Artists at Work (Dunedin) was established in 1993 by Rob Garrett as an invitational artist residency programme focused on artist experimentation, by providing opportunities and the right environment for artists to develop new ideas and new work. Based in the Dunedin School of Art, supported by a diverse technical resource and embedded within a critically engaged arts community, the residency permitted artists to explore new strands of thought and practice without any obligation to produce immediate exhibition outcomes. The typical duration of each residency was 4 to 8 weeks.

Despite there being no exhibition requirement, several artists chose to create or present exhibition and site-specific projects while visiting Dunedin. These included Richard Crow's (UK) site specific installations in a long-disused cinema and the Blue Oyster Gallery; an exhibition of paintings by Georganne Deen (US) at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery; a new installation by Margaret Roberts (AU) at the High Street Gallery; "Flock" by Anne Ferran (AU) at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery; a site-specific public art project by Gisela Genthner (DE) in Dunedin's Octagon; an installation project by Roger Palmer (UK) in the Port Chalmers Museum; Liz Coats (AU) at the Hocken Library Gallery; and a new performance work "Stuff" by Coco Fusco and Nao Bustamante (US).

Visiting artists also presented Master Classes, Workshops and Public Talks on their own work and the work of other artists from their home country. Many were also shared with sister organisations around New Zealand through speaking and workshop tours organised by the Dunedin residency programme.

Artists and visiting scholars, 1993-2003:
Adrian Hall (AU)
Amy Franceschini (US)
Anita Speijer (NL)
Anne Ferran (AU)
Bridie Lonie (NZ)
Carol Becker (US)
Coco Fusco (US)
Ed Osborn (US)
Ed Scheer (AU)
Georganne Deen (US)
Gisela Genthner (DE)
Ian Balch (UK)
Jayne Loader (US)
Jill Barker (AU)
Kan Shimada (JP)
Liz Coats (AU)
Nao Bustamante (US)
Pamela Zeplin (AU)
Richard Crow (UK)
Roger Palmer (UK)
Ruth Hadlow (AU)
Stelarc (AU)
Su Grierson (UK)
Su Xinping (CH)

Inaugural Kai Tahu Emerging Artist in Resident, 2000:
Simon Kaan (NZ)

Founding Curator: Rob Garrett

Coordinators and project managers: Lisa Morton, Anna Brookes, Geoff Noller, Susan Badcock, Janeice Young

Principal funding partners: Otago Polytechnic, Otago Community Trust

Project partners: The British Council, Fulbright NZ, Asia 2000 Foundation of NZ, Goethe-Institut NZ, Creative New Zealand, Otago Polytechnic Research and Development Committee, New Zealand Netherlands Foundation, The Japan Foundation, Dunedin-Otaru Sister City Society, Australian High Commission, AUT University, Canterbury University, Dunedin Fringe Festival, NZ Institute of Architects, Ngai Tahu Development Corporation, Robert McDougall Art Gallery, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Waikato Polytechnic School of Media Arts, UNITEC, University of Auckland, Victoria University of Wellington, Wanganui Polytechnic, Adam Art Gallery, Alexandra Community Arts Council, Nelson Polytechnic, The Physics Room, University of New South wales, Waiariki Institute of Technology, Waikato Polytechnic Media Arts, Dunedin City Creative Communities, Gore District Council Creative Communities, Queenstown-Lakes District Council Creative Communities

Presenting partners: Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Blue Oyster Gallery, High Street Gallery, Port Chalmers Museum, Dunedin City Council