Butterwood Ranch, Richmond Hill, Bundjalung Country, NSW

A week to wander. To read. To think.

The Butterwood Ranch Residency offers one artist a week of quiet immersion in the Northern Rivers - time and space to research, explore, write and let new ideas take shape.

This is not a programme. There is no structured schedule and no studio practice on site. Just unstructured, self-directed time in a former dairy reimagined as a space for rest, beauty and creative thought - to walk the forest tracks, sit with the landscape, read from the curated library, and follow wherever your curiosity leads.

The residency is offered at no cost. In return, Butterwood Ranch asks for one artwork made informed by your stay.

The Host

Butterwood Ranch is shaped by Olivia Drake - writer, curator, and co-founder of this boutique farm retreat showcasing contemporary art, design and literature. Olivia believes in the power of place to unlock creative thinking, and this residency is an extension of that - an invitation to spend a week upriver in a space built for the kind of rest that makes new work possible.

The Space

A former dairy reimagined as a romantic off-grid sojourn - part gallery, part getaway, part lived-in creative sanctuary. This architecturally designed timber cedar cabin is intentionally pared back: light oak wood, black finishings, a warm butter palette, large windows framing the pastoral view. Every detail considered for deep rest.

Outside, walking tracks wind up into the surrounding hills, through verdant forest and native flora. Byron Bay is forty minutes when the mood calls for it.

More at @butterwoodranch

Details

Dates: 20-26 July 2026 

Open to: Visual artists of all kinds - all levels welcome

Included: Private accommodation for the full week. Artists are responsible for organising their own food and travel to and from Butterwood Ranch.

Please note: There is no studio space on site. Research, writing, exploration and ideation are absolutely welcomed, however on-site visual art making or production is not part of this residency.

At the close: The selected artist is invited to share a work informed by their stay - a painting, ceramic, or other artwork that responds to the landscape and time at Butterwood Ranch. If a new work isn't possible, a previous piece that would fit the cabin is warmly welcome. We'll also ask for some documentation of your experience - a written piece, visual diary, or a mix of both. We ask that both are shared within three months of the residency closing, though we're happy to discuss what works for you.

Applications close: Midnight, 14 June 2026

How to Apply

Applications are free. Apply below via densiglobal.com through our online form — tell us a little about your practice and what you'd like to get out of the week.

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