Craft & Design at Harbourfront Centre is a dynamic axis point for contemporary craft in Canada and an integral part of the country’s largest public multi-disciplinary arts complex. We inspire people to engage with the ideas being expressed by today’s craft artists and designers.
Founded in 1974, Craft & Design is a unique Canadian institution that assists recent graduates to establish professional careers in Textiles, Glass, Ceramics, Metal, and Design. Harbourfront Centre’s Craft & Design is the only post-graduate national training facility for craftspeople, recognized by Canadian Heritage.
THE ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAMME
Craft & Design offers Residencies in five disciplines:
- Textiles
- Glass
- Ceramics
- Metal
- Design
Term of Residency:
- Annual – One year contract for recent graduates (graduated within the past five years). Will begin in either June or August. Annual contracts may be renewed at the discretion of Harbourfront Centre.
- Summer – Three month scholarship contract for full-time students. Begins June 1 and ends on August 31. Only students returning full-time to an educational institute may apply.
- Short term – To complement our annual programme, duration depending on project. Open to mid-career artists. We define a mid-career artist as someone who has 8-14 years’ exhibition history in professional visual arts contexts since graduating from college/university. Minimum 3 months. Available when space permits. Must contact Head of Craft & Design before applying to discuss your eligibility.
The main goal of the Craft & Design Artist-in-Residence programme is to assist emerging designers and makers to establish professional careers.
To that end, full-time Artists-in-Residence have 24 hour access to Harbourfront Centre Craft & Design Studios and equipment to design and make functional and/or non-functional work.
Each discipline has two volunteer, professional Artistic Advisers and a Business Advisory Committee to give advice, offer critiques and suggestions about career direction and work development.
Furthermore, Craft & Design organizes events with national and international artists and professionals – lectures, workshops, seminars, conferences, and exhibitions. These events are primarily for the benefit of Artists-in-Residence, but also the greater craft and design community.
Artists-in-Residence may have the opportunity to exhibit their work in one of the many on-site venues. Currently, there are five venues that each shows three exhibitions per year.
Artists-in-Residence also have the opportunity to teach classes to the public. Artists-in-Residence keep full tuition for classes.
Other benefits of the Artist-in-Residence programme include access to the Craft & Design library, access to a computer, printer, photocopier, telephone and fax machine for business purposes.
Reduced-rate parking is available for all Artists-in-Residence.
FEES
There is a $25 fee to apply for a full-time or short-term Artist-in-Residence position (applicants to the summer programme do not pay a fee). This amount includes tax and is payable by credit card. You will be asked to fill in your credit card information on the application form. If you require an alternative method of payment, please contact [email protected] prior to the deadline.
If you are awarded an Annual Artist-in-Residence position, you sign a one year contract and pay a monthly license fee of $85. Some applicants may be eligible to receive a scholarship. If awarded a scholarship, you do not pay licensing fees.
Summer Artists-in-Residence do not pay licensing fees.
***Harbourfront Centre does not provide housing as part of the Artist-in-Residence programme. You are responsible for all of your own living and travel costs. Artists-in-Residence do not receive stipends.***
Download the full application here.
