2027 New Works Lab Artist Residency

Culture Lab LIC's "New Works Lab" is a developmental performing arts program geared toward the support and creation of new work. It offers artists & companies free rehearsal and performance space to develop and produce a new performance-based work. Each project will be showcased on one of our stages and presented and promoted as a part of Culture Lab LIC’s "New Works Festival" in November and early December.

This is an opportunity for you to stage your original work!

Mediums accepted

We accept proposals from all genres (theater, music, dance, performance art, puppetry, etc.), as long as the work is performed live.

This residency is not open to participants from 2024 - 2026 cohort.

Artists retain creative rights to the work created with Culture Lab LIC listed as the original producer.

Community Engagement & Performances
As part of Culture Lab LIC’s commitment to fostering sustainable artistic careers and connecting artists with audiences, residents must be willing to participate in additional public events, performances, or presentations throughout the year.
These opportunities are designed to:

* Showcase work to the Culture Lab LIC community, local audiences, & funders
* Strengthen professional visibility and potential for future collaborations
* Create a dynamic dialogue between artists and the Queens cultural ecosystem

Program Timeline
February-October

Artists are encouraged to experiment, write, sing, dance and develop their project. A part of this process will be monthly check-ins with their fellow LAB peers and with Culture Lab LIC's Artistic Director, Tess Howsam.

Please note meeting dates are as follows:

February - Tuesday 16, 7-9pm

April - Tuesday 13 , 7-9pm

June - Tuesday 29, 7-9pm

August - Tuesday 11, 7-9pm

November - December

"New Works Festival"

Artists will be presented as a part of Culture Lab LIC's "New Works Festival." This festival presents fully realized projects by each artist/company for four weekends in November and the first weekend in December. The festival is not an opportunity for stage readings or projects unable to be fully realized.

Presentation Dates are as follows:

Artist/Company One: November 4-7

Artist/Company Two: November 11-14

Artist/Company Three: November 18-21

Artist/Company Four: December 2-5

Applicants must be able to present work during one of the four weekends listed above.

Submission Timeline

Opens Nov 2, 2026

Closes 11:59PM on January 4, 2027

Select applicants will be contacted for an interview mid-January

2027 New Works Lab Artists selected and announced February 1, 2027

• Name of applicant:

First NameLast Name

Please list your preferred pronouns

• Phone number of applicant:

Area CodePhone Number

• Email address of applicant:

example@example.com

Are you applying as an individual or company?

If you are applying as a company what is your company's name?

Link to website

What is the medium/genre you will be working in? We accept proposals from all genres as long as the work is performed live. Please select all that apply:

Working Title of Proposed New Works Lab Project

Give us a one sentence pitch for your project:

Tell us more about your project, and why it is a good fit to become a part of the New Works Lab? Why do you feel Culture Lab LIC would be a good home for your work and the projects process at this stage? (200 words or less):

0/300

Excluding any space rental cost, what is your estimated budget for this project? Do you have the funds already raised or do you need to raise them? Keep in mind Culture Lab LIC cannot provide fiscal support to projects.

Culture Lab LIC is interested in supporting the developmental process. We aim to offer space to artists to create something new and boundary pushing! Please select what best describes the proposed work.

Other

This residency program culminates in a presentation. It is our goal to support you to make this final presentation as fully realized as possible. A Producers Run will be set in late September/ early October for each show. Tell us what makes you confident that your proposed project can be delivered at its fullest by this point.

Highlight #1--- EXAMPLE: "Inside Martha's House" written by Betty Bathhouse, The Tank (May 2024). This theatrical hybrid show explores what it means to belong as told through dance and audience created installation art. Highlighted to illustrate how I use dance and audience integration in my work similar to my how my proposed project would work.

Video clip from Highlight #1 performance - does not need to be "high-quality" just a capture of the project.

Browse Files

Highlight #2 - Reminder highlights should be presented as follows: "TITLE of show," writer/creator, director/choreographer, location, date - one sentence summary and one sentence why it is a highlight.

Video clip from Highlight #2 performance - does not need to be "high-quality" just a capture of the project.

Browse Files

Highlight #3 - Reminder highlights should be presented as follows: "TITLE of show," writer/creator, director/choreographer, location, date - one sentence summary and one sentence why it is a highlight.

Video clip from Highlight #3 performance - does not need to be "high-quality" just a capture of the project.

Browse Files

Highlight #4 - (optional) Reminder highlights should be presented as follows: "TITLE of show," writer/creator, director/choreographer, location, date - one sentence summery and one sentence why it is a highlight.

Video clip from Highlight #4 performance - does not need to be "high-quality" just a capture of the project.

Browse Files

Highlight #5 (optional) - Reminder highlights should be presented as follows: "TITLE of show," writer/creator, director/choreographer, location, date - one sentence summary and one sentence why it is a highlight.

Video clip from Highlight #5 performance - does not need to be "high-quality" just a capture of the project.

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Choose between video upload or written. If choosing a video please upload a 2 minute video (no longer than 2 min!) telling us about you, your process, influences, what excites you, etc. OR Upload an artist statement no longer than 300 words. We know this is short!

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Project Lead / Primary Creative Resume or CV

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Applicants must be able to present work created during one of the four weekends listed below. November 4-7, November 11-14, November 18-21, December 2-5 If selected confirm that you and your team be able to present during one of these weekends. Please select all options for your group.

A part of this process there will be monthly check-ins with their fellow LAB peers and with Culture Lab LIC's Artistic Director, Tess Howsam. Single absences or absences due to illness are excused but attendance is considered mandatory and a part of the peer review element of the residency. Dates are as follows: February - Tuesday 16, 7-9pm, April - Tuesday 13 , 7-9pm, June - Tuesday 29, 7-9pm, August - Tuesday 11, 7-9pm

Other

How did you hear about this program?

Have you worked with us before? (If so, when/how?) If not NA

Have you ever seen anything at Culture Lab? If so what?

• Upload Image #1

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Descriptive text for Image #1:

• Upload Image #2

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Descriptive text for Image #2:

• Upload Image #3

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Descriptive text for Image File #3:

• Upload Image #4

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Descriptive text for Image File #4:

• Upload Image #5

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Descriptive text for Image File #5:

Video file

Browse Files

MP4 preferred; file size limit: 10 MB

• Video URL (Youtube, Vimeo, etc.)

Example:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0FlK5QwjapyxkC2dYwRkBg

• URLs #1: If you're on Soundcloud, Bandcamp, Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, Amazon Music, or other music or video platforms, list URL here:

Example: https://marielaflorolivo.bandcamp.com/ or https://soundcloud.com/mariela-flor-olivo

• URLs #2: If you're on Soundcloud, Bandcamp, Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, Amazon Music, or other music or video platforms, list URL here:

Example: https://marielaflorolivo.bandcamp.com/ or https://soundcloud.com/mariela-flor-olivo

Descriptive text for Video File:

Upload PDF

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Add Supplementary Material - Upload Additional Documents/Images (Optional)

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Accepted file formats: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf, jpg, png, xls, xlsx, csv

• Instagram Name/Handle

Example:@culturelablic

• Instagram URL

Example: https://www.instagram.com/culturelablic/

• Facebook Name/Handle

Example: @culturelablic

• Facebook URL

Example: https://www.facebook.com/culturelablic/

OTHER

New Works Lab

GENERAL INFORMATION

The Project Pitch

Individual / Company Production History

Tell us about YOU!

Important Dates

Work Sample - Images

Additional Work Sample- Video

Work Samples

Social Media