Call for Proposals 

UVic’s Faculty of Fine Arts and Ocean Networks Canada (ONC) are calling for graduate student applications for the 2022 ONC Artist-in-Residence program. 

Note: the application period closes on December 17, 2021. s

The Artist-in-Residence will ignite cross-disciplinary exchanges, interacting with Fine Arts faculty members and scientists & staff at ONC, as well as with other individuals using ONC’s world-leading ocean facilities. While ONC and Fine Arts both lead and sponsor this program, both the Faculty of Science and the Office of Research Services also provide additional financial support.

This residency is open to current Fine Arts graduate students working in any visual, written, musical or performance discipline, who have completed most of their course requirements.

About the program

 This program strengthens connections between art and science that broaden and cross-fertilize perspectives and critical discourse on today’s major issues, such as environment, technology, oceans, cultural and biodiversity, and healthy communities. 

The artist will learn from and engage with current ocean research, connecting it to the artist’s own practice—and to wider societal and cultural aspects—creating work for public presentation at the end of the residency. The artist will also be invited to contribute as a lead or co-author in scientific conference proceedings and/or journal articles.  

The residency period can start anytime between Feb 1 and May 31, 2022, and will last for up to four months. A cost-of-living stipend of $2,000 CDN/month will be paid to the selected artist, with limited additional funds to support production or materials. At the conclusion of the residency, a public exhibit of the resulting art will be displayed or performed, and will be promoted by ONC and the Faculty of Fine Arts.

Learn more about previous Artists in Residence

Previous ONC Artists in Residence include Dennis Gupa (2021) and Colton Hash (2019). Read more about Dennis’ work and watch a series of the resulting videos here, and read more about Colton’s work here.

Exploring ocean science through art

The selected artist will actively engage with researchers on a variety of ocean science themes that may include:

  • Deep Sea Ecology
  • Seabed-Ocean Exchanges
  • Coastal Ocean Processes
  • Marine Natural Hazards
  • The Ocean Soundscape
  • Arctic Ocean Observing
  • Ocean Big Data

The ONC Artist-in-Residence program is established to:

  • explore the potential of the arts or alternative cultural practices in the area of the visions, challenges, philosophical, aesthetic, and ethical aspects of the ocean and the impacts humans have on it;
  • add a complementary artistic and creative perspective to ocean science, the societal ramifications of its exploitation, and its cultural aspects;
  • create opportunities for potential new research questions, experimental approaches and knowledge synthesis resulting from interaction between the arts and science; and
  • help envision and communicate the potential long-term impact of ocean changes on humanity.

Proposal submissions

Interested applicants are to dwowens@oceannetworks.ca with the subject line “Ocean Artist-in-Residence Program,” and attach:

  1. a CV
  2. a concise portfolio of previous relevant artistic work
  3. a letter of motivation outlining the artist’s project proposal for the residency
  4. a 500-word project proposal with a separate project-costs budget.

Again, the application period closes on Dec 17, 2021.

Applications will be reviewed by representatives of Fine Arts and Ocean Networks Canada. Artists may be contacted for an interview or to supply further information before a decision is made.

Public exhibit

At the conclusion of the residency, the artist will host a public exhibit within a specified budget agreed to during the residency and depending on the type of project to be exhibited. Assistance for marketing and/or ticketing could be made available from other UVic departments (Visual Arts, Theatre, etcetera).

Two stills from Dennis Gupa’s 2021 public residency presentation, “Gossip With Whales”

About Ocean Networks Canada

Established in 2007 as a strategic initiative of the University of Victoria, ONC operates world-leading ocean observatories for the advancement of science and the benefit of Canada. The observatories collect data on physical, chemical, biological, and geological aspects of the ocean over long time periods, supporting research on complex Earth processes in ways not previously possible.

The observatories provide unique scientific and technical capabilities that permit researchers to operate instruments remotely and receive data at their home laboratories anywhere on the globe, in real time. The facilities extend and complement other research platforms and programs, whether currently operating or planned for future deployment.

With thanks also to the Vice President Research & Innovation and Faculty of Science for their support.