September 06, 2018

Call for Emerging Artists-in-Residence in the ArtStarts Gallery

ArtStarts is inviting applications for our very first artists-in-residence!

Since July 2018, our gallery has been celebrating works by young people that engage the body and push the boundaries of dance and movement-based performance and process as part of an exhibition titled “Movement is for Every Body.” From October 2018 until March 2019, we’re taking the next step and fully transforming our space into a pop-up dance studio! We invite applications from emerging artists with a movement-based practice to join us for a three-week residency during this time. We’re seeking three highly collaborative, innovative dancers, choreographers, or movement-based artists with an anti-oppressive lens, a passion for working with children, youth, and families, and a desire to bring their practice into the school system.

This residency has three major goals:

1. To allow the successful artists time, space and resources to expand their practice and engage young people
2. To build relationships between ArtStarts, our neighbourhood, dance communities of the province, and the wider public
3. To support the successful artists in developing their own pedagogy and connecting them with teachers and educators in the province

Located in downtown Vancouver on unceded Coast Salish territories, the ArtStarts Gallery is the only free, public gallery in Canada exclusively dedicated to young people's art. Since the gallery opened in 2006, our exhibitions have celebrated the possibilities that emerge when students, educators, and professional artists work together to deepen learning, creativity, and community connections.

The successful artist will be expected to:

• help facilitate 2-3 tours and workshops for school groups during their residency
• lead 1-2 workshops for families on Saturdays as part of our ArtStarts Explores series during their residency
• be a role model in the community and represent themselves and ArtStarts professionally
• attend a reasonable number of ArtStarts events, provided that they do not interfere with the artist’s other professional activities
• contribute to video footage to be exhibited during “Movement is for Every Body,” an exhibition that will run from October - March 2019 (ArtStarts will provide filming)

The successful artist will receive:

• A stipend of $2430 for the three-week period (calculated at $27/hour x 30 hours/week x 3 weeks, as per CADA rates)
• Access to ArtStarts' space and our pop-up dance studio as part of our innovative exhibition, “Movement is for Every Body” (including dance floor, mirror, and temporary ballet barre in a fully wheelchair-accessible facility downtown with a parking spot)*
• Support in developing work for and facilitating art with young people

*Please note the ArtStarts Gallery is open to the public Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 4:30pm. Successful artists are welcome to use the pop-up studio during this time if they so choose, as long as they are prepared to be interrupted by curious young dancers and families! We hope that the successful artists use the space during this time to activate the gallery during the day, in addition to after-hours usage.

Most importantly, the Artists or Dancers-in-Residence will demonstrate to young people and families that a fulfilling career in the movement-based arts is possible, and demonstrate to teachers that art is an essential part of education.

To apply, please complete the online application form no later than September 23rd, 2018. 

1. Applicants will be required to select their preferred month of residency, as well as provide a current CV and a portfolio of support material to demonstrate their artistic practice.
2. Applicants will be scored on:

• the extent to which their artistic practice and proposed work meets the three major goals outlined for the residency
• proficiency of art form and potential for development as an emerging artist, as demonstrated by their CV and portfolio of support material
• the potential for their artistic practice and proposed work to engage young people, families, and the ArtStarts community
• the artists’ ability to engage movers of all bodies, especially young people who have been excluded from traditional forms of dance
• the extent to which the artists meet RBC’s definition of an Emerging Artist. This project is made possible by funding from RBC’s Emerging Artists Program.

3. The successful applicants will be selected by a panel of ArtStarts staff and Dance Community members. Applications will be read through for eligibility by ArtStarts staff. Ineligible applications will not be read by the selection panel. We strongly encourage artists who have questions about their eligibility to contact us.
4. We are only seeking applications from individual artists (rather than collectives, groups, or companies) at this time. Please contact us if you have any questions.
5. Priority will be given to artists who self-identify as members of one of the priority groups outlined in our anti-oppression mandate; see application form for more details.
6. Successful applicants must comply with the Criminal Records Review Act of the Province of British Columbia. To fulfil this requirement, all adults working in the ArtStarts Gallery during the hours the gallery is open to the public must complete a Criminal Record Check through the British Columbia Ministry of Justice’s Criminal Records Review Program and have no criminal record found for the purpose of working with children. This Criminal Record Check costs $28, which ArtStarts will reimburse. ArtStarts requires proof of compliance with the Criminal Records Review Act of the Province of British Columbia (a Clearance Letter) at least 5 business days prior to the start of the Residency.

We welcome applications from emerging artists of all genders working within or beyond classical and contemporary dance forms, within their own cultural traditions, artists living with disabilities, and artists whose work is interdisciplinary with a strong focus on movement.

Questions should be sent only via email, and be addressed to Leah Horlick, Program Manager, at

leah@artstarts.com

Call for Applications

Apply Now!

This opportunity is made possible through funding support from the RBC Emerging Artists Project.

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