Closing Date: March 31st, 2024
Number of position/projects: 2
Timeline:
Project 1: April - June, 2024
Project 2: July - September, 2024
Curator fee: $2,000 CAD + travel and accommodations (if applicable)
Writing fee for curatorial essay: $2,000 CAD
Curatorial Budget: $3,500, + travel, accommodations, ground transportation (if applicable), 1 meal, and technical support for participating artists
About the Role: Debaser and Indigenous Curatorial Collective / Collectif de Commissaires autochtones (ICCA) have partnered to support curatorial projects by two emerging Indigenous curators. The single-day projects will be presented at the summer (June 8, 2024) and fall (September 28, 2024) editions of Pique, a building-wide all-ages festival that takes place at the Arts Court complex in downtown Ottawa (Anishinaabe Algonquin territory).
Curators of any artistic medium will be considered. There are various facilities and spaces available at the Arts Court for visual art, media, live performance and site-specific presentations. Some examples of programming may include:
Small-site exhibitions
Live performance programs (music, dance, theatre, drag, storytelling, etc.)
Film or media art screenings
Artist talks, panels, or workshops
Site-specific installations at the Arts Court (contact us at hello@debaser.ca to discuss site options if desired)
In addition to curating a program for Pique, curators are expected to produce a critical discourse or essay focused on their project. This written work will be published online by the ICCA.
Two candidates will be selected, one for the Pique summer edition on June 8, 2024, and one for the fall edition on September 28, 2024.
Participants will be offered ongoing mentorship and support throughout the process, working with Debaser staff to develop and produce the project.
Debaser looks for guest curators of all artistic disciplines on an ongoing basis to contribute to the programming of Pique. Guest curators are paid a curatorial fee, manage their own programming budget, and receive production and administrative support from Debaser. While only two candidates will be selected for this program in 2024, applications will be kept on file and will be considered for ongoing curatorial openings.
About you:
First Nations, Inuit and Métis curators
Knowledge of and connectivity to artistic community
Experience with managing at least 2 artistic presentation projects
Ability to conceptualize and execute self-directed project
Initiative and strong communication skills
Experience with academic or essay writing
Problem solving and creative adaptability
Eagerness to learn and test out new ideas
Complete the form linked above by March 31, 2024
About Pique: Launched in 2021, Pique is a forward-thinking, artist-driven quarterly event series featuring eclectic musical, visual and multimedia artists, produced by Debaser. Four times per year, Pique takes over the Arts Court building in downtown Ottawa for a pay-what-you-can and all-ages celebration of music, art, and more.
About Debaser: Since establishing in 2013, Debaser has become one of Ottawa’s leading independent and underground music and arts presenters, best known for its thoughtfully-curated, diverse programming, and care-oriented approach. Debaser is a nonprofit organization mandated to support and exhibit underrepresented creative artists.
About ICCA: The Indigenous Curatorial Collective / Collectif des commissaires autochtones (ICCA) is an Indigenous run and led non-profit organization that aims to support and connect fellow Indigenous curators, artists, writers, academics, and professionals through various methods of gathering. The ICCA engages in critical discourses, increases professional opportunities for our members, develops programming, and most importantly works to build reciprocal relationships with Indigenous curators, artists, communities and the institutions we engage with.