Indigenous Arts Residency Program

Is your organization interested in hosting an Indigenous artist for a residency? The selected host organization will receive up to $20,000 to welcome an artist-in-residence working in research, creation, production, etc. The objectives: to help increase the representation of Indigenous artists and provide greater visibility to Indigenous arts in arts and culture.

Indigenous Arts Residency Program

NEW - Orora Self-Identification Form

From now on, you will be asked to complete an optional self-identification form when you apply on Orora. The information collected will be used to document and measure the impact of the Conseil’s initiatives, improve program eligibility, ensure fair access, help us better host and support artists from underrepresented groups, following the adoption of our equity policy in September 2023.

Personal information collected through this form is protected under privacy legislation (Law 25).

Introduction

Please note that you have until 5:00 p.m. to submit your application on the deadline date.

Who is eligible to apply?

This residency is intended for organizations that receive multi-year operating or project funding from the Conseil des arts de Montréal, or first-time applicants. Its purpose is to host an Indigenous artist-in-residence.

What are the program objectives?

The Conseil des arts de Montréal identified Indigenous artists among the priority group that should benefit from specific measures in view of their substantial contribution to the cultural and artistic vitality of Montréal. The Conseil recognizes Indigenous knowledge and practices, and strives to respect the principles of self-determination in developing programs for Indigenous artists and arts organizations through its Indigenous Arts Committee. In light of this, the program objectives are:

  • help increase the representation of Indigenous artists in the arts and culture sector
  • provide greater visibility to Indigenous arts in the arts and culture sector, and thereby support their advancement
  • foster a fruitful, two-way artistic exchange and intersectional dialogue
  • provide an Indigenous perspective in arts and culture
  • strengthen the professional Indigenous arts network
What types of organizations can host?

Museums and rts organizations* interested in hosting an Indigenous artist.

*Arts organizations must have the mandate of:

  • research
  • creation and production
  • publication of cultural magazines
  • specialized or multidisciplinary distribution, including artist-run centres and art galleries
  • production of events or a festival

Organizations that are interested in offering a residency to an Indigenous artist through this program must agree to work in close collaboration with the Indigenous Arts Committee to establish a long-term dialogue.

What are the obligations of the host organization?
  • Work closely with the Project Manager – Indigenous Arts and the Conseil’s Indigenous Arts Committee and advise them of any changes to the residency schedule
  • Have the call deadline approved by the Conseil des arts de Montréal
  • Manage the call for applications: writing the call, following up, obtaining the approval of the Indigenous Arts Committee, receiving applications, sending an acknowledgement of receipt and letters of acceptance or refusal
  • Designate one or more representatives to evaluate the files and participate in the selection of the artist (the Indigenous Arts Committee reserves the right to evaluate the files in advance if required)
  • Manage and coordinate the residency from beginning to end
  • Be able to plan residency dates and abide by them
  • Pay a fee to the Indigenous artist selected for the residency
  • Participate in a post-mortem meeting with the Project Manager – Indigenous Arts and submit a final report to the CAM illustrating the key outcomes of the residency and providing organization testimonial.

Note that the selected artist must create their profile on Orora and complete a final report as well.

Support

What type of assistance is provided?

The selected organization will receive a maximum of $20,000 to host an Indigenous artist in residence. The budget must include a fee to be paid to the Indigenous artist, in accordance with the highest standard rates offered in the cultural sector*.

*Refer to national arts associations

How long is the residency?

The duration of the residency varies based on the artist’s needs. This is a one-time, non-recurring grant.

Eligibility

What are the general eligibility conditions?

Incorporated non-profit organizations on the Island of Montréal

  • Be a non-profit organization or artists’ cooperative that pays no dividends
  • Be headquartered on the Island of Montréal
  • Have a board of directors composed mainly of Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada
  • Have the mandate to create, produce or disseminate artistic works

Professional requirements

  • Possess a level of recognized and demonstrable competence
  • Be managed by qualified individuals
  • Have stable artistic leadership
  • Present activities whose artistic quality is recognized by peers in the same arts practice
  • Be staffed by professional artists and/or cultural workers
What types of projects are eligible?

Research and creation, production, development of arts practices, artistic guidance and collaboration.

How many applications will be accepted?

One or more residencies will be offered depending on the relevance of the projects and the allocated budget.

Who is ineligible to apply?

 Applicants

  • Individual artists
  • Artists’ collectives
  • Organizations that do not meet the general and specific eligibility conditions
  • Artists’ collectives that are incorporated as for-profit or not-for-profit organizations
  • Artists’ agents
  • Organizations dedicated to teaching, education or professional training
  • Public or para-public organizations representing governments or municipal corporations
  • Organizations registered as general partnerships

Projects

Residency projects that are completed before the Conseil’s decision has been received (five to six weeks before the application deadline).

Activity sectors

  • Organizations working exclusively in variety arts or comedy
  • Applicants working exclusively in cultural mediation

Applications

  • Incomplete applications
  • Applications received after the deadline

Ineligible applications will not be considered by the evaluation committee.

