Event Info & Schedule
SCREENS IN THE WHITE BOX
Moving image showcase 2026
Presented by the Australia Multi Art & Culture Council, Creative Asia Foundation.
SCREENS IN THE WHITE BOX is an eight-day exhibition and screening program dedicated to moving-image practices across diverse creative disciplines. Bringing together filmmakers, artists, animators, and experimental practitioners, the project explores how moving image can exist beyond the cinema and within the exhibition space.
Situated within the white-cube gallery environment, the program reimagines the relationship between screen, space, and audience through exhibitions, screenings, artist talks, and public events. It provides a professional platform for emerging and independent creators to present their work, connect with audiences, and engage in creative exchange.
The program also includes Opening and Closing Events, Artist Talks, and the Saftstudy Film Lab Workshop: International Student Anti-Scam Film Project, a free filmmaking initiative that supports international students in creating short films focused on scam awareness, community safety, and social resilience.
More than a screening program, SCREENS IN THE WHITE BOX is a space for dialogue, experimentation, and cultural exchange through the language of moving image.
THEME
SCREENS IN THE WHITE BOX
MOVING IMAGE SHOWCASE 2026
Contemporary moving image practices exist within a rapidly shifting visual environment shaped by digital platforms, AI-generated imagery, surveillance systems, fragmented attention, and the endless circulation of screens. Images no longer operate solely as documentation or cinematic narrative, but increasingly function as environments, interfaces, memories, archives, interruptions, and emotional traces embedded within everyday life.
The curatorial intention of Screens in the White Box is to explore how moving image responds to these contemporary conditions through storytelling, perception, atmosphere, spatial experience, and experimentation with time, sound, rhythm, and visual language.
The exhibition welcomes works engaging with personal memory, technological transformation, digital intimacy, social realities, fragmented perception, cultural identity, speculative futures, and the emotional conditions of living within image-saturated environments.
CALL FOR ARTISTS
Screens in the White Box aims to foster a supportive and experimental environment for emerging and independent creators, while encouraging new dialogues between cinema, exhibition-making and contemporary art practice.
The curatorial team will provide exhibition and curatorial support for participating artists, encouraging creators to explore not only the final moving-image work itself, but also the broader creative processes, materials and conceptual frameworks surrounding image-making.
We welcome submissions across diverse moving image practices, including:
• Fiction and non-fiction films
• Experimental cinema and essay films
• Music videos
• Video art and exhibition-based moving image works
ELIGIBILITY
We welcome submissions from creators working across diverse cultural, geographic and disciplinary backgrounds. Both local and international applicants are encouraged to apply.
Applications are open to individuals as well as collaborative groups working across moving image, cinema, audiovisual and interdisciplinary practices. Creators exploring hybrid formats, exhibition-based moving image, expanded cinema and non-traditional approaches to image-making are also warmly encouraged to submit.
SELECTION CRITERIA
Submissions will be assessed on:
• Artistic and conceptual quality
• Strength of visual and cinematic language
• Relevance to the curatorial direction of the program
• Suitability for screening and/or exhibition presentation within the gallery context
KEY DATES
Press Conference & Networking
19 June 2026
Call for Artists Deadline
6 July 2026
Exhibition Period
11 - 19 July 2026
Opening Night
11 July 2026
Screening Sessions
Dates to be announced
Closing Night
19 July
SUBMISSION TERMS
By submitting to the Screens in the White Box, the submitter grants Creative Asia Art Centre (CAAC) permission to:
• Present the selected work as part of the exhibition, screening and public program of Twelve 12 – Movie Week;
• Use excerpts, still images and promotional materials from the submitted work for festival marketing and publicity purposes;
• Present selected works within both screening and gallery exhibition contexts
The submitter confirms that they hold all necessary rights and permissions for the submitted work, including the use of music, sound, archival material and other copyrighted content.
Non-English language works must include English subtitles.
PRESENTATION FEE
Suitable for short-form moving image works, experimental films, music videos and emerging audiovisual practices. Recommended for shorter-form moving image works.
Participants will receive:
SCREENING & EXHIBITION
• Inclusion in shared festival screening programs
• Access to screening facilities and on-site technical support
• A shared exhibition presentation space within the gallery environment of Creative Asia Art Centre (CAAC)
• Basic exhibition display support for selected project materials
PROMOTION & COMMUNITY
• Inclusion in group social media announcements and audience outreach campaigns
• Participation in Opening Events and public programs
• Networking opportunities with filmmakers, artists and invited industry guests
FESTIVAL MATERIALS & GUEST ACCESS
• Two physical collectible festival tickets
• Inclusion in the collective Festival Print Edition
• Two complimentary copies of the Festival Print Edition
OFFICIAL RECOGNITION
• Official exhibition certificate of participation issued in collaboration with partner organisations.
SHARED SCREENING
PRESENTATION
$300
+ GST
Recommended for works suitable for curated thematic screening programs.
