City of Victoria Seeks Indigenous Artist in Residence

The following is excerpted from a call issued by the City of Victoria.

First Nations, Inuit and Métis professional artists across the country are invited to apply for the position of Indigenous Artist in Residence at the City of Victoria. The program is open to Indigenous artists working in any artistic discipline who reside in Canada.

The selected applicant will work with City staff and invite the community to learn, share and experience the artist’s work; foster collaborative relationships with the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations, other artists and arts organizations; and bring an Indigenous artistic presence to Victoria during their two-year term. An Indigenous-led roundtable of local artists, curators and scholars will be available to the artist for guidance in developing an art plan and project implementation. 

Artists should detail how they will engage with the community throughout their residency. At the end of the term, the artist will participate in a transitional mentorship with the next incoming artist. Applicants will be reviewed on the basis of artistic merit and qualifications, a desire to create artwork for the public realm, the willingness to work collaboratively, and an interest in learning about the cultural heritage of the Lekwungen Peoples.

The selection panel will be comprised of members of the Indigenous-led roundtable, who will review submissions and recommend a shortlist of artists for interviews. The selected artist will be contacted in late October.

Funded by the City’s Art in Public Places Reserve Fund, the City established the Indigenous Artist in Residence program in 2017 to honour and implement Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Lindsay Delaronde was the inaugural Indigenous Artist in Residence at the City of Victoria from February 2017 – January 2019. Discussions with the Indigenous-led roundtable were held earlier this year to inform the second iteration of the Indigenous Artist in Residence program.

Information Session

Interested candidates are invited to learn more and ask questions at an information session on Thursday, September 26 from 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. at the Victoria Native Friendship Centre, 231 Regina Avenue. Lindsay Delaronde will be available to answer questions about her residency experience. An RSVP is not required. Complimentary refreshments will be served.

Applications

Applications are to be submitted electronically to culture@victoria.ca by Friday, October 4, 2019 at 4 p.m. Pacific Time. For more information and submission guidelines, visit: www.victoria.ca/publicart