International Residencies Program in Visual Arts
Deadline
1 April 2006
Program Description
The Visual Arts Section of the Canada Council for the Arts provides a range of grants in recognition and support of the independent creative work of professional Canadian artists of all cultures.
The International Residencies Program in Visual Arts is intended for professional artists working in the visual arts, fine craft, and independent criticism and curating.
Grants contribute toward subsistence, travel, production costs, accommodation and residency fees for professional Canadian artists to participate in an international residency, as described below.
All Canada Council programs are accessible to Aboriginal artists and artists of diverse cultural and regional communities of Canada.
La Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris
La Cité Internationale des Arts is located in the heart of Paris, at 18 rue de l’Hôtel de Ville. Here, two studios are available to Canadian artists. Each is a furnished bachelor apartment, including studio (approximately 22 square metres).
Six residencies are awarded to professional artists who wish to pursue creative work in Paris. The studios are available for a period of four months. Photographers have access to a common darkroom and print-makers to a print studio, subject to availability.
The schedule for residencies following the 1 April deadline is January to April, May to August, and September to December.
Caribbean Contemporary Arts, Port of Spain
Located in the capital of Trinidad and Tobago, Caribbean Contemporary Arts (CCA) is an international arts organization that works with contemporary visual artists, curators and other arts professionals from the Caribbean, the Caribbean Diaspora and abroad. Together, they exhibit, publish and document contemporary art practices of the Latin American rim countries and the many island states in the Caribbean region.
As part of its program of activities, CCA invites international artists to attend its artist-in-residence program. Three residencies are awarded for two months each. Studios, accommodation, access to the centre’s facilities and local networking are provided.
The schedule for residencies is arranged between the successful candidate and CCA.
International Studio and Curatorial Program, New York
Located in the EFA Studio Center on West 39th Street in Manhattan, the International Studio and Curatorial Program provides studio facilities and living accommodation. It promotes career development by facilitating exposure to and connection with the New York art community. Studio visits from national and international visitors are regularly scheduled and field trips. Each artist also participates in an open studio event.
The studios are for individuals who wish to pursue creative work or curatorial research in New York. Two residencies are awarded for six months each.
The schedule for residencies following the 1 April deadline is September to February, and March to August.
Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin
Located in the Kreuzberg district of Berlin, the Künstlerhaus Bethanien offers studios, gallery space and various workshops for wood, metal and synthetic materials, as well as video and digital media. Living accommodation is provided. In addition to these facilities, the Künstlerhaus Bethanien provides artists with organizational and technical assistance, promotion and networking on an international level.
One residency of 12 months is awarded, which usually results in the completion of a project that is advertised and presented to the public.
The residency begins in October, following the 1 April deadline.
SPACE, London
SPACE, set up in 1968 by artist Bridget Riley, provides 450 studios and is London’s first and largest studio organization. SPACE has converted a former college site into a multi-use artists’ resource centre and studio complex called The Triangle. Situated in the heart of the artistic community in East London, the area is home to many contemporary art spaces and organizations.
In addition to promotion and networking within London, SPACE provides artists with organizational and technical assistance. Exhibition opportunities with publicity are also provided.
Studio facilities at The Triangle and accommodation are provided. Two residencies of six months each are awarded, which result in the completion of a project that is presented to the public.
The schedule for residencies following the 1 April deadline is September to February, and March to August.
Eligibility
General Eligibility Criteria
To apply to the Canada Council for the Arts, you must be a Canadian citizen or have Permanent Resident status, as defined by Citizenship and Immigration Canada. You must also meet the Canada Council’s definition of a professional artist, whish is an artist who:
- has specialized training in the field (not necessarily in academic institutions)
- is recognized as such by his or her peers through a history of public presentation of their work in a professional context, and
- is committed to devoting more time to artistic activity, if financially feasible.
Applicants must also meet the minimum eligibility requirements described below.
Eligible artists are those who have created an independent body of work and have made a nationally recognized contribution to their discipline through public presentation of their work outside their local community. This requires at least eight years of professional arts practice after basic training in the field. (A minimum of eight years of exhibition experience must be listed in applicants’ curriculum vitae.)
Artists’ public presentations and exhibitions, both in Canada and abroad, must be in a professional organization or context where the artists work is recognized by a professional curator, gallery owner/art dealer, or collective of professional artists.
In Canada, to be considered professional, an organization must be a public art gallery, a museum or an artist-run centre that pays a professional fee to participating artists. The condition of paying fees does not apply to commercial galleries or professional venues outside Canada.
