City's artist-in-residence program to return this year

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For the sixth year, the City of Fredericton will be offering an outdoor summer artist-in-residence program for local artists looking to highlight one of two city destinations.

Two-week or one-month residencies will be available throughout July and August at Killarney Lake Park and the Fredericton Botanic Garden at Odell Park. Artists are invited to submit proposals for their preferred location and timeframe for at least a two-week residency involving special projects and art pieces inspired by their surroundings.

“The program provides a unique opportunity for artists to move their studio outdoors into the natural surroundings of a wooded recreational park on the northside or in the community-run botanic garden on the southside, which is open and free to the public,” a notice on the city’s website states.

“Artists may select a location which best suits their work and will be provided with portable lawn signs which will indicate that they are the ‘artist in residence.’ Park and garden visitors are encouraged to interact with artists.”

Last year’s artists in residence included Gary Crosby, Steph Kincade, Alex Rioux, and Nat Cann at the botanic garden and Cyndi Nash, Marie Osmun, Robyn Shortt, Connie Wheaton, and Kennedy MacKeen at Killarney Lake.

Artists must engage with park and garden visitors and the community through online activities and social media promotions, including brief daily updates and occasional, in-depth activities such as a demo, artist talk, Q&A, or workshop.

Residences will be available during July and August this year and include a $500 weekly stipend. They’re open to all artists working in any medium.

Special consideration will be given to how artists can make the best use of the forest and garden settings, the city’s notice states. One-month residencies will be open to artists looking to work on in-depth projects. One artist will be chosen for each location.

Interested artists are asked to submit a proposal with a detailed description of the project, along with their preferred location. To be considered for the month-long residency, artists are expected to provide a specific creative project plan.

The artist is expected to be in residence Monday to Friday for six to eight hours each day. Applications should include an artist’s resume and short biography, contact information, social media links, a statement of interest explaining their projects, and a description of online and social media activities, images or videos of current artwork, availability during July or August and date and location preferences.

Artists applying for the month-long residency are also asked to state if they wish to be considered for the two-week period. The application deadline is March 15 at 4:30 p.m. Artists will be notified by April 30. Submissions can be emailed to culture@fredericton.ca.