Submitting an application for
PACT Lab: Process, Play, Experiment
Advice from PACT Executive Director / CEO Justine Shih Pearson
Q: I find writing about my work so hard! What is your advice for writing about my work for my PACT Lab: Process, Play, Experiment (PPE) application?
Be clear in your writing. We are not looking for you to write in a particular style, be it ‘academic writing’ or ‘grant speak’, etc. We are looking for you to explain as clearly as possible what your project idea is, who you are, and how you will work. Use your own voice.
Remember that your reader is reading many applications! Be kind to them. Take them by the hand and guide them through your application. Answer the question directly. Tell them why you are including particular support material and how it relates to your project. Don’t give them more than 5 minutes of support material to watch/read.
Use the tools at your disposal. Do you find talking about it easier than writing? Then record yourself and play it back or use a transcription note-taking app. Do you write better in the morning or night? Will getting your ideas down with a pen and paper, away from the computer, help you get started?
If you have difficulty with written English we don’t want this to be a barrier for you to submit an application. If you would like to submit an application in an alternative format, please get in touch with us and we will happily work out an alternative with you.
Get a friend to read it before you press submit; someone who will tell you honestly if they understand what you are trying to communicate.
Don’t leave it to the last minute! Very few people do their best work when they are stressed.
Q: Are you looking for particular kinds of projects?
We are looking for projects that explore new performance forms and practices, and have a strong vision or central idea.
We ask you in the application form to situate your work in relation to the field of contemporary art/performance so that we can get an idea of what kind of artist you are and want to be.
We are interested in sound art, dance, installation, performance that blends video and live performance, devised performance, participatory performance, verbatim theatre, and all the new experimental practices that haven’t been named yet.
In the application form we also ask you to explain how your work explores new forms or new approaches to artistic practice. This is for you to define for yourself. For example, you might be exploring traditional knowledges or forms into contemporary performance in new ways. You might be giving voice to underrepresented communities and telling new stories we haven’t seen on our stages before. You might be working with new technologies. You might be developing a new approach to dance practice. This is only a short list… the possibilities are endless!
Q: Is there a requirement for a public outcome, e.g. a show?
At the end of the lab, PPE artists hold a public showing (at PACT) of the works they have developed during the residency.
Q: When do PPE applications close?
PPE applications close on Friday 1st August 2025 at 3:00pm AEST.
If you have any questions, send us an email - info@pact.net.au