Creature Space invites proposals from New York City-based emerging, performance-based artists for upcoming residencies supporting the development and presentation of new or in-progress work. This upcoming summer and fall season, our programming is organized around three focuses- dance, music, and theater- where each common space show will include works centering on one of these forms.

Program Focuses
Each cohort will be organized around one of the following artistic focuses: 

1. Dance-Focused Works:  Movement-based practices of all kinds, including experimental and interdisciplinary performance where choreography or physicality is central.
2. Music-Focused Works:  Performance works that center sound and live music. This may include live musicians, composers, sound artists, or movement-based work that utilizes or is driven by live sound.
3. Theater-Focused Works: Text-based, devised, or experimental theater practices, including interdisciplinary work where narrative, voice, or theatrical structure plays a primary role. (can include but is not limited to live readings, poetry, scene work, devised theatre, theatrical dance work, spoken word, improv, sketch)

Performance Formats
There are two types of performances across our summer and fall common spaces

1. Solo Space: an evening dedicated to a single dance-focused artist or collective, offering the opportunity to present a longer-form or more fully realized work (30-60 minutes) and/or multiple works. This opportunity also comes with up to 20 hours of free rehearsal space at Creature Space. 

2. Sofa Space: A shared program featuring 2-3 presenting artists, with each work being 20-30 minutes. These evenings will highlight different processes and approaches to a singular focus.

Summer Common Space Dates
Solo Space (dance) - July 1, 2, 3
Sofa Space (dance) - July 18, 19
Soda Space (dance) - July 24, 25, 26
Sofa Space (theater) -  August 7, 8, 9

Fall Common Space Dates
Solo Space (dance) - August 28, 29, 30
Sofa Spaces (dance) - October 2, 3, 4
Sofa Space (music) - October 23, 24, 25

About Creature Space
1,170 sq ft of open space in a ground floor store front with 14ft ceilings and professionally sprung dance sub-floor and rubberized Marley top layer. Tech includes colored LED lights, speakers, and projection capabilities.

What We Offer
- Rehearsal space at Creature Space: Solo spaces will be offered 20 hours of free rehearsal space which must be used prior to the show date. Additional rehearsal space after the 20 hours will be offered at a discounted rate of $10/hr. Sofa spaces will be offered unlimited rehearsal hours at a discounted rate of $10 up to the show date.
- Photography and videography documentation
- Tech and production support
- Marketing support
Unfortunately at the moment, Creature Space is unable to provide financial compensation to our presenting artists. 

Eligibility Requirements
We welcome early-career artists who span disciplines of dance, music, theater, and other performance-based arts to apply to common space. Creature Space borrows from the Jerome Foundation’s definition of early-career artist: “Generative artists with 2–10 years of experience creating and presenting new original work.” Artists must be based in New York City. We especially encourage artists who are new to New York City/ Brooklyn to apply. 

Please note: students currently enrolled in a degree program are not eligible for common space. Age and formal training are not factors we consider in determining eligibility.

Application Requirements
- Which common spaces you are applying for
- Your current artistic mission and process.
- Project title (working), description, and inspiration
- Relevance to focus (theater, music, dance)
- How Creature Space as a venue and organization fits your project
- Collaborators and their roles.
- Tech/Production needs (live music/sound, sets, props, etc.)

Selection Process and Timeline: Summer and Fall curation will be released in Mid-May. We are particularly interested in works that expand on the chosen focus (dance, music, theater) as well as works that have been thoughtfully adapted or proposed with Creature Space’s venue in mind. 

Application due: May 1, 2026 (11:59PM EST)

Apply Here!