Confluence Artists Residency

What is confluence?

Confluence is a new artist residency designed to support and mentor future generations of diverse early years artists. Led by Magic Acorns as part of our new Sustain project, funded by Arts Council England. Confluence will take place in Great Yarmouth between March and May 2027.

Named after the convergence of the rivers Yare, Bure and Waveney, Confluence is a residency built around the creative potential of meeting points: where artists and babies, practice and research, curiosity and experience come together.

We are inviting two mid-career, multidisciplinary artists to merge with us here in Great Yarmouth, to grow their creative research practice within an early years context. The residency centres on a simple but profound idea: making visible the way in which young children and babies know and understand the world and acknowledging them as powerful artists and creative researchers.

This is a unique opportunity to develop your practice through collaboration: re-activating your own child-knowing alongside babies and young children, and drawing on Magic Acorns' extensive experience of early years arts practice. You will explore your creative inquiries with young children and families in Great Yarmouth and with partner organisations, supported by training, mentorship and dedicated studio time.

New to working with babies and young children? You are welcome to apply. No previous early years experience is needed: the residency includes deep-play training, mentoring and practical support.

What we're offering

• The opportunity to collaborate with Magic Acorns and learn from babies, toddlers, families and early years practitioners
• Up to 10 days of studio time
• 4 days of professional development workshops
• A total bursary package of up to £4,050
• Support for access requirements
• Mentorship from the Magic Acorns Directors
• Sharing & final exhibition/performance opportunities
• Professional video documentation of the residency process

What we're looking for

• A collaborative approach to creative practice
• Openness to learning with and from babies, toddlers, families and our team
• Curiosity, creativity and a willingness to experiment
• Commitment to the residency programme and CPD workshops
• A willingness to embrace open-ended processes and outcomes
• Your own artistic skills, interests, experience and unique perspective
• An interest in socially engaged practice and creative research
• A desire to explore new contexts, audiences and ways of working
• New questions, perspectives and approaches that can enrich creative work with and for young children

Two stages. Stage One is an open call for artists to complete an Expression of Interest form confirming eligibility and introducing their artistic practice and interest in the residency; twelve eligible applications are randomly selected to go through to Stage Two to remove bias and create a fair, open process. In Stage Two, the 12 selected artists develop a full proposal, supported by an online proposal development session with a Magic Acorns Director, before two artists are chosen for the residency.