The Rocks Creative Terraces Affordable Residencies Program FAQs

The Rocks Creative Terraces is an initiative of the NSW Government, providing affordable housing to invest in creative careers.

This creative residency is exclusively for practicing NSW Literature Practitioners, defined as:

• NSW writers working in any creative form (including fiction, short stories, screenplay/drama, poetry, children’s books, and narrative non-fiction), and

• NSW illustrators working in children’s books and graphic novels. 

This new initiative puts into action the strategic pillar priority to ‘Invest in authors’ to activate residencies for writers, as set out in Stories Matter: A Writing and Literature Strategy for NSW.

The Program fulfils a key deliverable of the Strategy for 2026 for Create NSW to partner with Placemaking NSW to provide up to four 12-to-24-month affordable housing residencies for authors, playwrights, artists and illustrators.

The Residency Program is for practicing NSW-based literature practitioners.

Literature Practitioners are defined as:

• Writers working in any creative form, including fiction, short stories, screenplay/drama, poetry, children’s books, and narrative non-fiction, and

• Illustrators working in children’s books and graphic novels.

See the EOI Guidelines for further details of the Eligibility and Assessment Criteria.

No. People working in other fields such as journalists, magazine feature writers, sub-editors, commercial copywriters, public relations practitioners, freelance bloggers or social media content creators are ineligible.

See the EOI Guidelines for further details of the Eligibility and Assessment Criteria.

Residencies are currently being offered as below:

• 12-month term from June 2026 to June 2027

• 12-month term from June 2027 to June 2028

• 24-month term from June 2026 to June 2028

A second round EOI will be run in early 2028 for any available opportunities from mid-2028 onwards.

Up to 4 terraces are available under this Program. A maximum of one Literature Practitioner per terrace will be accepted each year. Some residencies will continue over 24-months.

You are permitted to have your partner or immediate family living in the Terrace with you, with a maximum of four people permitted to reside at one time. We note, due to the heritage nature of the building, that the two bedrooms provided are small.

Yes, this Program offers residential accommodation. If you are successful, the Terrace must be your principal place of residence for the full term of the Residency.

Yes, the Terraces are intended to support your creative practice as a NSW Literature Practitioner. The spaces are ideal for computer work and light activities such as writing, design and drawing. The buildings are heritage-listed and are therefore not suitable for any activity that is wet, messy, noisy, or could impact on the physical structure or the quiet accommodation of neighbouring tenants and buildings in any way.

No. You may use the Residency to create new work, establish or build networks, collaborate with other creatives or organisations and/or to develop new skills. There is no requirement for you to produce work or a creative outcome at the end of the Residency.

Requirements of the Residency include:

• Being open to participating in networking activities organised by Create NSW and others

• Being willing to work with Create NSW to evaluate and promote the Program

• Completing a short report at the end of the Residency.

Cumberland Street, The Rocks, Sydney.

The Terraces are comprised of four adjoining heritage terraces of approximately 77 to 81m² each.

Each Terrace is three levels, with two bedrooms and a bathroom on the top floor. The Ground Floor includes a lounge area, a dining room and an internal kitchen. The Lower Ground provides access to a shared rear courtyard with external laundries and additional toilets.

Each Terrace has an independent entry from Cumberland Street. We encourage you to consider your accessibility needs before applying as the upper and lower levels are connected by steep stairs only; there is no lift or ramp access.

The Terraces are naturally ventilated via operable openings on each level. There is no in-built heating or air conditioning.

The Terraces will be leased ‘as is’.

Plans and photographs of the Terraces are available here.

The Terraces are provided unfurnished, with tenants required to provide any furnishings needed. Please note that the Terraces are heritage-listed and furnishings must generally be loose and not fixed to the property. Special heritage approvals are required for any changes to the buildings, including to walls.

Whitegoods, including a fridge and access to a shared washer/dryer, will be provided by Create NSW. 

No, the Terraces are a heritage building and the fireplaces are not suitable for use due to fire risk. However, portable heaters are permitted.

Pets and animals are generally not permitted in the Terraces due to the heritage nature of the building. For exceptions for pets formally required for assistance please contact the Space Activation team at Create NSW via email at creativespaces@create.nsw.gov.au. 

There is no private parking available on the site. Timed street parking is available on Cumberland Street and nearby streets.

The Terraces are located in Cumberland Street in The Rocks. The site is walking distance to Wynyard, Martin Place and Circular Quay which are serviced by trains, buses and light rail. Ferries are also available from Circular Quay.

Due to the heritage nature of the Terraces, they are unfortunately not accessible for wheelchairs. They have steep and narrow internal stairs and changing levels.

The Terraces are located in Cumberland Street in the heart of the city. The western end of the street does not allow for passing traffic; however, there is likely to be some traffic noise from surrounding high-traffic roads.

Inspection of the Terraces is available at set times prior to the closing of the EOI call out. For details, please contact the Space Activation team at Create NSW via email at creativespaces@create.nsw.gov.au.

We don’t have a virtual inspection; however, images and floorplans are available as part of the EOI Guidelines. We can also answer questions upon request – please email us at creativespaces@create.nsw.gov.au.

No, you can apply without seeing the Terraces. However, if you are successful, you will be required to inspect the Terrace in person (if you have not already done so) before signing a lease.

Successful applicants will be required to pay $866 per month (equivalent of $200 in rent per week) for a fixed term of either 12-months or 24-months. This will cover exclusive 24/7 use of the Terrace as well as water and Council rates.

You will also need to pay for electricity and gas costs, as well as connection to and supply of internet.

If you are successful, you will be provided with a simple Lease Agreement that sets out the terms of the Lease. Some conditions include no smoking in the buildings and no sub-leasing of your Terrace. A security bond of $800 will be required on signing of the lease and prior to you accessing the terrace. The bond will be refunded at the end of the lease if no damage or costs are incurred.

Repair and maintenance will be provided by the landlord. However, any damage you cause will need to be repaired at your cost.

We understand that sometimes things happen that can’t be expected. The Lease Agreement will provide provisions in case you need to break the lease and leave early.

Yes, at the end of your Tenancy you must leave the Terrace clean and ready for an inspection before the security deposit will be released.

On vacating the Terrace, if it is clean, free of damage, furnishings have been removed, and the rent has been fully paid, the security deposit will be released.

Expressions of Interest open Monday 30 March and close 2pm 23 April 2026

Successful EOI applicants will be notified in May/June 2026.  

The Program aims to reduce economic barriers that disproportionately affect literature practitioners by offering below-market accommodation in central Sydney. Successful applicants are expected to live in the Terrace for the full lease term.

Because of this focus, the opportunity is intended for practitioners who do not already live in property they own in metropolitan Sydney, as they are more likely to face the housing related barriers this program aims to address.

Practitioners from regional NSW are eligible to apply, regardless of whether they reside in property they own.

Yes. You can only apply for one Residency but there is an option to select either a 12 or 24-month term, or both, in the application form.  Please note that you may be offered an alternative residency term to ensure usage of the Terraces by creatives is maximised.

Your capacity to undertake the Residency and occupy the Terrace for the specified timeframe forms part of the assessment criteria, so your application may be less competitive if there is a significant delay with you moving in. You will also be required to pay rent from the start of your tenancy. 

In this situation we recommend that you consider applying for a 12-month Residency commencing in mid-2027.

A second round EOI will also be offered in early 2028 for opportunities from mid-2028.

No, an ABN is not required to apply. If you are successful, you can lease a Terrace under your ABN if you wish.