Shopfront Arts Co-op

ArtsLab is Shopfront Arts Co-op’s biannual artist residency program, a six-month laboratory that offers free space, resources, networking opportunities and professional mentorship to pursue a creative project. The residency culminates in a festival season to present your work to the public. This residency isn't just about creating work; it is about learning what it takes to have a sustainable career in the arts. 

What is ArtsLab: DRIFTERS

ArtsLab: Drifters will be two festivals, by 4 incredible emerging artists from Western Sydney, with three new theatre works and a performance installation. The festivals will take place for one week each, at 107 Redfern from 18 - 22nd October, and The Joan, Penrith from 9 - 11th November. 

Our ArtsLab Works

Check out a sneak peek behind the scenes of our four ArtsLab works below: 

Sensations of Maintenance: 

A devised theatre work led by Adam Yoon exploring the living process of continuity and change in our lives.  Through fragments and threads of sound, memory and movement the piece seeks to take apart and play with the frames we set up for ourselves and those that have been setup for us by others.

Red Soup: 

Written and directed by Anna Krywyj Moore, this exciting blend of performance, poetry and theatre tells the story of two women and two invasions of Ukraine. Where is home when you’ve been running from it all your life?

One Self over the Crimson Nest: 

In this living installation by Divya Lotliker, she explores a space that represents her childhood bedroom. A space that was a refuge from the world and a world in itself. Over the course of the festival, this room will transform, as the walls begin to carry the memories and emotions of Divya’s teenage years. 

CURBSQUATTERS: 

A fresh new work, written and directed by Irelish Barker, this story begins in a nightclub. It ends in a nightclub. But it isn’t really about a nightclub. This somewhat auto-biographical story explores the trials and tribulations of clubbing culture amongst Young People. 

And here are the four young emerging artists that make up this DRIFT:

Adam Yoon is a movement artist/theatre maker

Anna Krywyj Moore is a playwright and poet 

Divya Lotliker is a visual artist 

Irelish Barker is a performer, writer and theatre maker. 

How will the funds be used?

The money raised from our Pozible campaign will be used to cover the many costs that come along with presenting a festival comprising visual arts, theatre, installation works and live performances! This year ArtsLab will feature four artistic works at 107 Projects and The Joan. Our Pozible campaign ensures that Shopfront Arts Co-op doesn’t absorb the costs of these eight residencies and productions, and provides our community the chance to support us to make our work. 

The rundown of our funding goals are: 

Primary Goal: $2,000

Our first goal allows us to cover the fee for our brilliant and beautiful production manager and crew, who will creatively and technically support us in executing our works and coordinate the smooth running of the ArtsLab 2023 two-week long festival season.

Stretch Goal: $3,000

With an extra $1,000 we will be able to pay for a lighting designer to work across all works, and make them look amazing on stage and within the gallery. With this we can also cover the costs of technical support of rigging, so that our production manager’s back doesn’t break from all that hard work!

Dream Goal: $4,000

With your generosity, a further $1,000 will go towards all our materials – visual arts equipment, art supplies, set, props, design, and additional technical gear. That’s just $250 per artist. These are the things that will allow us to showcase our work at a professional level.

If we don’t reach these goals, the expense of a Production Manager, the production materials and equipment will fall upon Shopfront. Running at a loss may compromise their ability to continue to ArtsLab in the future.