ART + CONTESTATION: Research and Production Residency for French Artists
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Tentative Dates: October 2025
Application Deadline: June 23, 2025
ART + CONTESTATION is a research and production residency program offered by the SAW artist-run centre in Ottawa, in partnership with the Institut français du Canada and with the support of the Digital Arts Resource Centre and Artengine.
For its fourth edition, this multidisciplinary program is primarily—but not exclusively— open to French visual artists, including those working with screen printing, as well as digital artists working in film, video, and new media. The goal is to support the creation of artistic works addressing contemporary social issues or political and social movements.
The selected artist will undertake a four-week residency in Canada’s National Capital Region, home to most of the country’s national institutions and museums. During the residency, the artist will have the opportunity to present their work during an event organized with the Ottawa arts community. A public presentation or exhibition may also be planned in collaboration with SAW and its partners.
ART + CONTESTATION was launched in 2022 with the support of the Institut français through La Fabrique des Résidences, a program designed to foster the development of artist residencies within the French cultural network abroad.
The residency includes:
- Exclusive use of the Rochon Residence¹, a historic house in downtown Ottawa, and one parking space for four weeks
- A 10 m² artist studio at SAW with Internet access
- Access to SAW’s paper and textile screen printing studio
- Access to video production equipment, editing suites, and recording studios at the Digital Arts Resource Centre
- Access to Artengine’s additive manufacturing (3D printing) studio
- A materials and/or equipment budget of CAD $500
- A round-trip economy class flight between France and Ottawa
- A flat-rate allowance of CAD $750 per week for the duration of the stay
Eligibility:
Applicants must:
- Be of French nationality or have resided in France for at least five years
- Have a minimum of five years of professional artistic practice
- Commit to freeing themselves from professional obligations during the residency period
- Have at least basic English proficiency
Application materials:
- A detailed project description including the purpose of the application, nature of the research project, and intended outcomes (maximum 1 page)
- A curriculum vitae with the applicant’s contact details (postal address, email, and phone number)
- An artistic portfolio with 10 to 20 images and/or a link to a website
Please submit your application by email no later than June 23, 2025 to Jason St-Laurent, Curator at SAW: [email protected]
Please indicate in the subject line: ART + CONTESTATION – Résidence d’artiste.
About SAW
Founded in Ottawa in 1973, SAW is a self-managed, non-profit artist-run centre dedicated to the presentation of contemporary art. Today, with a strong focus on public engagement and community action, SAW reaches more than 45,000 people each year. The centre’s bold exhibition program showcases the work of numerous artists often overlooked by other Canadian institutions. A dynamic space that includes galleries, the Nordic Lab, Club SAW, and an outdoor courtyard, SAW is ideal for presenting performances, media arts, and new artistic practices. Located in Canada’s capital region, SAW is an active voice in political discourse on cultural diversity, artists’ rights, and freedom of expression. SAW recognizes and respects the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
As a centre committed to socially and politically engaged practices, SAW has supported the creation and exhibition of many activist projects over the years. In 2021, the centre opened a screen printing studio to support initiatives such as poster campaigns and the production of protest T-shirts for social and political causes
About the Institut français du Canada
The Institut français du Canada, an initiative of the Embassy of France in Canada, was established in April 2024. Its mission is to enhance cooperation between France and Canada by promoting shared values and deepening cultural, educational, scientific, and academic collaborations. The Institut organizes cultural events, public debates, educational, scientific, and academic projects, and residency programs through a multidisciplinary approach. Its programming is designed for a broad and diverse audience—from young children to seniors, from novices to professionals. Active across Canada outside of Quebec, the Institut works closely with the Embassy of France in Canada, the Institut français in Paris (France’s international cultural outreach operator), and various public and private Canadian and French institutions.
1 The Rochon Residence is a recognized federal heritage building located across from the Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica, just steps from the National Gallery of Canada. It is one of the oldest buildings in Ottawa’s Lower Town. Dating back to the early 1830s, the house reflects Ottawa’s early development. The architecture of the Rochon Residence—a one-and-a-half-storey post-and-beam structure with wooden cladding—is characteristic of Lower Town homes. Its first occupant was Flavien Rochon, a wood sculptor who, in 1844, carved the stalls and sanctuary of the Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica.
