Co-Living Survey - Call for Input - Deadline July 27th & August 13th 2021

The opportunity to participate in the creation of a series of co-living style apartments may be available to Akin, and we would love your thoughts on what this should look like. Co-living is when a tenant lives in an apartment that shares certain amenities with other tenants in the building. For example, a tenant may live in a one bedroom apartment with a private bedroom and living room but with the bathroom and kitchen shared with other tenants in the building. As would be the case here, these types of rental units are often able to be offered at a more affordable rental rate than other units in the area of similar sizes while also allowing for a focus on community amongst the residents.

We are very interested in exploring this concept further, as it may offer access to affordable housing for artists in the City of Toronto. Completing this survey, as well as providing any additional feedback that you feel comfortable sharing with us, would be appreciated and will influence our consideration of the project. We have certain ideas that we’re thinking about, but are very open around this concept and really want to hear from you, our community, in order to learn about your needs and desires for your housing situation in Toronto. Please note, while the feedback received from these survey questions will help to inform the design of this space (hoping that it comes to fruition), the layout has not yet been determined.

The survey consists of 35 questions and as such should take approximately 15 minutes to complete. If you’re able to complete the survey by July 27th at 12pm you will have the opportunity to enter an early bird draw to win a $50.00 gift card to a local shop or restaurant of your choosing. For those who respond after July 27th (and before the survey ends on August 13th), you will have the opportunity to enter for a chance to win a $25.00 gift card to a local restaurant or shop of your choosing.


CreateSpace Webinar: Digitizing Your Art

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Hear from artists Yung Yemi and Samar Hejazi and learn how to document your work, present it digitally, and share it virtually.

Do you know how to leverage your experience as an artist working in public spaces after the installation and performance ends?

Digitizing your art through photography and sharing your creation process helps make your work interactive and available online to those who can’t experience it in person. Hear from artists Adeyemi Adegbesan (AKA Yung Yemi) and Samar Hejazi and learn how to document your work, present it digitally, and share it virtually in this 1.5 hour hour webinar that will support artists of all disciplines who exhibit their work in public spaces, through shared learnings about documenting your work.

 

Event Date and Time:
Thursday, April 22, 2021
4:30 PM – 6:00 PM EDT

Presented by STEPS and Toronto Arts Foundation’s Neighbourhood Arts Network, this workshop is offered as part of the 2021 CreateSpace BIPOC Public Art Residency through Neighbourhood Arts Network’s Making A Living Making Art program.

ASL interpretation will be provided. Please email eva@torontoarts.org by April 15, 2021 with any other accessibility requests. 

AGO X RBC EMERGING ARTISTS EXCHANGE

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Call for [Digital] Artist-Researchers

Three paid research mentorships available in 2021

Deadline for submissions: May 10, 2021 at 5 pm EST
Each selected artist will complete a six-week research mentorship between June and September 2021.

Apply here

The AGO is launching a paid research mentorship program for emerging artist-researchers to explore ideas of museum practices, audience engagement, or the AGO’s permanent collection to be developed over a six-week period. With the support of advisors across the gallery, each selected artist will present their research findings to the various teams at the AGO. The call is open to emerging artists who work in all mediums.

We welcome research proposals that connect to our audiences, challenge the museum field, or engage with the content and programming of the AGO. These proposals could examine any area at the museum, including but not limited to: Conservation, Collections, Curatorial, Education & Programming, Library & Archives, Food & Beverage, and Visitor Experience.

We seek research ideas which challenge conventional understandings of museum practices. Experimentation is encouraged; failure is learning.

Selected artists will receive the following:

  • A one-time $2,000.00 CDN stipend;

  • Mentorship from select AGO team members over six-week period, culminating in a presentation of research findings; and

  • have their practice featured on the AGO X RBC Emerging Artists Program webpage.