Questions about certain terms?

Consult our glossary

Accessibility

Can specific populations receive additional financial support to submit their application or complete their project (accessibility costs)?

Yes. Accessibility costs refer to costs that certain individuals, particularly those who are D/deaf and/or living with a disability, must pay to take advantage, in the same way as others do, of the services and programs offered by an institution for research, to create, produce or disseminate their art. Reimbursement of part of these costs by the Conseil des arts de Montréal may offset the financial disadvantage.

The Support Fund for Accessibility Costs is a financial assistance measure that complements the Conseil’s other programs. The deadline to apply for support for accessibility costs is the same as that for the program being applied to.

Artists, collectives or organizations that have obtained financial assistance from the Conseil to carry out a project can also file an application for accessibility cost support up to three months after the decisions related to the successful project have been sent out, provided the project is not completed before the deadline to send out decisions for accessibility cost support applications.

Support is divided into three components:

  • component 1 – Financial support to submit a grant application or to apply for one of the Conseil’s initiatives
  • component 2 – Financial support for accessibility costs for a project funded by the Conseil
  • component 3 – Financial support for presenter organizations for accessibility costs to welcome audiences for a project funded by the Conseil

For more details, please see this additional information on the Support Fund.

Applications

Can I submit more than one application per year?

No, only one application may be submitted per year.

Who should submit the application?

A duly authorized representative of the organization.

Can I submit more than one application per year?

No, only one application may be submitted per year.

Can I submit an application in English?

Yes, you can submit your application in English. Please note, however, that the questions on the form are in French only.

What information and documents must I include in my application?
  • Letters patent and general regulations of the organization for first-time applicants or if changes have been made
  • The organization’s most recent financial statements, if not already provided to the Conseil
  • The organization’s policies and equity process (if applicable)

How can I submit an application?

Most of the applications to the Conseil des Arts de Montréal will progressively be submitted through the ORORA online application portal.

Evaluation

How are applications evaluated?

Applications will be evaluated by the Indigenous Arts Committee. The selection will take the comparative value of the residency applications into account.

What are the evaluation criteria?

Contribution to the development of Indigenous arts (50%)

  • Organization’s ability to implement a clear vision to increase the presence of Indigenous arts, artists, curators, producers in the arts and culture sector
  • Implementation of well-established equity policies or processes in the organization
  • Nature of the support provided to the artists to reinforce or develop their arts practice
  • Impact of the visibility provided to the artist and their work
  • Any other aspect of the host organization’s reach that benefits the artist

Quality of the residency setting (30%)

  • Access to a creation or production space and specialized equipment
  • Organization’s ability to facilitate access to various professional resources
  • Any other services offered to the artist that enhance their experience
  • Any other aspect that fosters a meaningful exchange between the artist and the host organization

Project management and financial stability (20%)

  • Presentation of realistic budget estimates and key steps involved.
  • Efforts made to pay artists
  • Organization’s financial contribution and provision of services
What is the response time?

It will take five to six weeks from the date the application is submitted for the Conseil des arts de Montréal to process it and reach a decision.

How will I be informed of the decision?

The representative for the collective will receive an email invitation to view the results on the ORORA platform. No decisions will be communicated by phone.

Can I appeal the decision?

The Conseil’s decisions are final and not subject to appeal. However, Conseil staff are available to answer any questions regarding decisions.

Applicants agree not to communicate with members of the evaluation committee or the Conseil’s Board of Directors about the management or evaluation of their application, or about decisions related to their application.

Payment

How will the grant be paid?

The grant amount will be sent in one payment (100%) after the decision letter has been sent.

Obligations

Commitments

Accepting payment of the grant constitutes, for the organization, an undertaking to complete the activities covered by the grant and to comply with the accompanying conditions, which will be communicated upon selection of the application.

Organizations agree to:

  • carry out the proposed project as planned
  • notify the Conseil as soon as possible if unable to carry out the project in the fiscal year for which the grant was awarded. The grant recipient may be obliged to reimburse some or all of the amount awarded, as applicable.
  • if requested, submit activity reports and financial statements at the required times
  • if applicable, include in the report photographs, videos or any other relevant, royalty-free visuals that the Conseil may use for promotional or archival purposes

Please note that the selected artist must also create a profile on Orora and fill in a final report.

Visibility Standards and Logos

Arts organizations, collectives or individual receiving grant from the Conseil must mention this funding in their information, promotional, or advertising material.

Résultats de programme

Results ratified by the Board of Directors on October 24, 2023

Number of eligible applications submitted: 16
Number of applications accepted: 6

List of recipients:

Atelier La Coulée – coopérative de solidarité – Sculpture. Métal. Soudure. (Atelier La Coulée)
Geordie Productions Inc. (Geordie Theatre)
Institut culturel Avataq /Avataq Cultural Institute
Les Filles électriques
Main Film
Oboro Goboro

Total amount invested: 106 255 $

Need more information?
Mylène Guay
Mylène Guay
Cultural Advisor - Indigenous Arts

514 280-0552

mylene.guay@montreal.ca