Pilot-exchange: Rimouski-Montreal

PRESENTATION

Quartier Éphémère, the artist-run centre Caravansérail and the Société rimouskoise du patrimoine have joined forces to set up a cross-residency program, inviting artists and curators to work in the heart of Rimouski life and, reciprocally, in the heart of Montreal. This project aims to create a meeting place by bringing art closer to the communities and to offer artists and curators a place for research and creation outside of urban centres, and an opportunity for artists and curators from the Lower St. Lawrence to share expand their networks in an urban setting. 

A PROJECT ROOTED IN CURRENT ART, HISTORY AND BUILT HERITAGE 

In collaboration with Caravansérail, the Société rimouskoise du patrimoine wishes to make the historic site of the Lamontagne house available to an artist or a curator for a one-month research-creation residency. Within the framework of this pilot project, this site, a witness to Nouvelle-France, becomes a space for artistic experimentation based on heritage, history and contact with the public.

Reciprocally, the project is also open to artists and curators from the Lower St. Lawrence region, offering access to creation and dissemination spaces in an urban setting at Fonderie Darling, in the historically charged premises of a former industrial building in the heart of Old Montreal.

The project includes, in addition to the research-creation residency, a mediation component in relation to the public visiting the Maison Lamontagne and in relation to the people of the Old Montreal and Griffintown neighborhoods, where Fonderie Darling is located. It can be a participatory project, discussions, public performances, public art or other.

RESIDENCY IN RIMOUSKI

1 artist or curator from Quebec living outside the Lower St. Lawrence at the Site historique de la maison Lamontagne in partnership with Caravanserail 

September 10th to October 10th 2021

Deadline: June 21, 2021 

The project offers the opportunity to 1 artist or curator living outside the Lower St. Lawrence to carry out a residency whose goal is to explore contact with visitors of the Historic Site of Lamontagne House as a data for research and creation, either through mediation and/or a relational, participative or community approach. For a period of one month, the selected candidate will be provided with a workspace at the Lamontagne House and accommodation in the community. Given the heritage nature of the residency site, the proposed projects must pay particular attention to its integrity (e.g. no dust or excessive noise) and show an interest for heritage and history. The logistics of the residency as well as the networking will be assured by Caravanserail, while the support for meeting with the public is organised by the Maison Lamontagne team.

RESIDENCY IN MONTREAL

1 artist or curator from the Lower St. Lawrence region at Fonderie Darling

September 10 to October 10, 2021  

Deadline: June 21, 2021 

Reciprocally, the project offers the possibility to an artist or curator from the Lower St. Lawrence region to carry out a one-month creative residency at the Fonderie Darling. The selected artist or curator will be provided with a live-in studio at Fonderie Darling, access to production studios as well as supervision and professional networking opportunity assured by the team. 

RESIDENCY CONDITIONS 

The financial conditions proposed for each of the residencies in Rimouski and Montreal are as follows:

- A fee of $1200 for the duration of the 1 month stay

- An allowance of 100$ per week for living expenses

- A travel allowance calculated according to the preferred means of transportation and the distance traveled 

- A production grant of $1000 

Special attention is paid to the family situations of the applicants and their reunification will be facilitated.

SELECTION PROCESS

Applications will be evaluated by a committee of professionals according to the following criteria:

- The artistic quality of the proposed work

- The impact of the residency on the applicant's career and on the Rimouski and Montreal community

- The proposed residency project

- The clarity of the dossier and the articulation of the artistic proposal

Quartier Éphémère, the artist-run Caravansérail and the Société rimouskoise du patrimoine encourage cultural diversity and gender equality in all its residency programs.

ABOUT THE CARAVANSERAI ARTIST-RUN CENTER

The artist-run centre Caravansérail supports research and experimentation in contemporary visual arts and is dedicated to the dissemination and promotion of emerging art and practices in the Lower St. Lawrence. It invests in the professionalization of emerging artists and is involved in the career development of its members, whether they are emerging, mid-career or established. Sensitive to the heterogeneity of the public, the Centre works towards the democratization of contemporary art.

ABOUT THE SOCIÉTÉ RIMOUSKOISE DU PATRIMOINE 

The Société rimouskoise du patrimoine (SRP) is dedicated to the enhancement of our built heritage and to raising public awareness about the preservation of our architectural heritage. It contributes to the vitality of the Rimouski community through its various activities and offers free consulting services to owners wishing to renovate while respecting the heritage spirit of their building. Moreover, the organization is the manager of the Circuits Rimouski and of the historic site of the Lamontagne house. Built in 1744, this almost three hundred year old residence is characterized by its construction method, the stone studs.

This project is made possible thanks to the financial contribution of the Entente de développement culturel between the Ministère de la Culture et des Communications and the City of Rimouski.