Cahoots Lab builds artist capacity through experimentation in form, modes of practice, ideas, materials, and iteration.
The Cahoots residency reliably leads to the creation of new, ambitious work. Cahoots Lab is an integral stage of the creation process, an event season for artists and producers to present work-in-progress, test experimental and innovative ideas, and experience critical engagement from Canberra’s creative community, including peers and audiences. Risk taking and experimentation is encouraged from the conception of work to its realisation. Many artists use emerging technologies to experiment with content, format and delivery of their work, to investigate and test new approaches within their practice.
YAH Creative Producers work with the artists to articulate what they want to test and receive feedback on, and refine their intended audience. We then collaboratively develop testing and feedback mechanics, to support the artist’s development and further iterations of their work.
Each event is a little different, but Cahoots Lab aims to create spaces for connection and to welcome everyone who is interested in art in Canberra… it’s our invite to be part of a creative community that supports and critiques each other’s work.
It is also a development opportunity for the presenting artists. Every artist is supported to ensure Cahoots Lab is a rich and rewarding experience that contributes to their own understanding of their artistic output and how an audience engages with it. We work with artists to determine what to show, how to show it, what they’re testing, what feedback they need, and how to get it. The time producers spend with each Cahoots artist results in fine-tuned, tailored and responsive support, both to their artistic output and their wellbeing. Events may be designed for public audiences, or invited peers. Artists may show work-in-progress, iterations of work over multiple years, or launch finished work. Artists may show their work once, or show it multiple times in different locations, go big with production value, or scale down to something simple.
Cahoots Lab events might include music, theatre, film, poetry, workshops, panel discussions, sculpture, listening parties, circus for kids, sound installation, projection, animation, dance, augmented reality, glass, and more.
Cahoots Lab exclusively presents work developed by artists and producers who have undertaken the Cahoots residency (and their collaborators).
Presented Canberra-wide, Cahoots Lab brings art experiences to audiences all across the ACT. Most events are free, all are in accessible venues, and we work towards providing safer spaces for all people of marginalised identities.
We first showed work by Cahoots artists in the 2019 You Are Here Festival, which led to a shift in our model of how best to serve the Cahoots participants wanting to show work-in-progress. We ran Cahoots Lab for the first time in September 2020, again June 2022, and then in April 2023. Cahoots Lab will be back in 2025!
If you would like to support Cahoots Lab, please contact director@youaraherecanberra.com.au or make a tax deductible donation through the Australian Cultural Fund.
Cahoots Lab 2023 is supported by Creative Australia and the ACT Government.