Gavin Murphy, The Necessity of Ruins (Films 2012—2023), Composite : Moving Image Agency (Narrm / Melbourne) 2025. Photo: Christo Crocker.

Call for proposals

Outer Space x Composite Video Commission

Outer Space is excited to partner with Composite: Moving Image Agency (Narrm/Melbourne) to invite proposals from Queensland-based emerging, early and mid-career artists for a new video commission. The selected artist will develop and present a short-form moving image work with support from both organisations.

Applications close 11:59pm Monday 23 June 2025.

About the Opportunity

Outer Space and Composite: Moving Image Agency invite proposals from emerging Queensland-based artists working in video, experimental film, and screen-based practices for a unique development and presentation opportunity. The selected artist will undertake a four-month creative development period (July–November 2025) to develop a new video commission with curatorial and logistical support from both organisations, culminating in a premiere screening at Composite (Narrm/Melbourne) on Friday 21 November 2025, followed by a digital showcase through Outer Space’s online platform.

We are seeking proposals that are critically engaged, conceptually rigorous, and responsive to the contemporary moment. This opportunity supports ambitious new moving image works and offers professional mentorship, feedback sessions, and access to a national network of artists and audiences.

About Composite: Moving Image Agency

Composite: Moving Image Agency & Media Bank is an Artist-Run agency dedicated to supporting artists’ moving image practices in Australia through exhibition, research, education and distribution. Composite began within a dedicated screening room and production space at the Collingwood Yards and is now located at the Brunswick Mechanics Institute. It works in concert with other organisations, initiatives and festivals to champion artists’ moving image practice in the visual arts to a wide audience and create new income opportunities for individual working artists.

Composite hosts a year-round screening program; facilitate screening events, workshops and education programs; build an online database of artists’ video and film works; develop a distribution and licensing model for Australian artists video and film works; and house a Media Bank to provide free loans of technical equipment for artists working with moving image.

About Outer Space

Outer Space is a not-for-profit Contemporary Arts organisation. We collaborate with artists and arts workers to develop, make, and present critically engaged creative practice in a supportive professional environment. Our exhibitions, events, and programs welcome those involved in, and curious about the arts. Outer Space is committed to fostering a sustainable creative community in Brisbane that engages local, regional, national and global contexts.

Successful applicants receive

  • $2,000 artist fee

  • $1,000 production budget

  • Curatorial and developmental support from Outer Space and Composite

  • In-person screening in Narrm/ Melbourne at Composite and online launch through Outer Space

  • Promotion, documentation and publication of the work and supporting materials


Eligibility

  • Open to emerging, early and mid-career artists

  • Must be based in Queensland

  • Must be available to participate in key development milestones from July to November 2025

  • First Nations people, people of colour, culturally and linguistically diverse, queer, gender-diverse and regional artists are strongly encouraged to apply. 

  • Successful applicants must provide a valid ABN number. This can be acquired once notified of the outcome, at no cost.

Ineligibility

  • Unfortunately, this opportunity is not available to undergraduate students or artists based outside of queensland

  • The proposed work cannot have already been exhibited

To apply, you will need to provide the following

  • A project proposal (max. 500 words) outlining your concept, intended approach and development process for the video commission.

  • Artist statement (up to 250 words)

  • CV

  • Website or online portfolio link (if available)

  • Up to five examples of previous or indicative work (images and video files welcome)

Applications will be assessed by the a Programming Committee, with representatives from both Outer Space and Composite Moving Image with the following criteria:

✦ New, ambitious, and timely work

We are looking for work that has not been exhibited previously, or that is significantly varied from previous work, and that is ambitious both within the artist's own practice and in a wider contemporary art context. Timely works are those that respond, interact or provide commentary on contemporary issues such as ecological, social, cultural, economic conditions etc.

✦ Suitability of proposal to the opportunity

We are looking for work that is considerate of the public-facing platform and that responds to the projection medium.

✦ Quality of the applicant’s previous work

Give us context of how your proposed work for this project relates to the ideas, themes or work of your broader practice.

✦ Potential for this opportunity to extend the artist’s practice, with particular focus curatorial and feedback support from Composite and Outer Space.

Tell us about what this opportunity would mean for your practice and why is it significant at this point in your career.

✦ Overall contribution to diversity in Outer Space programming

Apply now →

Applications close 11:59pm Monday 23 June 2025.

If you have any questions or have additional access requirements, please contact the Outer Space Exhibitions Officer, exhibitions@outerspacebrisbane.org

To learn more about Outer Space and Composite: Moving Image Agency follow @outerspace.brisbane and @composite_moving_image.

The Outer Space x Composite: Moving Image Agency Video Commission is made possible through generous funding support from the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body.