About
From 28 March 2022 Cloudbough will no longer offer private art residencies. From mid May 2022, we will have a spare room available for artists who may be looking for a share-style residency arrangement, and who knows, maybe we will build a separate wing for artists. The main focus in the next 12 months will be transforming the backyard into a food and medicine forest, stay tuned! A massive thank you to all the incredible artists who spent time at Cloudbough.
Cloudbough Art Residency (pronounced “Cloud-Bough” as in the bough of a tree) offers an affordable, short-stay retreat space for up to 4 people. Creators from visual, written, music, design, curatorial, new media, academic and performance backgrounds (local and international) are welcome to apply. The residency does not ask guests to produce specific creative outcomes. Instead, it provides an out-of-city retreat for creatives to focus, deepen their practice, or take time-out. Creatives are also encouraged to engage with the location in the spirit of immanence, interconnection and community.
The residency is run by creative producer, Gabrielle Bates who has undertaken 6 residencies in the last 15 years. Her experiences were so positive, she wanted to create her own residency for others. When she found Cloudbough in 2018, she knew it was the place.
Accommodation
The simple 1930s cottage has an eat-in kitchen, living room, two queen bedrooms, a studio space, shower room and an outdoor WC (with covered access). The studio is the size of a double bedroom and has excellent light, making it ideal for painting, drawing, writing, thinking. There’s also a wide sunny verandah, and a large backyard with a carport and shady trees. The bright interiors are full of character, and there is gas/electric heating plus electric blankets for cooler nights. A flat fee of $80 for cleaning/linen/towels and sundries is charged on top of accommodation and goes directly to a Kandos community member.
Studio
The studio is the size of a double bedroom with two tables (one is glass) and a chair in it. This simple set up allows artists, writers and musicians the flexibility to create. The room’s north east aspect draws plentiful light and the rear wall has been plaster-clad for the pinning of works. One of the tables is portable and can be used on the verandah or rear garden for outdoor projects. Painters, print makers and sculptors are asked to bring and use drop sheets.
Location
Cloudbough is 3 hours west of Sydney, at the foot of Mount Combamolang in the regional town of Kandos. In the last 10 years, Kandos has become a magnet for creatives wishing to explore alternative modes of cultural production and connection. The area’s ancient landscape, fascinating history and warm community combines to create an inspiring site for an art residency. Essential amenities including an IGA supermarket, bank, pharmacy, post office, swimming pool, museum and a pub are in walking distance. A short drive away you’ll find Rylstone Village cafes, boutiques, grocers, pubs and hardware; vineyard cellar doors and restaurants; camping and swimming at Ganguddy-Dunns Swamp; and forest walks into Ferntree Gully. Drive further to visit Mudgee’s Bunnings, restaurants, vineyards, gardens and museums; Gulgong’s historic village, museum and potteries; Sofala and Hill End historic villages and painting grounds; Bathurst Regional Arts Centre and Dubbo Regional Art Gallery.
The drive from Sydney to Kandos is approximately 3 hours and 20 minutes.
Residency costs
1 week – AUD$350 2 weeks – AUD$650 Day rates – AUD$99
Cleaning fee – AUD$80
Payment of AUD$150 non-refundable deposit must be made in advance to secure your agreed dates. A bond of AUD$200 must be included with your final payment and will be returned at the conclusion of the accommodation period (subject to the property being restored to the same condition in which is was loaned). The fees cover artist accommodation, work space, bathroom, kitchen, electricity, hot/water, gas, tea/coffee and Covid-safe cleaning. See the calendar below to coordinate your residency with seasons, festivals and events. The cottage will be yours for the agreed period of stay; you will not be sharing it with anyone else.
All artists and guests are responsible for their own visas and travel costs associated with the residency (including air fares, trains and buses). Please confirm in your application that you accept this condition.
To apply
- The residency works on a seasonal application basis (see available timeslots below).
- Residency slots are negotiable with the possibility of longer stints if requested. See calendar below for seasons and events.
Email the following details to gabrielle.bates@live.com.au who reserves the right to reject any application.
- Who you are (max 100 words – include name, email, phone number and address)
- What you do (max 100 words)
- Why you want to do the residency (max 100 words)
- The dates you wish to do your residency
- A current CV (1 page, please include any website and social media links)
- Support material (jpegs & MP3s – no more than 2MB each, youtube/vimeo links, sample page of writing)
- Guests are responsible for all visa and travel costs (including air fares, trains and buses) associated with the residency. Please confirm in your application that you accept this condition.
Seasons and corresponding events
- Late January STREET MACHINE (next 22/01/2022)
- Late February RYLSTONE KANDOS SHOW (next 25-26/02/2022)
- January to April WARM WEATHER
- May CEMENTA (next 19-22 May 2022)
- May to August COOL WEATHER, OCCASIONAL SNOW
- August to November SPRING WEATHER, amazing blooms
- November SCULPTURES IN THE GARDEN, MUDGEE (next 6-21/11/2021)
- December CLAY GULGONG (next 11-17/12/2021)
- December to January SUMMER HOLIDAY PERIOD
Timeslots for Summer 2021-2022
24-30/1/22 ; 7-13/2/22 ; 21-27/3/22
Cloudbough artists
Adam Norton; Jo Shand; Catherine Sim; Lynsey McGee; Adrian Workman; Alice McKaig; Dan McIvor; Cath Ward; Richard Maude; Karen Normoyle; Cathy Weizmann; Nina Stromqvist; Deborah Kelly; Karen Golland; Sandra McMahon; Gabrielle Collins; Michelle Hungerford; DJ Semper-Fi; Michelle Perret; Kandos School of Cultural Adaptation; Kathryn Cowen; Brooke Thompson; Shammgods; Ellen Kirkwood; Johanna Van Kampen; Jane Bodnaruk; Desdemona Foster; Jen Friedland; Frances Carleton; Tom Isaacs
Acknowledgement of Country
Cloudbough Art Residency acknowledges the Dabee Tribe of the Wiradjuri people within the Kandos Rylstone region, and pays respects to their elders, past, present and emerging.