Artist Residency “Artificial Muse” in Vancouver
Musical creation & Artificial Intelligence

September 29th to October 24th, 2025

Simon Fraser University – SFU

Simon Fraser University – SFU

Metacreation Lab for Creative AI

Credit – Diamond’s Edge Photography 1

Credit – Diamond’s Edge Photography 2

Vancouver

SFU

The 2025 call for applications is now open!
Deadline: May 19th, 2025, at 11h59pm (Paris time)

1- About the residency

1.1 – Introduction

Initiated by the Embassy of France in Canada / Institut français du Canada in Vancouver as part of their “Résidences Ouest-Ouest” programme, in partnership with the Metacreation Lab for Creative AI at Simon Fraser University-SFU (School of Interactive Arts & Technology, Surrey) and the Centre for Digital Media (CDM) in Vancouver, the second edition of the “Artificial Muse” residency in musical creation and artificial intelligence will take place from September 29th to October 24th, 2025, in Vancouver and Surrey, British Columbia, Canada.

This artist residency is aimed at a French artist wishing to explore the crossover between musical creation and artificial intelligence. The residency offers a French artist the opportunity to work on a music creation or sound art project in a cutting-edge research and creation laboratory and in contact with a local art and creative technology ecosystem.

Simon Fraser University (SFU), through its Meta creation Lab for Creative AI, and the Centre for Digital Media (CDM), an industry hub for digital product development embedded within Vancouver’s Creative District, will offer the selected artist a space in which to think and work. In contact with local researchers, creators, and students, they will be able to develop a project and use and appropriate the systems, equipment and software resulting from the research work.

The residency also aims to enable the French artist to expand their professional network, create new synergies and strengthen links between France and Western Canada. Prior to the residency, several online meetings will be organized to establish and maintain initial contact between the laureate artist in France and the host team.

Open to all musical practices and genres (sound art, composition, performance, etc.) spanning artistic and professional realms, this residency should enable a French artist to immerse themselves in the local Vancouver ecosystem to collaborate and enrich their practice.

1.2 – Course of the residency

From September 29th to October 24th, 2025, in Vancouver and Surrey.

1.3 – Objectives

  • Foster or consolidate a creative project based on innovative technologies developed at the Meta creation Lab for Creative AI.
  • Encourage the discovery of Western Canada’s creative technology ecosystem, as well as structuring collaborations with local artists, industry and academic researchers, students, and start-ups and larger creative tech companies.
  • Participate in educational forums and student learning opportunities such as presentations, panels, critiques, workshops, and informal mentorship.
  • At the end of the residency, the artist must agree to share their work(s) and submit a report on their experience, their work, and the development of the project during this period.

1.4 – Advantages

This program provides the laureate with:

  • 4-week residency in Vancouver, including accommodation in the Centre for Digital Media (45m2 flat in the CDM residence with private bathroom and separated bedroom, access to campus amenities, with great view of Vancouver and North shore mountains).
  • A production office within the laboratory (Meta creation Lab for Creative AI at Simon Fraser University-SFU), located on the Surrey campus, 50 minutes by SkyTrain (using the Expo Line of the local overground metro) from the accommodation at the Centre for Digital Media.
  • Workspace at the CDM (45m2) just below the flat on the CDM ground floor campus.
  • Transports (flights from France to Vancouver, and a monthly pass for public transport in Vancouver/Surrey).
  • A residency fee of €2,000 (corresponding to per diems and presentation at three half-day lectures and master classes during the residency).
  • Networking and relations within the local ecosystem.
  • Participation in relevant events (e.g., artistic, creative, cultural, educational) in Vancouver and Surrey.

 

Artists and researchers who will accompany the resident

SFU:

 

CDM (contact page):

1.5 – Equipment and support

At SFU:

The objective and the creative constraint of the residency is to use one or more of the above systems in the production of one or more new works.

At the Centre for Digital Media:

Centre for Digital Media offers access to:

  • Project room (1), sound recording room (1), multi-purpose classrooms (2) that are fully AV enabled with ample ethernet, power, whiteboard space.
  • Boardroom with full AV for smaller gatherings.
  • Shared office kitchen.
  • Desktop/laptop with GPU, monitors, various other IT/AV equipment as required.
  • Support is provided by CDM IT and property management depts.

2- Eligibility criteria

2.1 – Profile of the candidates

  • Artist, creator, or bearer of a musical creation project using MIDI as the main musical representation.
  • Familiar with digital audio software such as Cubase, Live (on MacOS), etc.
  • Professional work experience in digital media (e.g., film, TV, games, interactive) an asset.
  • At least 18 years old.
  • Resident in France for at least 5 years.
  • Speaking English.

2.2 – Accepted projects

This programme is open to all musical and sound art practices, and genres (contemporary music, jazz, electronic music, pop, hiphop, etc.) in all their diversity.

