Venue

KINGS Artist-Run is located in a ground floor building less than 200 meters from Queen Victoria Market in West Melbourne. The venue has two distinct gallery spaces and an alcove to house STRAY VOLTAGE, KINGS iterative video program. Gallery 1 and Gallery 2 are programmed through a yearly open call. The video program does not currently accept applications. The venue also includes a covered outdoor area with modular seating, suitable for events, talks and workshops. 

Gallery 1

Gallery 1 is 6.7 x 3.9m, with a light grey painted concrete floor, one red brick wall with one window, dark grey painted large wooden sliding door, one white door to adjoining space and a 3 meter ceiling height with overhead LED lighting.

Gallery 2

Gallery 2 is 5.5 x 3.8m, with a light grey painted concrete floor, one red brick wall with 2 windows and a 3 meter ceiling height with overhead LED lighting.

Video Space

The video space opens onto Gallery 1 and contains a permanently installed flat screen TV. This space houses STRAY VOLTAGE, KINGS iterative video program. This program is not open for applications. 

Exhibition Program Open Call

Applications for our July 2022 – June 2023 exhibition program are now closed.

KINGS presents critical and experimental projects from emerging and mid-career artists. We strongly encourage applications from First Nations artists, artists from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, Deaf and disabled artists and LGBTQIA+ artists. 

KINGS seeks to support a broad range of projects and approaches to contemporary art practice. We particularly value projects that are research-based, experimental, relevant to current social and political concerns and projects that contribute to broader discourses within the arts.  

Application Process

Required information:

> Project Summary (max. 250 words)
Briefly discuss the conceptual basis of your proposed project (ideas that have informed the work, themes that are addressed in the work.) 

> Exhibition Description (max. 150 words)
In simple terms, please describe what will be seen/heard/experienced in the gallery. Where possible, identify what physical elements of the gallery will be used. 

> Exhibitor(s) bio (max. 100 words per person)

> 1 page CV

> Up to 10 supporting images or video/audio/weblinks

Accessibility: KINGS Artist-Run Initiative welcomes applications from Deaf and Disabled artists. If you require an alternative format we will be happy to discuss how we can support your application.

Further information about our areas of focus and key terms

Research-based: Research can take many forms, but should show an ongoing theoretical, material or lived engagement with a concept, theory or set of ideas. 

Experimental: Experimental can be defined differently in relation to each artists’ practice and to art history more broadly. A proposal that is experimental might demonstrate a fresh, unexpected take on existing concepts, challenge assumptions/expectations around ideas, and or, push the limitations of a specific medium or creative discipline.

Relevant to current social and political issues: Projects that are in some way concerned with and committed to exploring important local as well as global issues. This might include the oppression of marginalised communities, climate change, the global pandemic, colonialism, late capitalism, neoliberalism and privatisation amongst many other pressing issues.