SCIENCE GALLERY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE
OPEN CALL
Open from Monday 16 September
Open call closes: Sunday 27 October.
Atlanta time: Sunday 27 October, 8:59am
London time: Sunday 27 October, 1:59pm
Bengaluru time: Sunday 27 October, 6:29pm
Melbourne time: Sunday 27 October, 11:59pm
EMERGENCE(Y) springs forth in response to a rapidly changing world. As we enter a future defined by climate crisis, humans and non-humans must adapt in order to survive. Looking forward, back and all around, how might we change in response to the cataclysmic shifts occurring on this planet we call home? Will we acclimatise, or will we abandon ship? A new future blooms, and the environment will look drastically different. Cities are growing and densifying, natural landscapes are shrinking. Will we re-wild? Re-create? Re-emerge into a positive new world? Surviving and thriving is the goal, how are we going to achieve it?
EMERGENCE(Y) will open at Science Gallery Melbourne in 2026.
Subthemes/perspectives/ideas to be explored include (but are not limited to):
Climate Crisis
Sustainable energy
First Nations knowledge and culture
Urban environments and cities
Place/habitat
Evolution
Species survival
Non-human adaptation
Agriculture, food production
Fashion design and adaptation
Hope/perseverance/community
Consumption
Resilience
Some considerations:
This open call invites you to propose installations and research projects that can operate in a shared-space group exhibition context in a non-traditional gallery environment, where the light and sound conditions aren’t constant. Projects selected via our open call are generally funded for up to $8000 AUD (Australian dollars), which includes all fees, materials, freight, and other project costs. Please note that this is a maximum amount, not a target amount. Unfortunately, at this stage, we are usually not able to include travel costs in this budget. These projects will be open to the public for approximately six months attended by upwards of 30,000+ people, with a focus on 15–30-year olds. We value projects that are simple in their invitation, opening the door for complex debate and ongoing enquiry. We love projects that are iterative, interactive, contribute to genuine research and that are interdisciplinary. We love humour, provocation, speculation, and irreverent ideas that entertain people first and then educate them. The project you propose can be a new idea, in-development or evolved for another presentation or existing works that are ready to go.
FAQs
When will the show happen? Opening early 2026
Why are there so many application deadlines? The Submittable platform we use it coded to UTC: Coordinated Universal Time. We are based in Melbourne (Australian Eastern Standard Time) and working across international time zones. The times listed above are all the one moment in time across the globe. Please check what time it is in your location when it turns 12:59pm on Sunday 27 October in UTC: Coordinated Universal Time to work out when the application form will close for you (or better yet just submit earlier).
How long will it take for you to let me know if I am successful? Approximately 3 months from the closing date of the application, depending on how many we receive.
Who can apply? Absolutely everybody! There is no restriction on age, level of education, research background, discipline, cultural group, or identity. We really value diverse perspectives from people with different lived experiences. First Nations peoples and young people are encouraged to apply.
Do I have to write my submission? You can write in the question fields of the form, upload a video, provide a link, submit in Auslan or audio – whatever is the most accessible form for you! You can submit in a non-English writing, but please note that we only have the capacity to put the words through Google translate.
Can more than one person apply? Yes! We will just ask someone to be the primary applicant on the form for ease of communication and administration.
Can I submit more than one application? Yes.
How do I approach the budget question? In this application, we are just looking to understand your projects financial viability within this budget scope – so give us a simple breakdown. We are looking to see that you know the idea you’ve pitched is realistic. If your project is selected, we will negotiate costs in consideration to what you supply and what we can supply. Projects with co-funding are considered.
What is the exhibition space like? Watch this video to get a sense. The space is approximately 1000 square meters with wide-open areas, moveable walls, large glass windows, natural light and high ceilings. There will be sound bleed and a bustling atmosphere.
Is the gallery accessible? Yes, our space and exhibitions are designed with accessibility in mind and we encourage submissions to consider access needs of our audiences. Our gallery is wheelchair accessible and the building contains an audio hearing loop for audio descriptions of the exhibition. Science Gallery exhibitions do however always include bold audio-visual works that encourage audience participation – often containing moving parts, light and sound. The development of a show is a wild ride but we try to find a balance.
How do you review the applications? The applications are reviewed by staff and a curatorial panel of young people. The first round helps us decide what applications we don’t think will work for the exhibition and what applications we want to review again, more in-depth. First impressions matter. Then the selected applications are reviewed with the curatorial panel and hotly debated. Then we make a shortlist and invite applicants for interviews to find out more. Then we undertake the fickle job of curating and make a final selection.
Do you provide opportunities for culturally diverse perspectives? Yes, we strongly encourage applications from everyone, encompassing the full diversity of lived experience both local and global. Further info on the University of Melbourne's Diversity and Inclusion Strategy can be found here.
Who is your audience? Young people are at the heart of what we do. Seventy per cent of audiences are under 30 years old and our exhibitions are created with young people in mind. It’s important that you think about how this audience will connect with your work.
What sorts of things can I propose? We will consider anything, but keep in mind the exhibition duration and how robust your work needs to be for the size of our audiences. We accept risky work and ideas that might involve unusual materials, living organisms or materials that need ongoing maintenance. But of course, people’s safety is our number one concern. Haze, strobes, and extremely loud and constant noise (over 65db) is probably not going to work in this exhibition context.
Can I propose performances or more short-term projects? Yes, we will consider these for public programs and one-off events. It’s worth letting us know about your project. Generally, though, we won’t spend the same amount of time and resources on a one-day activity as a four-month installation. So think about the scale of what you are pitching in relation to budget.
Can I receive feedback on my application? Not for the first round sorry, we just get too many and don’t have the capacity. We can provide feedback for shortlisted applications we have interviewed.
I don’t really have a project to pitch but I would love to be involved as this exhibition theme relates to my area of research or interests. Let’s gloss over the fact that this isn’t technically a question and say: “Fantastic!” We want to know about your practice. Come join us as we embed research and knowledge within the fabric of all our programs. We want to connect you with the public, creative practitioners, academics, and industry both locally and globally.
If you have any questions or would like additional support in the application process, please ask a question below or reach out to us via email at info@Melbourne.sciencegallery.com
Other network wide Frequently Asked Questions are answered here. https://sciencegallery.org/faqs
HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THIS OPEN CALL? ASK US BELOW
Open call closes on Sunday 27 October.