Assistance to Aboriginal Curators for Residencies in the Visual Arts
Deadline
Applications and all support material must be postmarked no later than 1 February 2007. If this date falls on a weekend or statutory holiday, the deadline moves to the next business day.
Program Description
This initiative supports professional development in all aspects of curatorial practice in the visual arts for Aboriginal people at their chosen host institution. For this program, the visual arts include painting, sculpture, mixed media, installation, media arts, new media, photography and craft. Aboriginal peoples include First Nations (Status and Non-Status), Inuit and Métis people.
Eligibility
The curatorial resident and the eligible host institution must apply jointly. Priority will be given to applications that clearly demonstrate that the details of the residency are mutually agreeable to the individual and the institution. The minimum duration of each residency will be one year.
Applicants may apply for only one Grant to Professional Artists every fiscal year (1 April to 31 March), with the exception of the International Residencies Program. The Canada Council will also accept one request for a Travel Grant per year.
With the exception of Travel Grants and the International Residencies Program, individuals can receive a maximum of two Canada Council for the Arts grants in any 48-month period.
Individuals
Eligible individuals will have past experience and/or education that demonstrates their commitment to further development in the curatorial profession. Such experience can include cultural activities within communities as well as some basic level of training (for example, curatorial internships or museum/gallery work).
The curatorial resident must be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada.
Host Institutions
Eligible host institutions will have a demonstrated commitment to the collection, exhibition and documentation of Aboriginal visual and media arts. Eligible institutions include public art galleries, museums and artist-run centres.
Value of Grant
This program provides subsistence support to a maximum of $35,000 per year (requested amounts may vary depending upon the range of permanent salaries at the institution and upon the associated living costs). The grant will be payable to the curatorial resident.
Host institutions are responsible for all other expenses associated with the residency, including the costs of exhibition research, presentation, circulation and publication. Host institutions may seek further support from the Canada Council for the Arts towards the costs of these activities through other programs of the Visual Arts Section.
Retroactive funding is not available.
How to Apply
Applicants are required to complete and submit an application form, which is available from the Visual Arts Section, with the required support material.
Assessment of Applications
Applications are assessed by peer assessment committees, which are composed of experienced professionals (curators, artists, cultural workers, etc.) recognized as such by their peers and selected on the basis of their specialized knowledge. Assessment committee members are chosen to provide a balance of expertise, regions and genders. New committees of three to five members are formed for each competition.
Before they meet, peer assessment committee members receive photocopies of all eligible applications for examination. At their meeting, they study the applications and support material, discuss their relative merit and choose those that will receive grants.
Each application will be reviewed according to the following criteria:
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demonstrated commitment by both the individual and the institution to the long-term development of professional curatorial practice in the visual and media arts;
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an appropriate "match" between the individual's goals and the institutional mandate;
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provision of qualified professionals as teachers/mentors/advisors to the curatorial resident;
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presentation of a realistic, detailed work plan outlining curatorial responsibilities, e.g. research, writing, and exhibition planning and development;
the potential impact of the residency for both the host institution and the curatorial resident.
Priority will be given to institutions that demonstrate a long-term commitment to the development of Aboriginal curatorial practice in the visual and media arts, beyond the scope of this residency.
Notification of Results
Applicants will be notified of the results, in writing, within three months of the competition closing date. Results are not released over the telephone or by email.
Application Form
Assistance to Aboriginal Curators for Residencies in the Visual Arts (pdf, 172 KB)
This form can only be printed and cannot be filled out on-line.
Further Information
This information is a summary of the program. For more information, contact Jim Logan, the Visual Arts Section Officer.
Telehone: 1-800-263-5588 (toll-free) or (613) 566-4414, ext. 5266.
TTY (TDD) machine, for hearing-impaired callers: (613) 565-5194
Fax: (613) 566-4332
January 2003