Gardiner Museum Artist Residency Program – Canada

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.

Residency

• The Gardiner Museum Artist Residency will provide the successful applicant with a paid residency opportunity that will last 8 – 12 weeks, between March 15 and June 15, 2024, 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.

Budget

• The Artist Resident, be they a single artist or collective, will receive a $15,000 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.

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.

Eligibility Criteria

• 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.

For more information, visit Gardiner Museum.