Who should apply:

  • Artists, individuals, and/or artist collectives who self-identify as emerging artists and are in the early stages of their career in their art form;

  • Applicants who are living in Canada or are Canadian citizens;

  • Practicing professional artists with two (2) or more years' experience; and

  • Artists who are able to connect virtually with AGO staff, with the expectation of 12 hours/week of research and development, during their six-week research mentorship.

To apply, please complete the below form. The following materials must be included to be considered:

  • Research proposal, including artist statement (250 words maximum, one (1) page, size 12 font);

  • Résumé/CV (one (1) page, size 12 font); and

  • Five (5) sample images, allowing us to understand your artistic practice.

Successful proposals will address the following:

  • Focus on either a connection to our audiences, challenge the museum field, or engage with the content and programming of the AGO

  • How your project advances your artistic growth/development;

We are prioritizing populations who have not been equitably represented in museums, which includes Black, Indigenous, artists of colour, LGBTQ2+, women and persons with disabilities.

Successful artists must be available between June 1 – September 30, 2021. Three selected artists will be notified by June 8, 2021.

Application deadline: May 10, 2021 @ 5 pm EST.

Introducing the 2021 Artist Cohort of the Akin Studio Program

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Akin is thrilled to announce the 2021 cohort of the Akin Studio Program a unique initiative that provides studio space to 20 local visual artists and cultural practitioners in partnership with the Auto BLDG - Castlepoint Numa. Selected by an independent jury of local artists, curators and arts professionals, the 2021 artist cohort have begun to move into in the building they will call their creative home for the duration of the year. They will share their practices with visitors through programs such as open studio events when it is safe to do so. Similar to Akin’s other locations, the space will foster a community atmosphere and the exchange of ideas.

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Call for Artists: ‘Bringing the Lake to Lakeshore’ Banner Project

Are you, or do you know, an artist, interested in developing artwork in the public realm?
Interested in supporting and celebrating local businesses and communities through public art?

Presented as part of the City of Toronto’s ArtworxTO: Toronto’s Year of Public Art 2021, the Lakeshore Village Business Improvement Area (BIA) and STEPS Public Art invite Toronto-based artists with a connection to the Lakeshore to apply to design a banner that will animate the BIA’s main street while “Bringing the Lake to Lakeshore”.

PROJECT DETAILS

This is an open, Toronto-wide competition for artists from all visual arts disciplines.

Through a community-focused Selection Panel, the BIA will select three (3) artists who will each be asked to develop a design concept for one (1) banner. The selected artists will each receive $1000 (including HST). Each of the banner designs will be digitally reproduced and installed on three (3) out of nine (9) light poles within the BIA to create an art wave down its main street. This project aims to celebrate the vibrant and unique landscape that residents and businesses of the Lakeshore Village BIA are so fortunate to enjoy.

The commissioned pieces are expected to incorporate the themes of the lake, water, environment, movement, and shared spaces. These themes can be expressed through a variety of artistic disciplines such as photography, paint, mixed media and/or textile design, and will be digitally printed on the banner canvas. We encourage artists of all visual disciplines to apply, although we emphasize that the final designs must be presented as a digital file.

Please note that following the exhibition, artworks will be donated to a local community partner so that they have a permanent home within the BIA.

Additionally, selected artists will participate in an unveiling ceremony (virtual or in-person, depending on current Public Health Recommendations) that connects the broader community to the artists involved.

PROJECT TIMELINE

February 8, 2021: Call released
February 21, 2021: Call submissions due
Early March 2021: Selected artists notified
March 8 – 28, 2021: Artwork development period
Mid-April: Banners installed; Unveiling ceremony

SUBMISSIONS

Artists are invited to respond to this call by filling out this application form.

Submissions must be received by 11:59 pm EST, February 21, 2021. Late submissions will not be accepted.

QUESTIONS?
Please feel free to reach out to Placemaking Assistant Alexandra Lambropoulos at alexandra@stepspublicart.org by February 19th, 2021 at 4pm EST and we’ll be happy to respond. We look forward to hearing from you! Be safe and stay healthy.