Artist Residency “XR Fall” in Vancouver – Immersive Realities

November 3rd to November 30th, 2025

The 2025 call for applications will open from 11th April 2025.
Deadline for applications : 19th May 2025

1- About the XR Fall Residency

1.1 – Introduction

Launched by the Embassy of France in Canada / Institut français du Canada in Vancouver as part of their “Résidences Ouest-Ouest” program, in partnership with the NewImages Hub/Forum des images, Emily Carr University of Art + Design (ECUAD), the Centre for Digital Media (CDM), and the Alliance française Vancouver, the fourth edition of the writing and research residency “XR Fall” in Vancouver will take place from November 3rd to November 30th, 2025, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

The program is open to all extended realities and allows a French creator to immerse themselves in the local ecosystem to enrich their writing-research project and expand their professional network. Additionally, the programme is designed to provide a unique opportunity to strengthen connections and create new synergies between France and Canada in the field of XR and immersive technology.

Emily Carr University of Art + Design (ECUAD), through its Basically Good Media Lab (BGML), 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 appropriate systems, equipment and software resulting from the research work.

During the XR residency, the artist or creator selected will dedicate their time to the development of their immersive project, for which they are invited to collaborate with professionals from Vancouver, as well as with local technical teams and production companies, faculty, and researchers from ECUAD and CDM. The programme also aims to assist the selected creator in expanding their network and skills.

1.2 – Course of the residency

From November 3rd to November 30th, 2025, in Vancouver, at ECUAD and CDM.

1.3 – Objectives of the Residency

  • ● Initiate and develop an XR project (writing research or development stages).● Participate in educational activities and student learning opportunities such as presentations, panels, critiques, workshops, and informal mentorship.● to network with and foster the discovery of the digital ecosystem of Western Canada, as well as stimulate collaborations with France.● At the end of the residency, the creator will be required to provide a report on their experience, work, and the progress of the project during this period.

1.4 – Advantages

The selected creator will be provided with:

● A roundtrip flight Paris – Vancouver

● 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 workplace at Basically Good Media Lab and at the Centre for Digital Media, on the same campus.

● An endowment of € 2,000 (Corresponding to the per diem and participation in three half-day conferences/masterclasses during the residency).

● Connections with the local ecosystem.

● Participation in relevant events (e.g., artistic, creative technology, cultural, educational) in British Columbia.

Other counterparties (to be determined together):

● Presentation of the project at NewImages Festival 2026

● Accreditation for the professional days at NewImages Festival 2026

● showcase the outcome of their residency work (prototype, work-in-progress) at V-Unframed 2026 (Vancouver)

Key Contacts:

ECUAD:

CDM (contact page):

1.5 – Equipment and support

 

At Emily Carr University of Art + Design:

This programme ensures, notably, for the laureate:

● Access to the Basically Good Media Lab as a workplace on a regular basis. It is a collaborative place shared with undergraduate and graduate students and research assistants. The Basically Good Media Lab has Augmented and virtual reality headsets, along with consumer-grade and prosumer 360 cameras.

● Access to state-of-the-art computer equipment: Dell Precision 3660 ; 32GB of RAM ; i9-12900K (16 cores) ; NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080.

● Technical support: occasional technical assistance to help the artist realize their project

● Mentorship of Emily Carr University of Art + Design to provide feedback on the project and the artist’s approaches, help facilitate the use of resources, and provide potential networking opportunities within the community.

● Access to the Integrated Motion Studio when available for use as a workshop or black box space: the Integrated Motion Studio is a state-of-the-art black box studio with a 28 camera Motiv motion capture system, fully functional lighting grid and quadraphonic sound system.

● Access to other campus facilities, depending on their availability.

● The artist will be accompanied during the residency by the staff of the French Embassy in Vancouver and the Alliance Française Vancouver.

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

2.1 – Applicants profile

This programme is open to any artist, creator, or project leader in XR writing/research.

● Artist or professional with an established practice in XR (e.g., virtual, augmented, or mixed reality), or related interactive technologies.

● Professional practice in XR (e.g., healthcare, industrial, education, creative technology, entertainment or high tech) an asset.

● At least 18 years old.

● Resident in France for at least 5 years.

● Speaking English.

