Who isn’t tired of tokenism and other ‘isms between the white walls of commercial and institutional spaces? Why do so many residencies not consider the needs of artists with intersectional identities, of disabled artists? How do ‘marginalised’ artists make a living whilst still prioritising our empowerment and connection with others who share our experiences? 

TheySwarm is an artist residency for ‘diverse and dispersed’ artists. TextaQueen, as peer-mentor, invites artists for residencies in their Collingwood (Narrm/Melbourne) shopfront studio. TheySwarm is by and for queer and trans, Black, Indigenous, and people of colour with priority to disabled artists. 

The inaugral collaborative residency will be in October 2024, details very soon! 

TheySwarm aims to balance access to Art World networks while keeping the ‘by us – for us’ attitude of the queer / punk / crip /  DIY / BIPOC communities of the artists involved – to create an emotionally, physically, and financially sustainable space for connection and creativity. 

TheySwarm has two upstairs spaces currently available for short or long term hire for BIPOC artists, with priority to queer and/or disabled artists. The upstairs studios spaces can be either privately hired or get in touch if you have a proposal to jointly apply for funding for a residency, in either the more accessible shared studio downstairs with TextaQueen or the upstairs spaces. 

TheySwarm is always open for expressions of interest to collaborate with and host diverse/dispersed/disabled artists. Residencies are usually collaboratively organised (including seeking funding) with participating artists – according to their needs and project ideas.  

If you’re interested in being involved in TheySwarm (whatever your identities) or want to donate to the renovation or residency program, please get in touch via the TextaQueen Contact page. 

TheySwarm includes small but growing library of artist books, catalogues, children’s books, poetry, zines, self-published books and other fiction and non-ficiton titles by Black, Indigenous and people of colour creators, with a focus on rad queer, trans and disabled authors. If you have suggestions of titles or donations of books or zines, please get in touch. TextaQueen carefully curates the library, collecting and purchasing relevant publications. 

NOTE : Despite TheySwarm aiming to prioritise disabled artists, the space is not currently wheelchair accessible. 

TextaQueen has been raising funds and renovating towards wheelchair accessibility of the space since 2019, including via grants from City of Yarra, MatchLAB, and an ACF fundraiser. This has not raised enough to complete the scale of the renovations needed to make the space accessible for powerchair users. Enough has been raises to install an automatic front sliding door and ramp, scheduled to be installed in June 2024, after which the residency space and bathroom will be step free. 

All public outcomes of TheySwarm will be digital and held at other, accessible locations until the space is accessible for powerchair users.  TheySwarm will reapply for a previous unsuccessful infrastructure grant that will have more likelihood of success once the residency program is underway. 

Sales of Learn Your ACABs help fund project managment of TheySwarm.

[ID: Photo of TextaQueen framed artworks resting on studio floor with markers strewn on floor.]