3- Registration procedure

3.1 – About the Call for Application

The application:

  • Must be in English,
  • In a single PDF file,
  • Must be sent by e-mail to [email protected]
  • Until May 19th 2025 (23:59, PST).
  • Is free of charge

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

3.2 – Required information

Before registering, we invite you to read the information and documents requested in the presentation pack to be enclosed with your application (in the same order as below):

  • ENG_application-residency-Artificial-muse-2025 (in English only)
  • a copy of your I.D. card or passport
  • a biography and CV
  • a portfolio of previous projects
  • a cover letter
  • 1 page-statement outlining project goals with the Metacreation Lab for Creative AI, and illustrating how the Resident aims to engage and add value to the research, teaching, and learning communities at SFU and CDM.
  • a provisional work plan for the residency
  • audio files of the project (if available)
  • a letter of recommendation (optional)
  • a letter from a French institution or company accompanying/recommending the project for a future exhibition or production of the work (mandatory).

4- Selection and commitment

4.1 – Selection Committee

A professional selection committee will assess the eligible projects. Interviews with the shortlisted candidates will take place on May 27th, between 8am and 11am (Vancouver time).

4.2 – Notification and official announcement

The laureate will be officially announced in early June. Beforehand, each applicant will have been notified by email of the selection committee’s decision regarding their application.

4.3 – Obligations of the laureate

A contract summarizing all the commitments on both sides will be signed between the laureate and the programme partners.

Prior to the residency, the laureate agrees to send the partners the work plan for the residency and to participate in a few preliminary virtual work meetings.

During/at the end of the residency, the laureate agrees to:

  • Carry out the planned work plan;
  • The Resident will split time, approximately 50/50, between SFU and CDM, engaging in these unique artistic and creative communities.
  • Participate in 3 formal engagements with students and community members (e.g., lecture, master class, workshop) during the residency;
  • Host office hours and engage in informal educational activities in the classroom, such as playtesting interactive prototypes, student presentations, career and ‘ask me anything’ discussions (e.g., working in France/outside of Canada), etc;
  • Take time in Vancouver, during the residency, to write a report of the residency accompanied by the Institut français du Canada’s team on site;
  • Present the creative developments of the project to the partners in the Fall of 2026;
  • Include in the project credits and on all communication media the logos that will be provided by the partners;
  • Authorize the residency partners to communicate or present the project for promotional purposes as part of their programming.

5- Timeline

April 3rd, 2025: opening of the call for application.
May 19th, 2025 (23:59, Paris time): deadline for submitting the applications.
May 27th 2025: interviews with the shortlisted candidates.
early June 2025: notification of the results.

6- Contact

Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions, at: [email protected]

7- Partners

The Embassy of France in Canada and the Institut français du Canada

The first French diplomatic delegation to Canada was welcomed in 1928, and the Embassy building in Ottawa was inaugurated in 1939. Since then, the French Embassy’s Cooperation and Cultural Action Service (SCAC) has worked tirelessly to promote exchanges between the two countries, in fields as varied as cultural and creative industries (immersive reality, video games, books, etc., which have become a major focus of cooperation), the visual and performing arts, residencies, university mobility and scientific cooperation, and educational cooperation. Since 2025, the Embassy of France in Canada created the Institut français du Canada to strengthen the cooperation.

This residency programme is supported by the Institut français du Canada’s office based at the Consulate General of France in Vancouver, which is responsible for the entire consular area, i.e., British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, the Yukon and the Northwest Territories.

“Artificial Muse” is part of a wider programme of residencies initiated by the Embassy in Western Canada, entitled “Les Résidences Ouest-Ouest”: in 2025, it will also offer creative residencies in quantum sciences, and immersive realities.

Website: https://francecanadaculture.org/

 

Simon Fraser University-SFU / School of Interactive Arts & Technology / Metacreation Lab for Creative AI

Since 2008, the Metacreation Lab for Artificial Intelligence Creative has been a space for research and creation around generative systems. Whether through its scientific production of new algorithms and systems, partnerships with the creative software industry, or artistic practices using and criticizing these same systems, the Lab’s mission is an interdisciplinary exploration of the partial or complete automation of creative tasks.

Website: https://www.metacreation.net

Centre for Digital Media

The Centre for Digital Media was established through the ground-breaking partnership of four leading academic institutions: The University of British Columbia (UBC), Simon Fraser University (SFU), Emily Carr University of Art + Design (ECU), and the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT).

Located at the heart of the Creative District on Great Northern Way in Vancouver, Centre for Digital Media (CDM) is a thriving campus with an earned reputation as a destination for collaboration amongst learners, educational leaders, industry and community-based partners. Since 2001, CDM has been a leader in the development of Vancouver’s Creative District ecosystem, driving applied research and workforce innovation with hundreds of business partners from the creative technology, high tech, and citizen services (healthcare, education and government) sectors.

Website: https://thecdm.ca/

Partners