2.2 – Eligible projects

This programme is open to all types of XR projects (360 or interactive virtual reality, augmented reality, mixed reality, installations involving immersive technologies,sound design or 4D technology, etc.).

A special attention will be given to projects rooted in the local context.

Project must relate to at least one of the following themes:

1. Environmental sustainability

2. Ecological justice and climate action

3. Healthcare or educational innovation

3- Application process

3.1 – About the call for applications

Application :

  • Must be made in English
  • Must be made online at https://zhx2xeql.paperform.co/ no later than Sunday, May, 19th, 2025 (11:59pm, Paris time)
  • The application must be submitted as a single PDF
  • Is free of charge

In addition, please note that:

  • Incomplete entries will no be considered
  • There is no time limit to complete the form (https://zhx2xeql.paperform.co/)
  • Your answers and data are auto-saved, so you can close and/or return to the form from the same device and browser (excluding private windows)

We strongly advise you not to wait until the last days of the call for applications to submit your project, in order to avoid any technical issues.

By registering, you acknowledge that you are the author of the submitted project and/or you are authorized to submit the project by all the other right holders. The Forum des images, Embassy of France in Canada, Emily Carr University of Art + Design, the Centre for Digital Media, and the Alliance française Vancouver cannot be responsible in any way for any claim, conflict, or lawsuit in connection with the registration of the project.

3.2 – Information required

Before you register, we invite you to read carefully what information and documents have to be provided in the presentation file required in the registration form
(in the same order than below):

  • Application form-Residency XR 2025 (in english only): https://zhx2xeql.paperform.co/
  • A copy of identity card or passport
  • A biography and a CV/Résumé/Cover Letter
  • A portfolio of your previous projects
  • 1 page statement of intent outlining project goals and illustrating how the XR Artist aims to engage and add value to the research, teaching, and learning communities at SFU and CDM.
  • An elaborated synopsis of your project
  • A projected work plan for the residency
  • Project stills (if any)
  • A letter of recommendation (optional).
  • A letter from a French institution or company recommending/accompanying the project for a future exhibition or production of the work (mandatory).

4- Selection and commitments


4.1 – Selection of the committee

All eligible projects will be evaluated by a committee made up of representatives of the Forum des images, the Cooperation and Cultural Action Service of the

French Embassy in Canada, Emily Carr University of Art + Design and the Alliance française Vancouver.

4.2 – Notification and official announcement

The name of the selected creator will officially be announced in July, 2024. Applicants will have been notified in advance by e-mail of the selection board’s decision concerning their application.

4.3 – Obligations of the laureate

A contract mentioning all commitments on both sides shall be signed between the selected creator and the 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 and at the end of the residency, they commit to:

● Execute the work / production plan;

● The Resident will split time, approximately 50/50, between ECUAD and CDM, engaging in both of these unique artistic and creative communities.

● Present the writing/research project as part of the immersive exhibition V-Unframed in Vancouver in November 2024;

● Participate in 3 formal engagements with students and community members (e.g., lecture, master class, workshop) during the residency;

● Host office hours and informally engage in 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;

● Exclusively showcase the outcome of their residency work (prototype, work-in-progress) at V-Unframed 2026 (Vancouver) and NewImages Festival 2026 (Paris) (to be determined together);

● To include partners’ logos in credits and communication materials;

● To authorize partners to use, including but not limited to, reproduce, edit, adapt, publicly transmit, publicly broadcast, etc., project materials such as

images, texts, sound recordings, or videos for promotional/educational purposes or to include the project in their annual programming.


 


5- Timeline

April 11th, 2025: opening of the call for application.

May 19th, 2025 (23:59, Paris time): deadline for submitting the applications.

May 29th, 2025, 9 am: selection

June 2nd,2025, 8:30-10 am: interviews

Early-June 2025: notification of the results.

6- Contact

Feel free to contact us if you any questions:
For questions regarding registration: [email protected]

For questions regarding the residency in Vancouver: [email protected]

Some more information

British Columbia – Vancouver has a focus on high-tech and is a central hub for the development of cultural and creative industries, particularly in digital innovation. The region is a recognized innovation cluster (audiovisual, animation, special effects) and one of the leading destinations for cutting-edge technologies (artificial intelligence, NFTs & blockchain, quantum). Universities are also very active in these fields. Vancouver’s VR/AR industry is Vancouver’s VR/AR industry is the second largest in the world.

