Since 2008 Critical Path and UNSW School of Art and Media (SAM) & the Creative Practice Lab have joined forces to support individual artists with an annual program of practice-based research.
This industry-academy partnership provides resources (including funding and space) along with the expertise of the two organisations’ teams to a range of choreographic artists within each year.
In 2016 for the first time Critical Path and Creative Practice Lab created a Choreographic Practice Hub across the two organisations’ spaces (The Drill Hall and Research Room, Io Myers Theatre and the Webster Studios) in July with a wider program of international artists joining with their own research activity as well as professional development opportunities for the wider artistic community.
Now in its 10th year the partnership continues to offer Research Residencies in support of self-directed, blue-sky choreographic research. The research projects are broadly defined but generally involve the exploration of new ideas, assumptions, methodologies or collaborations. They can also offer time to reflect back on past practice. Research residencies at Critical Path are characterized by an openness of mind, a willingness to experiment and play, and a focus on process rather than outcome.