The Canada Council for the Arts recognizes that, for contemporary visual artists from Aboriginal as well as culturally diverse communities and, in rare cases, artists living in remote areas, the networks for peer recognition and exhibition venues may exist in alternative professional contexts. The acceptance of alternative professional contexts will be determined with the expertise of Aboriginal and culturally diverse communities in the Visual Arts Section and, if necessary, in collaboration with peers in the milieu.
Other Restrictions
Students are not eligible to apply to this program.
Educational projects, capital and large equipment costs, are not eligible.
The Visual Arts Section of the Canada Council cannot consider university research projects. If you wish to pursue studies at the doctoral or post-doctoral level, or to undertake scholarly research, you may be eligible for support from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).
You may apply to only one component of the International Residencies program per deadline.
You may apply for only one Canada Council Grant to Professional Artists program (or to one deadline of that program) in any fiscal year (1 April to 31 March). You can receive a maximum of two Grants to Professional Artists from the Canada Council in any 48-month period.
The Canada Council will also accept one request for a Travel Grant from you per fiscal year. For further information, refer to the Travel Grants to Professional Visual Artists including Artists in Photography, Fine Craft, Architecture, and Independent Critics and Curators program.
Please note: If you are an established artist who works in more than one discipline, such as Visual Arts and Music for example, and meet the eligibility criteria as an established artist in both disciplines, you may apply to two different Grants to Professional Artists programs per fiscal year. You must, however, accept or refuse the grant offered by the Canada Council within two weeks of the date of the grant notification. If you accept the first grant offered, your other application will be withdrawn from any subsequent competition in that fiscal year.
Each disciplinary section defines its own criteria for determining who is considered to be an established artist. For the Visual Arts Section, established artists are those at a mature stage in their careers who have created an extensive independent body of work and have made a nationally and/or internationally recognized contribution to their discipline through public presentation of their work. Established artists must have at least 15 years of exhibitions history, in a professional context.
Note that meeting the eligibility criteria allows you to apply to the program. It does not, however, guarantee that you will receive a grant.
Grant Amount
La Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris
Residencies will be awarded for a period of four months. The total grant amount of $21,000 applies to the applicant’s expenses, to be allocated as follows:
- an allowance for travel costs (to a maximum of $1,500)
- residency and accommodation fees for single occupancy ($1,500)
- subsistence for four months ($8,000), and
- production costs ($10,000).
Caribbean Contemporary Arts, Port of Spain
Residencies will be awarded for a period of two months. The total grant amount of $15,500 applies to the applicant’s expenses. Residency and accommodation fees, for single occupancy, are paid directly by the Canada Council for the Arts to Caribbean Contemporary Arts (CCA).
The grant will be allocated as follows:
- an allowance for travel costs (to a maximum of $1,500)
- subsistence for two months ($4,000), and
- production costs ($10,000).
International Studio and Curatorial Program, New York
Residencies will be awarded for a period of six months. The total grant amount of $23,500 applies to the applicant’s expenses. Residency and accommodation fees, for single occupancy, are paid directly by the Canada Council for the Arts to the International Studio and Curatorial Program.
The grant will be allocated as follows:
- an allowance for travel costs (to a maximum of $1,500)
- subsistence for six months ($12,000), and
- production costs ($10,000).
Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin
One residency will be awarded for a period of one year. The total grant amount of $35,500 applies to the applicant’s expenses. Residency and accommodation fees, for single occupancy, are paid by the Canada Council for the Arts directly to Künstlerhaus Bethanien.
The grant will be allocated as follows:
- an allowance for travel costs (to a maximum of $1,500)
- subsistence for 12 months ($20,000), and
- production costs ($14,000).
SPACE, London
Residencies will be awarded for a period of six months. The total grant amount of $23,500 applies to the applicant’s expenses. Residency and accommodation fees, for single occupancy, are paid directly by the Canada Council for the Arts to SPACE.
The grant will be allocated as follows:
- an allowance for travel costs (to a maximum of $1,500)
- subsistence for six months ($12,000), and
- production costs ($10,000).
Grant Condition
Successful applicants are required to sign written agreements for use of the studios and accommodations.
Application Form
Or
Further Information
Visual Arts Section Officer
Canada Council for the Arts
350 Albert Street, P.O. Box 1047
Ottawa ON K1P 5V8
Telephone: 1-800-263-5588 (toll-free) or (613) 566-4414, ext. 5094
TTY (TDD) machine, for hearing-impaired callers: (613) 565-5194
Fax: (613) 566-4332
December 2005