In Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, the Lock-Up's Artist in Residence (AiR) Program offers 2-12 week residencies to artists, based in a former Police Station. A unique residency for contemporary artists across most disciplines.

Located in the heart of Newcastle’s heritage precinct in Newcastle’s original Police Station, The Lock-Up combines an art gallery, Artist in Residence (AiR) program and museum to create a unique destination with a range of cultural activity not offered anywhere else in the Hunter Valley.

The program encourages participants to find inspiration from their historic surrounds and explorations of inner city Newcastle, Australia. Residencies are between 2 - 12 weeks depending on the needs and practice of the applicant.  Participants living on-site in the historical building are provided with accommodation, professional development and community engagement opportunities.

This is a self-driven working residency where the staff and partners of The Lock-Up Cultural Centre will be able to assist with creating and promoting public programming activities and, where possible, exhibitions.

Over the years the program has played host to artists, writers, poets, film-makers, dancers and architects, amongst others, and actively encourages submissions from a broad range of disciplines and locations.  In the five years the program has been running, AiR has hosted over 80 creative practitioners from around Australia and the world, including visual artists Dani Marti, Darren Siwes and Tamara Dean, authors Nikki Gemmel and Marion Halligan, performance artist Liam Benson, choreographer Carol Dilley and producer Marcus Westbury. Residents are required to engage with the community through public programming activities that can include lectures, artist talks, workshops, open studios, exhibition or performance or through direct involvement with the program’s partner organisations; the University of Newcastle, Hunter TAFE and Hunter Writers Centre.

The Lock-Up was the Newcastle Police Station from 1861 until its closure in 1982. Listed in the NSW Heritage Register, The Lock-Up is believed to be the only example in NSW that includes the work of three of the State’s important early architects; Alexander Dawson, Mortimer Lewis Jnr. and Walter Vernon. Constructed in Sydney sandstone, the building is one of a row of four significant buildings on Hunter Street that reflect the prosperity of early Newcastle

Deadline for applications: 9 August 2013 [residencies in 2014]