2023 AGO X RBC Artist-in-Residence: Humour

In 2023, the AGO X RBC Artists-in-Residence Program at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) will support three projects or experiences, each to be developed over a three-month remote residency, responding to the theme of humour.

Humour is the ability to find things funny and it is also a mood or state of mind. In 2023, AGO invites artists based in Canada to share with them what makes them, and others laugh, and to consider if laughter is merely a physical response or something more? How do virtual communities express humour? Artists are encouraged to work with concepts or materials that offer surprising, absurdist or playful engagements and consider how humour might bring people closer together.

The residency provides resources, learning opportunities, platforms and mentorship for emerging artists to further their artistic practices. They are looking for early-career artists and collectives interested in combining art practices (maker and/or social experiences, experience design, live performances for the camera, etc.), and projects that engage with online audiences.

Selected artists will receive:

• An artist fee of $10,000 CDN (inclusive of travel, if applicable, and per diem), and an additional $3,000 CDN for materials, production and presentation costs for the project. Projects should show a total budget of $13,000 CDN.
• Mentorship from AGO employees
• Access to AGO platforms and audiences for a public presentation
• Use of the AGO Artist-in-Residence Studio (if applicable)

Who is eligible to apply:

• Artists, individuals, and/or artist collectives who self-identify as emerging artists and are in the early stages of their artistic career;
• Canadians, currently living in the country, or artists residing in Canada; and
• Practicing professional artists with two (2) or more years experience.
• Populations who have not been equitably represented in museums, including Black, Indigenous, artists of colour, LGBTQ2+, women and persons with disabilities.

The jury will select proposals based on the following criteria:

• A clearly articulated, easy-to-understand project description and artist statement;
• The artist has explained how the project advances their artistic development;
• The project’s relation to the theme of humour;
• The feasibility of the project proposal, timeline and budget;
• The project’s capacity to address and engage with multiple audiences and communities of the museum;
• The project’s ability to be served by the AGO Collection, research and/or people, through collaboration and/or mentorship (i.e., interest in the representation of hairstyles as represented in the AGO Prints & Drawings collection; interest in sound-based art as represented in the AGO Performance archive; interest in conservation and presentation practices when using older technologies, etc.); and

The project is described in a way that is understood by a wider target audience who may not be familiar with the artist’s practice or topics of interest.

Successful artists/collectives must be available to connect virtually with AGO employees for the duration of their three-month residency. The selected artists will be notified by January 3, 2023.

Applications must include:

• Artist statement, inclusive of project proposal (500 words max., one page, size 12 font)
• Proposed project budget (to max of $3,000 CDN
• Resumé/CV (one page, size 12 font)
• A total of five images and/or videos, describing your artistic practice (representing a coherent theme and/or approach and reflective of the proposed project).

Application deadline:
November 18, 2022 @ 11:59 pm EST.

For more information, contact:
Danah Abusido, Curatorial Associate, Projects & Partnerships
[email protected]