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ArtStarts Ignites Residency Program

ArtStarts Ignites is a dynamic residency program that offers early career artists time, space, and resources to develop their artistic portfolio in an educational context.

The residency program offers a series of mentorship opportunities to support the artists’ professional development, including sessions on accessibility, workshop facilitation, grant writing, and more. Every year, the residency program also centres around a different focus area, offering artists from all disciplines opportunities to increase their capacity as artists in a supportive learning environment.If you are interested in learning more about this program, please contact our Program Manager, Alyssa Martens, at alyssa@artstarts.com.

Current residencies

Learn more about the 2023 Ignites Artists-in-residence

Megan Dewar, Sarah Genge, Laura Rechwan

Learn more about past artists

Interested in learning more about our past residency artists? Click on the images below to find out what some of our artists have been learning, creating, and exploring through this residency.

  • ArtStarts’ Ignites residency was an expansive experience. Before I began, I was hoping to ‘narrow down’ my artist identity and refine my practice. Although I did deepen an exploration into the intricacies of my chosen medium, the supportive community at ArtStarts and structure of the residency expanded my view of my own practice. I felt encouraged to try new things and emphasize the process of creation. I am very grateful for these lessons and excited to hold this experience as I continue creating! Megan Dewar, 2023 Ignites Artist
  • I am very grateful to have been a part of ArtStarts. This residency reminded me how much I don’t know, and how much more there is to learn. How does one be intentional about their art practice? How does one interact with humans, with all our differences and similarities? How does one approach conversations and the art-making process with an empathetic and ethical lens? All these questions were discussed during this program, and my understanding of these questions has expanded. Thank you ArtStarts. Sarah Genge, 2023 Ignites Artist
  • ArtStarts’ Ignites allowed me to dive into a meaningful project which I otherwise would not have been able to dedicate time to. Bouncing ideas off other creative people in real time was really beneficial. It was also wonderful to engage with the other artists' concepts and discussions, and interesting to see the connections between our projects, despite different themes and mediums. This residency has left me feeling ignited with the desire to continue to be inspired by the question “what if”? Laura Rechwan, 2023 Ignites Artist
A self portrait of ArtStarts Ignites Resident Sarah U

2022 Residency - Sarah U

Earlier this year we introduced you to our three ArtStarts Ignites Residency participants. The Ignites Artists-in-Residence program provides early career artists with the time and resources they need to develop their own arts practice from an educational perspective. During the residency, each artist has the chance to facilitate an Explores: Our Privince at Play workshop, our virtual series geared towards young makers. Sarah U is one of the artists who participated in the residency over the past several weeks. We caught up with her to learn more about her experience and project she worked on during the residency.
Overlapping images of ships in the Burrard Inlet

2022 Residency - Paige Smith

Last year we launched the inaugural intake for the Ignites Artist-in-Residence program to provide three artists the support and resources they need to develop their art practice and personal projects. Earlier this year, Paige Smith participated in the residency to work on her photography project, Marine Traffic of Burrard Inlet. We checked in with her to reflect on her time during the residency and to learn more about her upcoming projects.
Faune Ybarra ArtStarts artist in residence stands in the ArtStarts Maker Space

2020 Residency - Faune Ybarra

In 2018, we welcomed Tin Gamboa, Ralph Escamillan, and danielle wensley to be our very first RBC Emerging Artists in Residence at ArtStarts! We’re thrilled to be able to continue this program with the support of RBC; in November, we hosted interdisciplinary artist Romi Kim who created a ballgown entirely out of recycled plastic for her drag persona, Skim. To kick off another year of DIY creativity in the Maker Space, we are thrilled to welcome time-based artist Faune Ybarra to our Gallery in February!
Romi Kim lies on a rock and wears a big smile on their face

2019 Residency - Romi Kim

Last year we welcomed Tin Gamboa, Ralph Escamillan, and danielle wensley to be our very first RBC Emerging Artists in Residence at ArtStarts! We’re thrilled to be able to continue this program with the support of RBC and welcome interdisciplinary artist Romi Kim to develop a unique project in our Maker Space for the month of November.
Tina Gamboa in a dance studio. They are leaning backwards with their arm extended in the air

2018 Residency - Tina Gamboa

Last month we welcomed our very first artist-in-residence to the ArtStarts Gallery as an engaging addition to our current exhibition, Movement is for Every Body. We asked Tin Gamboa to share about her experience, the project she developed while in residence at ArtStarts, and where we can find more of her work in the future.