Emerging Talent Voices and the Next Wave to Watch

Wollongong City Council opened applications on July 15 for its annual Next Wave showcase, selecting 12 emerging creators for paid performances and exhibitions across the winter program.

The timing aligns with the Illawarra’s push to keep young artists from relocating to Sydney or Melbourne after a 2025 state arts review showed regional retention rates below 40 percent for graduates from the University of Wollongong’s creative arts faculty.

Venues Hosting the New Voices

Selected participants will stage readings and small concerts at the Wollongong Art Gallery on Crown Street and at the Harbourfront Cultural Precinct on Marine Drive, both confirmed as primary sites in the council’s July 10 media release.

Organisers also booked two nights at the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre on Burelli Street for larger group showcases in September.

Last year the same program received 312 applications and awarded each finalist a $1,750 stipend plus venue access, according to the council’s published outcomes report dated 12 December 2025.

Practical Next Steps

Applications close at 5pm on 22 August and require a 500-word proposal plus work samples uploaded through the council website; a free information session runs at the North Wollongong Community Centre on 28 July at 6:30pm.

Artists can also drop physical portfolios at the Wollongong Art Gallery front desk before the deadline.