Partners

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

The first French diplomatic delegation in Canada was received in 1928, and the embassy building in Ottawa was inaugurated in 1939. Since then, the cooperation and Cultural Action Service (SCAC) of the French Embassy has continuously worked to foster exchanges between the two countries in various fields, such as cultural and creative industries (which have become a major axis of cooperation), visual arts and performing arts, artist residencies, university mobility and scientific cooperation, and educational cooperation. In 2025, the Embassy of France in Canada created the Institut français du Canada to strengthen the cooperation.

This residency programme is supported in particular 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.

Committed to immersive creation since 2019, the Consulate General has been developing a specific highlight each fall, “XR Fall,” since 2022, in collaboration with the Alliance Française de Vancouver. This program includes professional meetings, an exhibition, and this immersive residency, which has already hosted French artists Romain Lalire in 2022, François Vautier in 2023, and Pierre Friquet in 2024.

The ‘XR Fall’ residency is part of a broader framework of residency programs initiated by the embassy in Western Canada, titled “Résidences Ouest Ouest”. In 2025, it will also offer creative residencies in quantum sciences, and musical creation with artificial intelligence.

https://francecanadaculture.org/

 

Emily Carr University of Art + Design and the Basically Good Media Lab

Emily Carr University of Art + Design (ECU) is located on the traditional and ancestral territories of the xʷməθkʷəyə̓ m (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw
(Squamish), and səl̓ílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) First Nations. Founded in 1925, ECU is a global leader in education and research, encouraging experimentation at the intersection of art, design, media, and technology. The learning community integrates research, critical theory, and studio practice in an interdisciplinary environment.

ECU encourages students, industry, and society to continuously explore and rethink creativity and its role in shaping the world. The campus is located in the eclectic and vibrant Mount Pleasant neighborhood, popular among a diverse group of people, including many young creatives.

https://www.ecuad.ca/

 

Basically Good Media Lab (BGML) is a research lab at Emily Carr University of Art + Design committed to seeing old and new media technologies through fresh eyes and ears for cultural, social, and ecological benefit. Our research focuses on developing novel forms of storytelling, creative expression, social, ecological and political impact, and community building. We want to support thinking and practicing with technologies by bringing multiple perspectives to the social and environmental issues of our time. In collaboration with students and partners, we aim to learn, teach, and discover the aesthetic possibilities of media forms, using new technologies in ways that are considered and sustainable. Our research draws on duration, slowness, and listening, considering time and place as integral in our understanding of the mediated world.

We recognize that the BGML is on stolen land, the traditional and ancestral territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), səl̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), and Stó:lo First Nations. We acknowledge that we are uninvited guests on this land. With humility and respect, we are learning about the Nations whose territory we are on and building relations with the land.

basicallygoodmedia.ca

 

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.

 

Le Forum des Images / New Images Hub

Founding partner, organizer, and broadcasting platform Le Forum des images – TUMO Paris is a center for creation, programming, and education dedicated to cinema, comics, video games, and new images.

For the past 5 years, it has organized the NewImages Festival, dedicated to virtual worlds and digital creation.

https://newimages-hub.com/residences/

 

Alliance Française Vancouver

The Alliance Française de Vancouver (AFV) is a non-profit organization that has been fulfilling its educational and cultural missions in the community since 1904.
Through multidisciplinary programming (performing arts, film, visual arts, and literature), the AFV is committed to making culture and art accessible to all.

The “XR Fall” project exemplifies this commitment and continues the AFV’s efforts in the digital arts field since 2019. Indeed, 2025 will mark the 6th edition of “V-Unframed,” an art and virtual reality exhibition featuring local and international XR artists, which attracts over 450 visitors each year, including the general public, XR professionals, and school groups, all hosted in a specially designed mediation space.

In 2021, the AFV partnered with local company KREIS Immersive to create ESPACE V, a unique VR platform dedicated to the distribution of 2D/3D content and 360° films. Since the summer of 2024, the AFV has inaugurated its new building, which includes a 165-seat cinema, an art gallery and artists’ studios, as well as a permanent VR space within its media library, dedicated to the presentation of recent and old VR content.
https://www.alliancefrancaise.ca/fr