call for proposals: Gardiner Museum Artist Residency

by Carole Epp | Oct 17, 2022 | residency opportunity

The Gardiner Museum is seeking proposals for the newly established Gardiner Museum Artist Residency.

About the Gardiner Museum
The Gardiner Museum brings together people of all ages and backgrounds through the shared values of creativity, wonder, and community that clay and ceramic traditions inspire. We engage audiences with exhibitions, programs, and hands-on classes, while stewarding a significant permanent collection. We interpret historical ceramics to emphasize their relevance today, and champion emerging and established Canadian artists and their role in the broader world. We innovate through clay education, as it brings together the experience of making with a deeper understanding of the art of ceramics.
About the Gardiner Museum Artist Residency
The Gardiner Museum Artist Residency will offer public working space and access to Museum resources to a single artist or collective for the development of their work. The aim of the Residency is to offer a unique opportunity to an established or mid-career artist to pursue a larger-scale project; cultivate new directions in the field of ceramic art; elevate awareness of and appreciation for contemporary Canadian ceramics; and support diverse participation in the field of contemporary ceramics.
Artist Residency Description
Residency
The Gardiner Museum Artist Residency will provide the successful applicant with a paid residency opportunity that will last 8 – 12 weeks, between April and June 2023, during which time the resident will have primary access to the Laura Dinner and Richard Rooney Community Clay Studio. Access will be granted during building hours from Monday – Friday, with limited access possible on Saturdays, Sundays, and some evenings. The resident will have a dedicated workspace and storage, while maintaining the accessibility of other scheduled programming in the studio. The resident will be trained by Gardiner staff in object handling procedures and be granted access with supervision to the permanent collection. The resident is encouraged to use the library, archives, and other Gardiner resources as part of their project. Access will be facilitated on an as needed basis.

The Residency will include a public-facing role, with Museum patrons able to visit the resident’s studio during designated hours. Further, the resident will offer a public program at the Museum, either a talk on their project; a special short-term workshop; or a sessional class.

The resident will agree to work a minimum number of hours on site (avg. 20/week) and will schedule bi- weekly check-ins with a staff member.

Projects
The outcome of the Artist Residency will be to complete a specific project that is considered a new body of work. It is acknowledged that the project may change from the time of application to the completion of the Residency. Proposed projects should be ones that the applicant would find difficult or be unable to complete without the Residency, due to time, space, equipment, or other reasons. Projects
will ideally include a research component that builds off the Gardiner Museum collections, archives, library, or other materials. Projects should use materials and equipment compatible with existing studio activities. A final exhibition of the project is not assumed to be a component of the Residency.
Budget
The Artist Resident, be they a single artist or collective, will receive a $14,000 stipend toward accommodation, travel, as well as all cost of living, salary, and outside research costs for the time spent in Toronto at the Gardiner Museum. The Artist Resident will directly manage these funds, with distribution and accountability guidelines specified at the time of acceptance. While all situations differ and thus budget allocations can vary, the program is designed for the successful applicant to receive a living wage while in Toronto. In addition to a stipend, the Gardiner Museum will provide $5,000 towards materials, equipment, and firing costs.
Eligibility
The Artist Residency is designed for established and mid-career artists with a demonstrated commitment to ceramics. That is, someone who can benefit from the opportunity of dedicated work time and space, as well as the further resources of the Museum, but not someone who is at the initial stages of their work as an artist. Mid-career in this context would typically mean more than eight (8)
years of professional experience as an artist but less than thirty (30). Artists should have a clear interest in ceramics, although it does not need to be their exclusive medium. Artists will be citizens or Permanent Residents of Canada, with a record of having presented original artwork in Canada. Applications will be solicited nationally, and the Gardiner encourages applications from all qualified candidates, including those from visible and invisible minority groups such as Black and Indigenous people, people of colour, and those with disabilities.

Proposal Requirements
Interested applicants are required to please submit the following:
1. CV (up to 5 pages)
2. Letter of Intent (1 page) providing a narrative description of your practice, commitment to ceramics, and current career status, emphasizing how the Artist Residency will nurture development in these areas.
3. Project Proposal (4 pages maximum) describing what the applicant intends to make, why, and how being at the Gardiner would support the realization of the project. Proposals can include sketches, diagrams, and images as part of the four-page maximum. Images of completed works by the artist should be included in the portfolio rather than proposal. Ceramics should be the dominant material of the project, but does not need to be the sole material. Not all elements of the project need to be completed at the Gardiner. Only one proposal per artist or artist team will be considered. Proposals should include a budget and timeline.
4. Portfolio (15 images total) of completed artworks by the artist or collective. Recent rather than retrospective images are preferred. Detail images are welcome, but they will contribute to the total which should not exceed 15. Please ensure artworks are clearly visible.
Please submit materials as a single digital PDF. Complete submissions must be received by the Gardiner Museum by 5 pm EST on October 28, 2022, to be considered. Incomplete submissions will be subject to disqualification. All submission materials will be retained by the Gardiner Museum.
Finalists can expect to be contacted by late November for an informational interview.
Submit complete proposals to:
[email protected]
Only packets received electronically will be reviewed.

Selection Process
Applications will be assessed based on merit; a demonstrated commitment to the field of ceramics; benefit to the candidate; feasibility and originality of the project; and ability of the candidate/project to engage the full resources of the Museum. Proposals will be measured also on their potential to be realized within the budget and time allotments. We hope that any applicant would bring a fresh perspective on ceramics and Gardiner’s collection, while enriching the diverse dialogue that helps the Gardiner build community with clay. The Gardiner Museum Artist Residency is made possible through the generous support of Dr. Pamela Goodwin.

www.gardinermuseum.on.ca