The Unconformity is delighted to announce our involvement in the Experimental Commissioning Consortium (ECC) – a partnership of leading experimental creative development and commissioning organisations across Australia.
The ECC is a newly convened group of organisations around Australia devoted to the development and presentation of independent and experimental art and performance. It seeks to foster cross-sector collaboration to generate increased mobility and opportunity for artists. The program includes three pillars: an experimental laboratory to incubate work, a commissioning circle to bring work into development, and a national touring network.
The ECC supports artists to develop work through innovative collaborative pathways, placing experimentation and artistic vision at the centre. Curated artists will participate in a series of development stages, with opportunities for collaborative development and presentation across the participating organisations.
The ECC is supported by Creative Australia’s Emerging and Experimental panel, alongside contributions from participating organisations. Head of Emerging and Experimental Arts at Creative Australia, Zohar Spatz, said of the ECC, “Creative Australia is thrilled to support the piloting of an Experimental Commissioning Consortium. This co-investment enables a values-based approach to mobility frameworks, sustainable models and pathways for experimental artists that is distinctly artist centred and led by small to medium arts organisations from across the country.”
Led by Performance Space, partners include Abbotsford Covent, Arts House, Assembly 197, Cementa, Dancehouse, Metro Arts, PACT, Performance Space, PICA, Punctum, Superposition, The Substation, The Unconformity, Utp, Vitalstatistix, Wired Lab.
The pilot program of the ECC is being administered by Performance Space. The first artist lab took place at Utp in Western Sydney during the inaugural Another World Festival 14 - 16 November 2025, hosted by Utp and Performance Space. The second artist lab took place in Lutruwita/Tasmania from 18 - 25 March 2026, hosted by The Unconformity and Assembly 197. The Unconformity and Assembly 197 facilitated and supported the second artist lab by holding a space for experimental, artist-centered initiative learning and sharing in Queenstown.
