Opportunities

2026 summer residency

Enjoy Contemporary Art Space is calling for applications from artists for our 2026 Summer Residency programme, delivered in partnership with the Rita Angus Cottage.

This is a six-week residency from late January – early March, and is an opportunity for a practitioner to develop an ambitious project while living in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington.

Enjoy will prioritise residency project proposals that are experimental, speculative and/or critically engaged in nature. To read more about the projects we have supported in the past, please visit our exhibitions archive.

The residency includes:

  • Accommodation and a studio/workspace at the historic Rita Angus Cottage, including access to all household amenities, power and wifi
  • Logistical, curatorial and research support from Enjoy
  • A $3000 stipend, plus travel to Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington (from within Aotearoa)
  • A subsequent project with Enjoy (this may take the form of a programme, seminar, exhibition, etc).

About the Rita Angus Cottage:

Located in Thorndon, the Rita Angus Cottage has considerable historical significance. The cottage was home to Rita Angus from 1955 until her death in 1970. It was here that Angus painted some of the signal images of modern art in Aotearoa: startlingly modern representations of the landscape, unique and insightful portraits, flower paintings of exquisite and grave concentration, and fascinating, enigmatic self-portraits.

Angus named the cottage Fernbank Studio, and this name, with her own underneath, was painted on a plaque affixed to the back of the house (a replica is now on the front veranda). The house, garden, magnolia tree, nearby houses and cemetery all feature in her work. Her friend and sometime patron Douglas Lilburn, the composer, lived very nearby at 22 Ascot Street.

The cottage is nationally significant, and listed as a Category 1 historic place with Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga. With considerable upgrading carried out over the last ten years, including recent work in the extensive garden, the cottage’s suitability as an artist’s residence is unrivalled in Te Whanganui-a-Tara. Since 1985, the Thorndon Trust has facilitated over 40 artist residencies at the Rita Angus Cottage.

How to apply:

Please submit your application as a clearly named single PDF file, and include:

  • A project or research proposal, including aims for the residency and why it is relevant to the development of the specific project or research*
  • A short biography and CV
  • Up to eight supporting images or samples of previous work
  • *Applicants are encouraged to connect their proposal to Rita Angus or her historic cottage and garden.

Applications should be sent via email to brooke@enjoy.org.nz.

Proposals are due 5pm, Friday 10 October.

Applications are reviewed by Enjoy’s Director and Curator in collaboration with the Rita Angus Cottage Trust. You will be notified of the outcome of your proposal by Tuesday 28 October.

 

Opportunity: Treasurer

Enjoy Contemporary Art Space is seeking a dedicated and skilled individual to join the Enjoy Trust as Treasurer. This is a voluntary position.

As Treasurer, you will play a vital role in supporting Enjoy’s governance and long-term sustainability. Working closely with Trustees and the Director, you’ll help oversee the financial health of the organisation and ensure we can continue to champion ambitious, experimental and diverse contemporary art practice.

Key responsibilities include:

  • Providing financial oversight and guidance to the Board
  • Monitoring budgets, financial reports and long-term planning
  • Ensuring compliance with relevant legal, regulatory and reporting obligations
  • Supporting staff with financial processes where appropriate

We are looking for someone with:

  • Experience in financial management, preferably within a non-profit organisation
  • Knowledge of accounting and financial principles and practices including Xero
  • The ability to collaborate effectively with Trustees and staff
  • Attention to detail and a commitment to accuracy and integrity

What we offer:

  • The opportunity to contribute meaningfully to one of Aotearoa’s leading contemporary art spaces
  • The support of a collegial Board environment
  • The chance to champion contemporary art and foster a thriving creative community

This is a voluntary governance role. The time commitment is approximately 4–6 hours per month, including bi-monthly Board meetings.

If you are excited about contemporary art and want to use your skills to make a difference, we’d love to hear from you.

To apply or learn more, please get in touch with the Enjoy Trust at trust@enjoy.org.nz

RESEARCH ASSISTANCE

Need help with your research? Drop into Enjoy between 3.30pm and 5.30pm any Thursday where we can help you navigate our library.

We can help you find relevant books and texts from our collection of over 1300 books and periodicals from Aotearoa, the Pacific, and abroad. Enjoy's collection is expansive and includes several books from art theory, philosophy and art reference books to exhibition and artist publications, including niche, one-off and handmade gems unique to our collection.

Alongside our library, our archives not only include documentation and ephemera from Enjoy's twenty-two year history of exhibitions and events, but also from galleries and projects all over Aotearoa spanning decades.

Free WiFi, tea and coffee provided.

Mailing List

Stay up-to-date with opportunities at Enjoy Contemporary Art Space, as well as our upcoming exhibitions, public programmes and publications by joining our mailing list.