Please read the below information before completing this form:
Clarence City Council is seeking applications from Palawa artists for the 2026 Clarence Jazz Festival Visual Artist Commission.
Each year we commission an artist to create new work in any medium that can be incorporated into the Clarence Jazz Festival branding and promotion.
About Clarence Jazz Festival:
Clarence Jazz Festival, which celebrates it’s 30th anniversary in 2026, is Lutruwita/ Tasmania’s largest and most prestigious jazz festival. It is a joyful coming together of some of our island’s and country’s finest musicians and artists and provides an opportunity to celebrate the cultural value that participation in the arts and music brings to our local community. Each festival, held annually in Summer on the Eastern Shore of Timtumili Mananya, on the land of the Mumuriminar people, platforms the rich diversity of our community and provides safe, affordable, accessible and beautiful spaces for gathering and celebrating.
Our 30th festival will acknowledge the rich history of our island’s music makers, while looking forward to the future to create pathways for development for our emerging artists and young people. At the centre of our festival’s ethos is respect and responsibility for the Country which nurtures, inspires and challenges us, and a commitment to working together with Palawa people to tell the truth about our island’s history while ensuring our festival can be a place where all people are seen, respected and heard.
About the opportunity:
Each year, we commission an artist to inform and provide the essential visual character of the festival through the creation of a new work of art. The opportunity will support a Palawa artist to create new work that will be incorporated into the 2026 Jazz Festival branding, forming the visual identity of the festival through extensive print and digital media, particularly through the incorporation into the iconic “JAZZ” festival logo.
The selected applicant will receive a $7000AUD artist fee to create new work, to be completed by the 12th of September for brand development and publication. In addition, Clarence City Council will acquire a piece (or pieces) for the Clarence City Council Art Collection. We have a seperate budget, to be used at the artist’s discretion, to pay other Palawa people for consultation about the work they are creating.
Work will be selected based on its response to the concepts of vibrancy, gathering, celebration and respect for Country, potential to contribute to the Festival marketing and ability to translate to a variety of uses and media.
Timeline:
Applications open on Thursday the 24th of April and close on Friday the 31st of May.
Applicants will be notified of the outcome by Friday the 13th of June.
The successful applicant will need to deliver completed artworks to the Rosny Farm Arts Centre no later than Friday the 12th of September. You will be supported throughout the process of creation by members of our Arts Team.
The commissioned artist will receive an invitation to attend the 2026 Clarence Jazz Festival, which runs from the 19th - 22rd February 2026.
Who can apply?
The 2026 Jazz Festival Visual Artist Commission is open to all Lutruwita/ Tasmanian-based Palawa visual artists, designers and collectives working in any medium and at any career stage.
Please note: Clarence Jazz Festival is committed to supporting the growing diversity of our creative sector, both on and off stage. Applications are strongly encouraged from emerging artists, people living with disability, women and gender diverse folk, LGBTQIA+ people and people living and working in regional and remote areas.
How will my work be used?
Artworks may be used for site dressing, stage dressing, print material, online program design, fence cladding, social media, merchandise and more. Please see below historic examples of artworks being incorporated into the festival branding.
Ultimately, we only require one piece of work for the jazz festival branding and acquisition, however the successful applicant may choose to create multiple works for display and sale at the festival.
There are no size restrictions for the final work.
Application requirements
Applicants are asked to submit the following with this jotform:
-Artist CV
-short biography [up to 250 words]
-brief description of proposed work and how it could be used to inform the festival branding and any opportunities for site dressing elements [up to 300 words].
-5 images of previous work that are indicative of the proposed work
-relevant weblinks
Selection Criteria
Each application will be assessed by the Clarence Council Arts and Events team against the following criteria:
1. Artistic excellence
2. Relevance to the themes of:
Vibrancy,
Gathering,
Celebration and,
Respect for Country
3. Versatility and visual impact of proposed work for branding and promotional use
4. Demonstrated ability/ willingness to work collaboratively to deliver on a creative brief
If you have any difficulty filling out this form please contact the Clarence Arts and Events team located at the Rosny Farm Arts Centre on 6217 9607 or email lconboy@ccc.tas.gov.au or sbishop@ccc.tas.gov.au