and International Artists are invited to apply, however priority will be given to local artists.
Please read more about Nexus Arts and our artistic mission here.
You will find more information in our Nexus Arts Venue Fringe 2026 Artist and Presenters Information Pack. Our Venue Manager, Damien Storer, is your first point of contact, and can be reached at damien.storer@nexusarts.org.au . Please note that Damien is part-time and will respond to your email as soon as he is able. Our office is open Tuesday to Friday, 10am – 4pm, and you’re welcome to come by for a tour of the space and to ask any questions you might have. Please contact Damien to book in a time to visit.
Please view our venue specifications and if you have any further questions after doing so, please contact us. Our Venue Hire Accessibility Checklist can be found here.
Please fill in the EOI form here. Details on how to apply in Easy Read Format can be found here.
Applications closed midnight, 29 August 2025 with applicants notified late September.
Art Cards
Introducing our Art Cards!! All funds go to supporting local artists, from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
In collaboration with Nexus-presented artists Jingwei Bu, Meng Zhang and Jonathan Kim, Nexus have created this beautiful outcome: three art cards, one from each artist!
Our art cards are printed off-set on heavy, high-quality paper, plus an envelope. Inside you will find a special message from the artist. One side is blank for your own greeting or love letter. ????
Donations start at just $10, and you can also buy a pack of 3 for $30 or a pack of 6 for $50
Nexus Arts Orchestra
James Elsby
The Nexus Arts Orchestra is a truly intercultural ensemble of musicians who came through their connection to Nexus Arts. The group brings together outstanding global artists who now call Adelaide home, and entrances audiences with a completely original line-up of artists and instruments. Formed in 2021, in their first year the Orchestra performed to audiences of more than 10,000 at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, the Capri Theatre, and the Marion Cultural Centre.
Featuring Ngaanyatjarra singer and songwriter Vonda Last, along with artists with backgrounds in Sufi music, Japanese song, and Cuban traditions, the Nexus Arts Orchestra presents a contemporary vision of Australian contemporary arts which truly represents the diversity of our nation.
“I loved everything about it….I was blown away” “Such diversity, inclusion and beautiful union. Thank you” “explosive, evocative and very interesting.” “world class” “I thought of everyone playing together , in harmony. Wish the world would function so.”
Audience feedback from the Capri Theatre performance, May 2021
Our Sound
Our Sound is a new intercultural workshop program supporting our next generation to engage with arts and music in a culturally rich context, brought to you by some of South Australia’s finest musicians. These workshops embrace diversity through the arts and serve to integrate arts & culture into education. Supporting learning areas in Music, Languages and HASS, this program aims to deliver a colourful, engaging and meaningful experience through school based learning.
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Acknowledgment
Nexus Arts acknowledges the Kaurna people as the owners of the land where we live, learn, and work. We respect their culture and elders and acknowledge their sovereignty was never ceded. We recognise that visual arts, music and storytelling have been central to Aboriginal cultures for over 70,000 years. We work to support this lineage.
