An opportunity has opened for local artists to engage with the community.

Hosted by the City of Abbotsford along with the Abbotsford Arts Council, applications for the 2023 Artist in Residence are now open. The program has hosted UFV alumni in the past including the work of Luke Pardy (BFA ’22) and Zaira Ramirez-Luis (BFA ’22).

To learn more about the Artist in Residence program, and what it means for the chosen artist, we talked with the City of Abbotsford.

Tell me a bit about the residency. What is the goal of the program?

The City of Abbotsford, in partnership with the Abbotsford Arts Council, is looking for one local emerging to mid-career artist or artist-team to participate in the 2023 Artist in Residence program. This program seeks to support local artists interested in building a community engaged art practice, while creating fun and immersive opportunities for the community to experience and participate in arts and culture. This self-directed residency will run from May 1 – September 30, 2023.

What sorts of artists have you had in residence previously? What are you hoping to find this year?

In previous years the artist in residence program connected to Go Play Outside, and hosted artists working in drawing, painting, photography, and sculpture. This year, the residency is now a standalone program.

In 2023, the program is partnering with the City of Abbotsford Landscaping and Horticulture department to facilitate opportunities for arts and culture in City parks with a focus on, or in relation to, horticulture in public spaces. We are hoping that the selected artist will work to celebrate and increase the awareness and appreciation of horticulture in the community.

What does the artist in residence have the opportunity to do while they are there?

In this self-directed residency, the artist will have the opportunity to provide community engagement in the form of free, low-barrier arts and culture activities for people of various ages and abilities, as well as complete research for independent project development. The artist will also work closely with the Landscaping and Horticulture team to develop a project in a City park or facility, such as an artistic garden bed planting, or temporary landscaping project.

What sorts of feedback have you heard from previous artists about their time as Artist in Residence?

Facilitating an artist residency in public spaces throughout the City of Abbotsford enhances community connectedness while providing opportunities for experiencing culture in unexpected places. The artist in residence program supports local culture and encourages thoughtful dialogue between community members.

 

Applications for the Artist in Residence program are open until April 10. Learn more and apply online at the link below:

https://www.abbotsford.ca/artist-in-residence