The Performance Arcade announces its open call to artists from Aotearoa and around the world for its 2026 programme of works (open from 19 February - 1 March).

  
Applications are open for artists working in performance art, theatre, dance, social sculpture, installation, circus arts, public intervention, and other practices that engage live relationships with audience and space. These works can be in shipping containers, on one of our stage spaces, or travelling the waterfront environment. Artists are offered up to NZ$5000 each for presentation of their works. All proposals are reviewed by The Performance Arcade Creative Council: Hinemoana Baker, Tiaki Kerei, Charles Koroneho, Miranda Manasiadis, Melody Nixon, and Sam Trubridge.​

  
The Performance Arcade is an annual exhibition and festival programme of events located on Wellington Waterfront, with ten years of successful presentations from 2011-2025\. Our hybrid gallery/stage architecture is made from an assembly of shipping containers that create a series of spaces for installation, performance art, sonic art, interactive media, video-art, forums, theatre, dance, and live music. Opening onto the bustling Wellington Waterfront, these sites of encounter engage the public in contemporary art and performance practices outside the familiar constraints of gallery or theatre spaces, visited by 50-90,000 people each year.

The presenting company for the event is The Playground NZ, who provides ‘umbrella’ management and resources for the selected works. This support includes container hire and delivery, exterior architecture, engineering, signage, security, curation, marketing, personnel, some shared materials, and other site-related organisation. Realisation and management of individual works are the responsibility of each artist. This involves sourcing funding, equipment, expertise, and labor for the creation of each work, as well as maintaining and supervising it over the course of the event.

  
The Performance Arcade offers artists up to NZ$5000 to cover the costs of presenting their work, and can assist artists in sourcing other funds if required. Please note that we do not cover development costs for works, and try to maintain pay/fee equity between all parts of the event - aiming at the full time income of NZ$1000-1200 per week of work for our contributors.

  
For international artists, we provide accommodation for the duration of event. With the logistics involved in bringing a work from overseas we welcome early submissions and enquiries from artists outside NZ.

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