Art + Contestation Residency in Ottawa
Calls por participation
Call for applications opens: May 27, 2025
Application deadline: June 23, 2025
1 - About the ART + CONTESTATION Residency
ART + CONTESTATION is a research and production residency program offered by the Institut français du Canada and the SAW artist-run centre in Ottawa, with the support of the Digital Arts Resource Centre and Artengine.
For its fourth edition, this multidisciplinary program is primarily — but not exclusively — open to French visual artists, including those working with screen printing, as well as digital artists working in film, video, and new media. The goal is to support the creation of artistic works addressing contemporary social issues or political and social movements.
ART + CONTESTATION was launched in 2022 with the support of the Institut français through La Fabrique des Résidences, a program designed to foster the development of artist residencies within the French cultural network abroad.
The selected artist will undertake a 4-week residency in Canada’s National Capital Region, home to most of the country’s national institutions and museums. During the residency, the artist will have the opportunity to present their work during an event organized with the Ottawa arts community. A public presentation or exhibition may also be planned in collaboration with SAW and its partners.
- Exclusive use of the Rochon Residence,¹ a historic house in downtown Ottawa, and 1 parking space for 4 weeks (learn more about the Rochon Residence).
- A 10 m² artist’s studio at SAW with Internet access.
- Access to SAW’s paper and textile screen printing studio.
- Access to video production equipment, editing suites, and recording studios at the Digital Arts Resource Centre.
- Access to Artengine’s additive manufacturing (3D printing) studio.
- A materials and equipment budget of CAD 500.00.
- A round-trip economy-class flight between France and Ottawa.
- A weekly stipend of CAD 750 for the duration of the residency.
The selected artist will receive artistic, technical and logistical support from the SAW team, but will be expected to demonstrate a certain level of autonomy during their stay.
It is the selected artist’s responsibility to obtain all the necessary documents for their stay in Canada, including an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). A visa is not required for French nationals.
2 - Eligibility and application process
Applicants must:
- be of French nationality or have resided in France for at least 5 years;
- have a minimum of 5 years of professional artistic practice;
- commit to freeing themselves from professional obligations during the residency period;
- have at least basic English proficiency.
To apply, candidates must submit the following:
- A detailed project description including the reason for the application, the nature of the research project, and intended outcomes (maximum 1 page).
- A curriculum vitae with the applicant’s contact details (mailing address, email, and phone number).
- An artistic portfolio with 10 to 20 images and/or a link to a website.
Please submit your application by email no later than June 23, 2025 to Jason St-Laurent, Curator at SAW: jason@saw-centre.com.
Please indicate in the subject line: “ART + CONTESTATION – Résidence d’artiste”.
3 - Selection process
All eligible projects will be assessed by a committee of representatives from SAW, the Institut français du Canada, and 1 or more partner cultural institutions in Ottawa.
The name of the selected artist will be officially announced in August 2025. Candidates will already have been informed by email of the committee’s decision regarding their application.
4 - Timeline
May 27, 2025: Call for applications opens
June 23, 2025 (23:59 GMT): Application deadline
End of July 2025: Notification of results
5 - Partners
The Institut français du Canada was created in April 2024 as an autonomous entity of the Embassy of France to Canada. It develops artistic, educational, scientific, and academic projects to strengthen links between France and Canada. The Institut offers rich and diverse programming for all audiences, featuring cinema, visual arts, digital creation, literature, music, debates, and more. Its programming is designed for a broad and diverse audience — from young children and students to researchers, professionals in the cultural sector, and others.
The Institut français du Canada also designs and offers residencies for French and Canadian creators and intellectuals to promote cross-cultural research and creation.
Founded in Ottawa in 1973, SAW is a self-managed, non-profit artist-run centre dedicated to the presentation of contemporary art. Today, with a strong focus on public engagement and community action, SAW reaches more than 45,000 people each year. The centre’s bold exhibition program showcases the work of numerous artists often overlooked by other Canadian institutions. A dynamic space that includes galleries, the Nordic Lab, Club SAW, and an outdoor courtyard, SAW is an ideal space for performances, media arts, and new artistic practices. Located in Canada’s National Capital Region, SAW is an active voice in political discourse on cultural diversity, artists’ rights, and freedom of expression. SAW recognizes and respects the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
As a centre committed to socially and politically engaged practices, SAW has supported the creation and exhibition of many activist projects over the years. In 2021, the centre opened a screen-printing studio to support initiatives such as poster campaigns and the production of protest T-shirts for social and political causes.