Call for submissions - Impressions Artist Residency

In collaboration with the Conseil des arts de Montréal

Deadline for applications : December 13, 2023

The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA), with the support of the Conseil des arts de Montréal (CAM), is launching a call for applications to its Impressions artist residency. For an eight-week period, from March to April 2024, the Museum will open its doors and its collection to a visual artist living in Montreal and belonging to a cultural community.¹

As one of the city’s leading cultural institutions, the MMFA is strongly committed to supporting original initiatives that offer emerging artists and artistic organizations an opportunity for enrichment. The Impressions residency is intended for individuals who meet the following eligibility criteria, set forth by the Conseil des arts de Montréal:

• Be a professional visual artist (painting, sculpture, video art, installation art, performance art, photography) who works independently, has completed basic training in the arts, and possesses a level of skill recognized by their peers. The professional artist creates, performs or publishes works that are exhibited or distributed. Their artistic practice is their primary occupation, and they are remunerated for the works they create;
• Belong to a cultural community or visible minority;¹
• Have less than seven years of professional experience in Quebec;
• Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada;
• Have resided on the island of Montreal for at least one year.

Please note that the Impressions residency is not open to MMFA or CAM employees, or their close relatives. In addition, any submissions from artists whose works are already featured in the MMFA’s collection will not be accepted.

A dialogue between the artist and the MMFA’s collection, unique in its kind in Canada

The Impressions artist residency encourages a transversal dialogue by allowing the artist to use the Museum’s collection as inspiration for carrying out a research-creation project. The MMFA is home to one of the largest and most wide-ranging collections in Canada, spanning thousands of years and multiple geographies. The artist in residence will bring forth an original perspective on this rich and varied collection.

A project funded by the MMFA and the Conseil des arts de Montréal

This initiative benefits from the financial support of the Conseil des arts de Montréal. The artist in residence will be selected by a jury composed of members from both partner organizations and will receive Can$7,000, consisting of an honorarium of $4,000 and an allowance of $3,000 ($375 per week over eight weeks). The residency will enable the artist to conduct research that will serve as the foundation for creating works in the weeks that follow.

Selection criteria:

• Originality of artistic approach
• Flexibility and autonomy
• Understanding of the historical and artistic context of the MMFA’s collection
• The project’s positive potential for the candidate’s career, the expansion of the Museum’s audiences and the MMFA’s collection.

All those interested must complete the application form and attach the following documents to their application:

• An up-to-date résumé
• Ten images of their artworks
• A brief biography and description of their artistic approach
• A letter of intent outlining the proposed research project, its objectives, a proposed work schedule (over eight weeks), an explanation of the relevance of the residency to their artistic approach, and the expected outcomes of the residency.

The deadline for submitting applications is December 13, 2023.

See the application

For more information, please contact: appelresidence@mbamtl.org.

List of past laureates

• Karen Tam (2013-2014)
• Naghmeh Sharifi (2014-2015)
• Pansee Atta (2015-2016)
• Ari Bayuaji (2016-2017)
• Jobena Petonoquot (2017-2018)
• Leila Zelli (2018-2019)
• Nayla Dabaji (2019-2020)
• Ahreum Lee (2020-2021)
• Anahita Norouzi (2021-2022)
• Jinjoo Yang (2022-2023)

About the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts

Founded in 1860, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA) has been built on the generosity of multiple generations of Montrealers. Its mission is to acquire, conserve, study, interpret and present significant works of art from around the world and from every era, in the hope that members of its community and all Museum visitors may benefit from the transformative powers of art. The MMFA’s collection showcases Quebec and Canadian heritage, Indigenous art and international art from a progressive and innovative perspective. It comprises some 47,000 paintings, sculptures, graphic artworks, photographs, multimedia installations and decorative art objects dating from antiquity to the present. The MMFA’s exhibitions and cultural programming aim to inspire new ways of looking at art and the history of art. As a hub of art, community and exchange and a pioneer in the provision of art therapy, the Museum collaborates with partners in the fields of community organization, education, health and technology to offer all audiences an enriching and transformative experience of art. Thus, through each of its projects, the MMFA continues to strive towards a more inclusive, accessible and just world.

About the Conseil des arts de Montréal

Offering various forms of assistance, the Conseil des arts de Montréal identifies, supports and recognizes artistic innovation and creative expression in all their diversity to promote Montreal’s artists and arts organizations active in creation, production and presentation. Since 1956, the Conseil has played a unique role as a catalyst for this artistic ecosystem, helping to make Montreal one of the world’s great cultural metropolises.

¹ For an explanation of these terms, as defined by the Conseil des arts de Montréal, go to Cultural Diversity in the Arts