Call for Artists: 2022 CreateSpace Residency

Link for ASL version: https://youtu.be/Bc6sfSIi66s

Are you, or an artist you know, interested in gaining experience, building networks and professional skills needed to launch or expand a public art practice?

STEPS believes public art has the ability to challenge the systemic inequities that exist in public space. In support of this important work, we facilitate programs that: foster inclusive public art practices; build the capacity of artists who are underrepresented in Canadian public art and demonstrate the power of art to reimagine equitably designed cities.

We are thrilled to launch the 2022 CreateSpace Public Art Residency, a national public art program designed in collaboration with advisors from coast to coast, to provide emerging Black, Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit and Métis) and racialized artists with the skills, relationships and practical experiences needed to build and advance public art practices.\

Ten artists from across the country participated in the program’s inaugural year, acquiring valuable skills in the field of public art. Each artist created unique and inspiring public artworks that ranged from experimental to performative to sculptural. Visit the  2021 CreateSpace Public Art Residency webpage to learn more about these artists and their projects.

This residency is open to early to mid-career Canadian-based visual and media artists working in public space, who identify as Black, Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit and Métis) and/or racialized, interested in participating in a virtual residency from March through December 2022. Up to ten artists will be selected for this opportunity by a review panel composed of members of the arts community who identify as Black, Indigenous and/or racialized. Program components will be offered primarily in English, with translation and ASL services available as needed to support the participation of a diverse community of artists.

Applicants must be a Canadian citizen, or Permanent Resident to qualify for this opportunity. Interested applicants must submit their expressions of interest by Monday, January 31, 2022 at 11:59 PM PST. Those living outside of the Pacific time zone are encouraged to use a timezone converter to ensure your application is received by the deadline.

2022 CreateSpace Residency participating artists will gain:

Skills: virtual workshops, artist talks and studio visits for greater understanding of the public art process through the lens of Community, Identity, Accessibility, and Land, including: demystifying public art RFPs, exploring fabrication and approaches to public engagement.

Relationships: opportunities to connect with public art practitioners from across the country, cultivating professional networks in various sectors and industries.

Practical Experience: creating new public art work with tailored coaching from STEPS staff and artistic advisors, through which experimentation is encouraged.

Public Audiences: through promotional support leveraging STEPS and partner network, as well as supports to document and present past and current public work.

Financial Support: artists will each receive individual support valued at $3500, inclusive of a $1500 participation stipend as well as production, documentation, engagement and accessibility support.

Proof of Participation:  Up to 50 artists will be selected for this opportunity. This opportunity is open to those who:

• identity as early-career Canadian-based visual and/or media artists interested in building or growing their public art practice;

• identify as Black, Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit and Métis), racialized, rural, and/or youth with disabilities;

• are between the ages of 18-25;

• are a Canadian citizen, or Permanent Resident.

Program components will be offered primarily in English, with translation and ASL services available as needed to support participation of a diverse community of artists.

As part of their participation in the CreateSpace Public Art Residency participants are expected to:

• Attend at least 10 of approx. 15 residency sessions held over 10 months which will include: workshops, artist talks, facilitated discussions, studio visits, etc. We estimate each session to be an hour to an hour and a half time commitment per session. These sessions will run primarily between 1 PM and 8 PM EST, Monday through Saturday.

• Identify and execute a public art project by the end of the residency.

• While participating artists are NOT expected to have well thought out plans for a public art project at the time of their application, having a project concept and clearly defined learning objectives for advancing your public art practice are important to make the most of the support that STEPS and CreateSpace partners can provide.

• Participate in ongoing program evaluation that will help shape the CreateSpace Public Art Residency and other artist capacity-building programming.

• Respect the time and knowledge of CreateSpace advisors, mentors, staff and fellow participating artists, by committing to cultivate a safe, inclusive, supportive and respectful space for learning, exploration and growth.

Key Program Dates

Submission Deadline: Thursday, January 31st, 2022 at 11:59 PM PST

2022 CreateSpace Residency: March – December 2022

How to apply:

To apply, please click here to fill out the application form by Thursday, January 31st, 2022 at 11:59 PM PST. To access the application in French please visit here.

PLEASE NOTE: Applicants cannot save the form and return to complete it at a later time. We strongly recommend downloading the following form and saving your answers on a separate document prior to filling out the online form.

We encourage all applicants to visit the STEPS website prior to preparing this application to have a better understanding of the organization that will be facilitating this residency. Applicants who are Deaf, have a disability, or who need support applying for this opportunity are encouraged to contact Belinda Uwase, Artist Programs Assistant at belinda@stepspublicart.org or call 416.366.6565 ex. 2 at least two weeks before the submission deadline to allow STEPS to appropriately accommodate your needs and to discuss alternate formats for submitting your application.

Participants will be selected on a competitive basis by a review committee of public art practitioners from across Canada. Review committee members have been selected on the basis of their familiarity with a broad spectrum of public art practices, specialized expertise, fair-mindedness, and self and regional representation. The committee will assess submissions based on clarity of learning objectives, alignment with needs and residency supports; and merit of the applicant’s art practice.