Research and production residency for French artists

Location: Ottawa, Canada, with research trips to Toronto and Montréal

Projected dates: March 15–April 15, 2022

Deadline for applications: December 20, 2022

Call for applications – ART + CONTESTATION

The Institut français and the Embassy of France in Canada, in partnership with the SAW artist-run center in Ottawa, with the support of the Digital Arts Resource Centre and the digital arts production center Artengine in Ottawa, are pleased to announce the ART + CONTESTATION residency.

ART + CONTESTATION is a residency program for artistic research and production.

This multi-disciplinary program is intended for visual artists, including but not limited to screen printers, and French digital artists working in film, video and new media. The goal is to support the production of artistic works that address contemporary social issues or movements of social and political protest. Established in 1973, SAW has supported the creation and exhibition of numerous activist projects over the years. As a center dedicated to socially and politically engaged practices, SAW opened a screen printing studio in 2021 to support activist projects such as poster campaigns or the production of T-shirts for social and political protests or causes.

Duration:

The selected candidate will complete a four-week residency in the Canada’s Capital Region.

Location: The residency will take place in Canada’s Capital Region, home to the majority of the country’s national museums and institutions. The residency will take place primarily in Ottawa, but will include two prospecting trips to Montreal and Toronto organized by SAW and the French Embassy in Canada.

The artist will be housed in the Rochon Residence, a historic house in downtown Ottawa, and will have a private studio at SAW. Depending on the artist’s needs, they will also have access to video production equipment, editing suites, a recording studio, a 3D printing studio, and a paper and textile screen printing studio.

There will also be the possibility of a second trip to Canada for a presentation of the artist’s work in connection with an event on the Canadian cultural calendar.

The residency includes :

  • accommodation in downtown Ottawa for a period of four weeks (exclusive use of a historic house with parking);
  • a 10 m² artist studio at SAW with internet access;
  • public transit passes;
  • access to the Digital Arts Resource Centre’s video production equipment, editing suites and recording studios;
  • access to Artengine’s additive manufacturing (3D printing) studio;
  • a budget of 750 euros in materials and/or equipment costs;
  • round-trip economy airfare from France to Ottawa
  • airport cabs;
  • a lump sum allowance of 2,500 euros for the duration of the stay;
  • prospecting trips to Toronto and Montreal, including train transportation and hotel.

Eligibility :

Applicants must:

  • be a French citizen or have resided in France for at least five years;
  • have at least five years of professional practice;
  • commit to freeing themselves from their professional activities during the period of their stay;
  • be fluent in French or English.

The application file must include :

  • a detailed description of the project specifying the motivations for the application, the nature of the research project and the envisaged consequences of the project (maximum of one page);
  • a curriculum vitae with the candidate’s contact information (postal address, e-mail and telephone number);
  • an artistic dossier including 10 to 20 images and/or a link to a website.

Application deadline: December 20, 2022

Please email your application to Jason St-Laurent, SAW curator, at [email protected] by December 20, 2021. Please write in the subject line: ART + CONTESTATION – Résidence d’artiste.

The selected candidate will receive artistic, technical and logistical support from the SAW team. It is the candidate’s responsibility to obtain all the necessary documents for his or her stay in Canada, including an electronic travel authorization (eTA). A visa is not required for French nationals.

About SAW

Founded in Ottawa in 1973, SAW is a non-profit, artist-run center dedicated to the presentation of contemporary art. Today, with its focus on audience development and community outreach, SAW prides itself on reaching over 40,000 people annually. The center’s bold exhibition program showcases the work of many artists who are often not considered by other art institutions in Canada. A dynamic space that includes exhibition galleries, the Northern Lab, the SAW Club and the SAW outdoor courtyard, the center is ideal for the presentation of performance, media arts and new art practices. Located in Canada’s Capital Region, SAW is actively engaged in the 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.

About the Résidence Rochon

The Rochon Residence is a recognized federal heritage building located across the street from the Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica, just steps away from the National Gallery of Canada. It is one of the oldest buildings in Ottawa’s Lowertown. Dating back to the early 1830’s, it is a testament to the early years of Ottawa’s development.

The architecture of the Rochon Residence, a one-and-a-half story, wood-clad, room-by-room structure, is representative of Ottawa’s Lowertown houses. Flavien Rochon, a woodcarver, was the first occupant. It was this artist who, in 1844, carved the stalls and sanctuary of the Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica.