“The Sharon Wolfe Artist In Residence program is intended to allow a disability-identified artist to undertake a project that advances their own artistic goals and practice, and which has the potential to benefit the wider community of artists with disabilities.
For the last 10 ten years, the Abilities Arts Festival (AAF) has been presenting and promoting the work of exceptionally talented artists across the entire spectrum of disciplines. The Sharon Wolfe Artist In Residence program allows us to take this mandate a step further. Few artists have the luxury of devoting themselves completely to their practice; the vast majority must subsidize their work by juggling one or more paid positions. While funding poses a significant challenge for all artists, people with disabilities encounter a host of additional accessibility obstacles.
Named in honour of the organization’s founding Artistic Director Sharon Wolfe, the SWA Residency is intended to offer the resident artist an opportunity to devote themselves to a specific program of work, while simultaneously contributing to a larger dialogue and sense of engagement with the wider community of disability artists in Toronto.
The SWA Residency will provide the artist with a $5000 stipend, as well as access to a small studio space at the prestigious 401 Richmond building for up to two months between October 2013 and June 2014.
Eligibility:
· The SWA Residency is intended to benefit artists who have completed basic education or training in their discipline and can demonstrate a history of professional practice and exposure.
· The residency is open to Canadian citizens or landed immigrants. Artists need not be residents of Toronto, but must be prepared to spend at least one month of their residency in Toronto at their own expense. For artists outside of Toronto, Abilities Arts Festival would provide all possible assistance in locating appropriate, accessible accommodations in the city.
Applications must include:
· A professional CV;
· A 2-3 page (max) description of the intended project, indicating the connection to the artists work and potential benefit to the larger community;
· A schedule and timeline for the project;
· A budget indicating how the funds would be spent (ie. subsistence; materials; equipment; accommodation; presentation).
· Applicants are encouraged to include support materials documenting their work.
Applications will be assessed on the basis of:
· Artistic merit;
· Relevance to the applicant’s professional advancement;
· The viability of the proposed program and budget; and
· Overall value to the field of disability arts and community at large.
Applications will be accepted between July 30 and August 30, 2013.
Completed applications can be sent by mail to:
Sharon Wolfe Artist in Residence
Abilities Arts Festival
Suite S-30, 401 Richmond Street West
Toronto M5V 3A8
Or by email to: katie@abilitiesartsfestival.org
Subject Heading: Application – Sharon Wolfe Artist in Residence”
-submitted by Katie McMillan, Abilities Arts Festival
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