Theatre Works 2026 | Expressions of Interest

TW
Jun 3
3 min read

NOW OPEN: Expressions of Interest for Theatre Works 2026!

Theatre Works is thrilled to invite artists, producers, and companies to submit EOIs for our 2026 program — including Mainstage, Explosives Factory, and Midsumma Festival 2026!

APPLY NOW

Applications Close: Sunday 25 July 2025

Theatre Works invites artists, producers, and companies to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) for presentation in our 2026 season. This callout includes:

General Season Programming across our two venues
Midsumma Festival 2026 programming

We’re looking for bold, original, and compelling live performance works that speak to our times. Whether you're at the start of your creative journey or mid-career and seeking the next leap forward, Theatre Works offers a collaborative co-producing model to help realise your artistic vision.

THEATRE WORKS MAINSTAGE

St Kilda – 146 seats | Proscenium Arch | Full Technical Capabilities

The Mainstage program is best suited to works of scale, ambition, and audience reach. This venue is ideal for:

Productions with high production values
Artists/companies with a strong producing capacity
Projects with a comprehensive marketing and publicity plan
Works with clear audience development strategies

Theatre Works provides:

Full venue access and staffing (tech, FOH, box office)
Marketing and publicity support
Ticketing services
Producing and administration guidance
A co-producing partnership (we do not hire the space)

Works in the Mainstage must have a dedicated producer attached, and a clear plan for production delivery and promotion. We expect a strong artistic rationale paired with practical readiness.

EXPLOSIVES FACTORY

St Kilda – 60 seats | Flexible Black Box | Raw & Intimate

The Explosives Factory program is ideal for works that thrive in a more flexible, immersive, and experimental space. This venue supports:

New work development and presentation
Site-responsive and intimate performance
Risk-taking, unconventional, or form-pushing ideas
Emerging and mid-career artists
Smaller independent companies
Works that benefit from a black-box setting

We provide the same producing, marketing, and technical support offered in our Mainstage stream, but this space is ideal for projects that use the unique architecture and atmosphere of the venue to their advantage.

We welcome EOIs from artists with clear creative intent, strong conceptual foundations, and a willingness to embrace experimentation — regardless of career stage.

MIDSUMMA FESTIVAL 2026

Both Venues Available

As a proud Midsumma venue partner, Theatre Works is committed to amplifying LGBTIQA+ voices and stories through our festival programming. We welcome expressions of interest from:

Queer-identifying artists, creatives, and producers
Works exploring queer identity, history, culture, or future
Intersectional, diverse and inclusive storytelling
Projects of scale (Mainstage) or experimentation (Explosives Factory)

All Midsumma productions are co-produced and receive the same venue, marketing, ticketing, and technical support as our general season. Works must be ready to present in late January to early February 2025.

WORKS IN DEVELOPMENT & REHEARSAL SPACE

In addition to programmed seasons, Theatre Works also supports the development of new work through rehearsal space access and creative developments in both our Mainstage and Explosives Factory venues, when availability allows. We welcome EOIs from artists and companies seeking short-term residencies, workshop space, or informal showings. These opportunities are offered in line with venue scheduling and are best suited to projects that are already in motion but need time, space, and the right environment to evolve. Simply indicate your interest in space access within the application form.

SELECTION CRITERIA

All applications are assessed on: