Vulcana Circus has opened expressions of interest for its 2026 Fresh Artist Development Program, offering a paid creative residency for a First Nations artist or collective to develop a new short performance work for next year's Test Site Festival.

The program supports artists to explore new ideas, experiment with form, and create original works over a three to four-week residency at Vulcana in Magandjin/Brisbane.

Participants will receive studio access, technical and production support, and guidance from First Nations and Pasifika creatives Aurora Liddle-Christie (SOLCHLD) and Lisa Fa'alafi.

Ms Liddle-Christie is an Arrernte/Jamaican multidisciplinary artist whose work spans spoken word, performance and music.

Based in Magandjin, she has worked with Vulcana since 2022 and will take on her first formal mentoring role through their Fresh program.

Ms Liddle-Christie told National Indigenous Times she is looking forward to sharing her experience with other creatives and learning through the process.

"I've been really wanting to step into mentorship more intentionally," she said.

"I'm still very much in my early career, but there definitely are things I can share with others, and I'm looking forward to being in that space of reciprocal transaction."

She said programs like Fresh help strengthen confidence and community for First Nations artists.

"I've built up confidence by failing a lot," Ms Liddle-Christie said.

"If I could tell my younger artist self anything, it would just be: keep being fearless, keep being embarrassing, because eventually you'll get better."

Ms Fa'alafi, a Samoan/Australian artist, is co-director of Polytoxic and Hot Brown Honey and has worked across theatre, dance and circus for three decades.

She brings extensive experience in supporting First Nations and women of colour artists through collaborative and independent work.

Ms Fa'alafi told National Indigenous Times the program provides an opportunity to give back to Vulcana while helping new artists shape their creative practice.

"It feels about giving back both to First Nations artists that are interested, but also to Vulcana as a community-led organisation," she said.

Ms Fa'alafi said the mentorship will be designed around the individual needs of the selected artist or collective.

"When they are chosen, we're able to sit down with them and create a program that caters to their own growth and development," she said.

Ms Fa'alafi said the process is intended to foster collaboration and lasting relationships.

"It's about access and time - having someone to bounce ideas off or even help plan a pathway. That's the exciting part," she said.

Vulcana Program Manager Angela Peita said the Fresh initiative was created in response to a lack of new circus works from independent artists.

"Last year Vulcana was looking to put an event on with new circus works from independent artists, and found a significant lack of work available," she said.

Ms Peita said Fresh was developed to fill that gap and to ensure underrepresented voices are supported.

"Despite some incredible companies and artists creating amazing First Nations-led circus works, it is still reasonably rare that we see these works on stages in comparison to work centred around white experiences," she said.

Incoming Artistic Director Allie Wilde told National Indigenous Times Vulcana aims to build long-term career pathways for marginalised artists.

"Our hope is that, through this residency, First Nations artists will be supported to create a work they can continue to perform and tour," she said.

She said the initiative is designed to create lasting opportunities rather than one-off engagements.

"It is not our intention that this will be a singular, or temporary, engagement - rather it is hoped this will be the beginning of a long-term relationship," she said.

Ms Fa'alafi encouraged artists of all disciplines to apply, noting that circus experience is not required.

"Even if you don't see yourself as a circus artist, apply," she said.

"Maybe you haven't dabbled in circus yet, but connecting here, you might meet somebody who is, and you just never know where that collaboration could go."

Expressions of interest for Fresh 2026, are open until 2 January 2026, with the selected artist/collective to present their work at Vulcana's Test Site Festival from 7-12 April 2026.

Applications are now being accepted online.