Residency of the Americas

Inaugurated in the fall 2008 at Fonderie Darling, the Residency of the Americas offered by the Conseil des arts de Montréal fosters an artistic dynamic through the American continent and actively contributes to establishing long-term relationships between the many communities of the Americas. To this day, it has hosted 22 artists and curators in visual arts in Montreal, coming from Brazil, the USA, Argentina, Colombia, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Salvador, Mexico, Peru, Chile, and Canada. Since 2016, the program focusses entirely on art professionals from Latin Amercia and the Caribbean and wishes to support emerging creators in particular. It fully participates in the strategies developed by the City of Montreal to reach out to diverse communities, and claim cultural values based on inclusiveness and open-mindedness.

The Residency of the Americas is two-fold: artists are hosted for 3 months, followed by curators for 2 months. As the role of curators in the ecology of contemporary art has been increasing in the past decades, Fonderie Darling is proud to claim the relevance of this component of the program, which allows art critics and curators to develop a critical view on contemporary art in Quebec and play a role of mediators between various artistic cultures and scenes. The two complementary aspects of the Residency are instrumental to the creation of a diverse community of professionals in the arts, and the collaboration between artists and curators from different backgrounds. 

THE RESIDENCY AT FONDERIE DARLING

The Residency of the Americas takes place during the first half of the year, from January to May, in a live-in studio of approximately 60m^₂, equipped with a kitchen corner. All residents have access to communal spaces shared with the other artists at Fonderie Darling: a big kitchen, laundry facilities, bath and shower rooms, living-room, production studios (for wood, metal, CNC-cutting and ceramics). For artists, their residency is often stamped by their immersion in a nordic climate, triggering new considerations about the relations between the North and South. Of great relevance are also researches and inquiries about indigeneity in the American continents.  

The networking program set up by the team of Fonderie Darling facilitates interactions between the residents and the art professionals in Montreal, while the close vicinity of the 9 Montreal-based artists who have a studio in the building contributes to a smooth inclusion into the Montreal art scene. Furthermore, Montreal benefits from a dynamic Latin American artistic community, encouraging exchanges and encounters. The general public is invited to meet with residents during friendly public presentations and open studios events. 

SELECTION PROCESS

The selection committee is composed by the artistic team of Fonderie Darling and external art professionals. It ensures a fair representation between artistic media and practices, genders, indigenous peoples, and aims to reflect the diversity of the cultures and countries of the Americas. Selection criteria are based on the quality of the artistic work of applicants, the potential impact of the residency on their career, as well as their anticipated contribution to the arts communities in Montreal. 

RECIPIENTS