Seeking Applicants for the 2023 Contextural Self-Directed Summer Residency Program

We are currently accepting applications to be part of the 16th annual Self-Directed summer residency program in partnership with the Alberta University of the Arts. This is a unique opportunity to be part of a dynamic and vital part of Calgary’s cultural scene; allowing participants access to affordable studio space, critique session participation and inclusion in an end of residency exhibition. 

Please visit our About section for information on our vision statement, goals, and values.

APPLY NOW

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We are seeking individuals who:

  • Are interested in working within a co-operative studio setting
  • Will be actively involved in, and contribute to, our community
  • Seek access to affordable studio space and specialized equipment
  • Are interested in sharing their knowledge and skills through collaboration
  • Appreciate and practice the diversity of textile arts and craft
  • Embrace an environmental approach to studio production
  • Are ready to commit to studio fees (per below) for studio rental and access to equipment
  • Will contribute to the end-of-summer residency exhibition

Residency Options

Full time residency: 

  • Saturday, May 27 – Sunday, August 20, 2023
  • Duration: 12 Weeks
  • Fee: $585.00 + $25.00 insurance fee
  • Current, active Contextural members are eligible for a 10% discount on their residency fees
  • Non-members receive Contextural membership

Part time residency (May start): 

  • Saturday, May 27 – Sunday, July 2, 2023
  • Duration: 5 weeks
  • Fee: $350.00 + $15.00 insurance fee

Part time residency (July start): 

  • Saturday, July 15 – Sunday, August 20, 2023
  • Duration: 5 weeks
  • Fee: $350.00 + $15.00 insurance fee

Current, active Contextural Members are eligible for a 10% discount on their residency fee. All Non-members may opt for Contextural membership with their residency application at no additional cost.

Please note that all participants will be required to complete orientation prior to move in and will be responsible for clean-up on move out days. More information to follow.

How To Apply

Interested applicants should complete the online (click here) Contextural Residency Application form by midnight April 14, 2023. 

See “Application Requirements” below for details on what to include in your application. Current Contextural members are only required to submit a Statement of Intent for residency participation – unless they wish to be considered for the scholarship. See “Scholarship” below for details.

Assessment Process

The application review and assessment process will be based on the quality and completeness of the application.

Application Deadline

Deadline for submissions is Friday, April 14th @ midnight. If accepted, completed residency acceptance forms and fee payments are due by Friday, May 12, 2023.

Scholarship

Contextural offers the Contextural Summer Residency Scholarship to individuals applying for the full time residency. The scholarship includes studio fees for the full time summer residency ($585 value). The scholarship will be awarded based on the quality and completeness of the application. We encourage scholarship applicants to include a research component to their Statement of Intent. This could be experimenting with a new process, exploration of a fibre artist and their techniques or further developing your own practice. This research component will also be considered during jury review.

If you are interested in applying for the 2023 Contextural Summer Residency scholarship, be sure to check the appropriate box on the 2023 Contextural Residency Application form and in your Statement of Intent, please include one or two sentences indicating your interest in applying for the scholarship and how you would plan to utilize the studio to achieve your goals.

The scholarship recipient will be expected to exhibit their work as a part of the end of summer residency exhibition. 

Please note: If you are a current Contextural Member and would like to be considered for the Contextural Residency Scholarship, you must submit a complete application, along with checking the appropriate application box and the inclusion of the required information within your statement of intent.

Notification of Results

Applicants will be notified of the results of the applications via email by the end of April.

Contextural reserves the right to modify or cancel the agreement terms conditional to numbers of residency participants and access to the Alberta University of the Arts (AUArts) facilities. 

Exhibition Opportunities

A group exhibition will be held at the end of each residency and is open to all residency participants and will be shown in partnership with the AUArts summer residencies (if possible). The theme for this year’s exhibition will be determined at a later date and will be communicated to all residency participants. The end of residency exhibition will open in August at AUArts, and will run approximately 1-2 weeks. More specific information to follow.

Contact Information

For questions regarding the Contextural Summer Residency, please email us at residency@contextural.ca. 

We look forward to sharing this opportunity with you!
Contextural Residency Team

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