Participants will receive everything included in the Shared Screening Presentation package, plus:
EXPANDED SCREENING
& CURATORIAL PRESENTATION
• Featured screening presentation within a curated thematic screening program
• An expanded exhibition presentation space within the gallery environment of Creative Asia Art Centre (CAAC)
• Expanded exhibition presentation opportunities, including storyboards, scripts, production materials and artistic research
CURATORIAL PROMOTION & VISIBILITY
• Inclusion in theme-based social media announcements and audience outreach campaigns
• Increased curatorial visibility within the festival program
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
• Participation in post-screening Q&A sessions
FESTIVAL MATERIALS & COLLECTIBLES
• Five physical collectible festival tickets
• Inclusion in a curated theme-based Festival Print Edition
• Five complimentary copies of the Festival Print Edition
FEATURED SCREENING
PRESENTATION
$600
+ GST
Recommended for expanded, exhibition-oriented, or long-form moving image presentations.
Participants will receive everything included in the Shared Screening Presentation package, plus:
PREMIUM CURATORIAL PRESENTATION
• A dedicated exhibition space within the gallery environment of Creative Asia Art Centre (CAAC)
• Dedicated screening opportunities within the official festival program
• Tailored curatorial guidance and presentation support
PROMOTION & VISIBILITY
• Dedicated project promotion across selected festival communications
• Priority visual exposure in festival marketing and screening announcements
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
• Participation in post-screening Q&A sessions
FESTIVAL MATERIALS & GUEST ACCESS
• Ten physical collectible festival tickets
• A dedicated Festival Print Edition for the project presentation
• Ten complimentary copies of the Festival Print Edition
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
& FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES
• Opportunity to sell self-produced merchandise, publications, and creative products during the festival (30% commission applies)
• Consideration for future CAAC collaborative projects and cultural programs
FEATURED CURATORIAL
PRESENTATION
$850
+ GST
Please note: Screening formats, exhibition opportunities and public program participation may vary depending on the curatorial and technical requirements of each selected work.
Event Info & Schedule
SAFESTUDY
FILM LAB WORKSHOP
Movie Lab Workshop is a free collaborative filmmaking initiative designed for international students living in Melbourne. The project is co-hosted by the Australia Multi Art & Culture Council, Creative Asia Foundation, and Women & Children Protection Development — organisations committed to supporting multicultural communities, promoting social wellbeing, and strengthening the protection of women, children, and vulnerable groups.
The program aims to raise awareness of scam prevention, personal safety, and community wellbeing through creative storytelling and collaborative film production.
The project will officially launch on 19 June 2026 with a public information session introducing the workshop program, recruitment process, and project objectives. Following the launch, participants will work alongside filmmakers, creative practitioners, and industry mentors to develop original short film concepts addressing scam awareness, safety, and community resilience.
From June onwards, participants will engage in script development, storyboarding, production planning, filming, and collaborative review sessions. Production activities will take place throughout Melbourne, with filming scheduled across multiple locations during the project period.
The workshop is expected to engage approximately 30–50 international students from diverse cultural and educational backgrounds. No prior filmmaking experience is required, and participants from all disciplines are encouraged to apply.
Through collective filmmaking, Safestudy Film Lab Workshop seeks to empower international students to share experiences, strengthen community awareness, and contribute to a safer and more informed multicultural society.
Press Conference: 19 June 2026, Melbourne
Key project stages include:
April – June 2026: Project Launch & Participant Recruitment
June – July 2026: Story Development & Storyboarding
July – August 2026: Production & Filming
August 2026: Internal Peer Review & Rough Cut Screening
September – October 2026: Post-Production & Editing
November 2026: Final Project Publication & Public Presentation
USEFUL INFORMATION
FOR ARTISTS
Creative Asia Art Centre
FAQs
What types of artworks are accepted?
Artworks in any medium are welcome, including painting, photography, installation, sculpture, textile, digital media.
Are there any restrictions on medium, size, or style?
There are no strict restrictions on medium, size, or style. Artists are encouraged to work in any medium that fits the exhibition theme. However, please note that the size of your artwork will affect the exhibition fee which is listed in the exhibition fee table above.
Can I choose where my work is displayed?
No, the exhibition team will determine placement to ensure the best presentation for all participating artists. However, if you have any specific display requirements, please don’t hesitate to contact us — we’ll do our best to accommodate where possible. Please note that additional fees may apply if special installation requirements are needed.
Can I cancel or withdraw my submission after I've applied?
Artists may cancel their participation before the Call for Artists closing date. Please contact us as soon as possible if you need to withdraw in writing. Late cancellations may not be accepted once the exhibition planning has commenced.
The submission fee is non-refundable for cancellations made within 14 days of the event. For cancellations made at least 21 days before the event, 50% of the fee will be refunded.
How to deliver and pick up my artwork?
Delivery — Artwork must be delivered to the Creative Asia Art Centre during opening hours along with the Delivery Form:
-
Mon–Fri: 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM (closed Wednesdays)
-
Sat: 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM, Sun: 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Pick Up — Artwork collection can be made after the exhibition during CAAC opening hours. Please make your booking at the time of submission.