What is The Dunmoochin Foundation?
The Dunmoochin Foundation is a non-profit residency program for emerging and established artists and researchers situated in the natural bushland of Cottles Bridge, about an hour out of Melbourne’s CBD at 105 Barrenong Road in Cottles Bridge. We’re located approximately 10 minutes drive from Hurstbridge train station.
Dunmoochin offers a place of retreat for successful applicants to devote up to two years experiencing this natural environment. Our artist residences and communal grounds are private, with entry to the property only available via appointment. The program presents an opportunity to understand and appreciate the rich creative, environmental and artistic cultural significance of this area.
Dunmoochin’s Statement of Aims
The key focus of the Dunmoochin Foundation is to promote arts practice, research and environmental study, by making the Foundation residential facilities accessible to a broad range of international and Australian practitioners and researchers working in artistic, educational and environmental fields. Foundation residents can access the Foundation’s art collection, the majority of which is held at La Trobe University under an affiliation agreement.
Dunmoochin derives its cultural and artistic heritage from the collaborative efforts of a group of artists who purchased land in Cottles Bridge in the early 1950s. These artists pioneered one of the first artistic communes in Australia and created a lasting vision of how a community can gain knowledge and inspiration from living in a close relationship with nature.
One of these artists, Clifton Pugh, achieved national and international recognition during his lifetime and in 1989 established the Dunmoochin Foundation. Upon his death in 1990, he left an art collection and extensive properties within the Dunmoochin area, to be developed and maintained by the Dunmoochin Foundation.
By preserving its natural and cultural heritage and providing access to its residential properties, studios and art collection, the Dunmoochin Foundation attracts Australian and international artists, environmentalists and scholars and will promote an understanding and appreciation of Australia’s unique bushland and culture.
The Dunmoochin Foundation is administered by a voluntary board that has a high level of arts appreciation and knowledge.
What do Dunmoochin residencies offer?
The foundation has six individual residential properties and three studios, as well as printmaking facilities and communal grounds including a pool, croquet court and acres of natural bushland accessible to the artists in residence. In addition to accepting applications from artists of all mediums, the foundation also encourages environmental and artistic researchers to apply.
Residencies are provided to artists at less than subsistence-level costs.
In order to find out more information about submit applications, head to our ‘How to Apply’ page. Please note, we currently only accept contact over email. You can reach us at lucas@dunmoochin.org
