Scratch is an opportunity for emerging artists aged 18—25 to meet and experiment with new material in front of a supportive audience. Scratch is our platform for your projects.
Held twice a year at Smith’s Alternative, these informal events are a showcase for raw, rough, risk-taking works-in-progress. Audiences are then invited to participate in a guided critical response process to offer feedback and insights into the artists’ work.
Scratch is for performers, writers and theatre-makers who are itching to share ambitious ideas, make new connections, and take their creative projects to the next stage.
The final Scratch of 2024 is Wednesday 27 November at 7pm.
Scratch was an invigorating atmosphere to collaborate with others in the beginnings of new work, and gave us an invaluable opportunity to gauge our work in front of a live audience. We saw what themes resonated with viewers and we received immediate feedback on what people found intriguing and wanted to see more of. It was exciting to meet so many creatives from the community, and see incredible performances in all stages of development.
– Emily O’Mahoney
The Scratch Guidelines
Who You Are
We encourage applications from emerging performers, writers, and theatre makers aged 18-25 who are itching to share ambitious ideas and bold performances.
Any form, background or area of interest is welcome.
You can check out the photos from a recent Scratch night here.
Your Performance
- We encourage you to perform an original work.
- For non-original works, you will need to secure the appropriate performance permissions.
- You will have up to 10 minutes on stage to showcase your work or idea.
- We provide the stage, you bring the rest.
- Keep your tech requirements simple and put them in your application.
Get The Details
| WHO | Ages 18–25 |
| WHEN | 22 May & 27 November 2024 |
| WHERE | Smith’s Alternative 76 Alinga St, Canberra ACT 2601 |
| COST | $5 Tickets (free for performers) |
Our Emerging Artists programs are made possible thanks to the
Jeremy Spencer Broom Legacy.
