CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
Manitoba Craft Council Retreat at Victoria Beach on Lake Winnipeg
Spring: May 26-June 2, 2024
Fall: September 29-October 6, 2024
Deadline to apply: January 9, 2024
The Manitoba Craft Council Retreat was created to encourage the artistic development of Manitoba craft artists across the spectrum of craft media. The successful applicants will have access to a well-appointed cottage at Victoria Beach, MB during the dates above for the purpose of self-directed, craft-related learning, research and making, either alone or in a small group.
Priority will be given to projects that:
-will use the retreat to the best advantage;
-will make the best use of the locale (geographically, historically, or as a place of retreat, or in other, specified ways); and
-promise a high calibre of work.
The retreat was established by the Manitoba Craft Council in 2021 and is offered once in the spring and once in the fall.
The Retreat period begins at 3 pm on Sunday and ends at 11 am the following Sunday.
Eligibility
Applicants must be Manitoba (or North-Western Ontario) residents and current members of the Manitoba Craft Council. Members are eligible to receive a maximum of 2 retreat stays in a five-year period. Applicants and attendees must be able to attend the retreat during the specified time, must sign a waiver of liability, and must agree to abide by the Rules and Constraints.
Please submit applications via the Google Form HERE
You will be asked to upload the following:
- Up to five image files
- One Word or PDF file containing:
- Retreat Proposal: Provide a detailed description of the project you are proposing. What are you hoping to do? Will you attend alone or with others? If this is a group proposal, please describe the participants and how you will work together. How will the activity benefit your craft practice? (1 page max.)
- CV (3 page max.)
- A list of the images, with applicant’s name, image number, title, size (L x W x H), year made and materials used.
Award recipients will be asked to submit a short report (200 word max) suitable for sharing publicly online, including relevant images, at the project’s conclusion.
Built in 2011, the cottage is located in Victoria Beach (car access permitted at time of Retreat). The cottage is a short walk from two beaches (5 min.); a bakery, convenience store, restaurant (10-15 min.), a pier and St. Michael’s Church (20 min.).
The cottage has an open main room with entryway, kitchen, living room, reading and play area, and dining area, and a wood-burning fireplace. Also on the main floor is a full bathroom and three bedrooms, each with a double bed. The loft, which is accessed via a ladder screwed securely into the framing at the top and the floor at the bottom, has three single beds plus a crib-size mattress. Outside, there’s a shower with hot and cold running water, a large, wrap-around deck, barbeque, dining set, sitting areas, and a fire pit.
The cottage is not wheelchair accessible. You will need to arrange your own transportation to and from the cottage, and on-site parking is available.
Rules and constraints
The cottage should be left in the condition it was found in. It is a residential space. It is not set up as a workshop or a studio. It does not have a fume hood or specialized plumbing. A work table, which we expect will look used over time, and drop sheets will be available on the main floor to allow you to work with minimal long-term mess. It also has outdoor spaces (the deck, the yard, the area in general) that can be used for messier work, although all outdoor work should be done with a view to stewardship of the environment. Projects that involve changing the environment in any way should only be pursued with formal support of the local government. If damage is done during your retreat, you will be solely responsible for returning the cottage to the condition it was in upon your arrival.
