Call for projects

CARAVANSÉRAIL IS INVITING EMERGING ARTISTS AND ARTISTS FROM THE LOWER ST. LAWRENCE TO SUBMIT THEIR EXHIBITION PROJECTS FOR ITS ANNUAL PROGRAMMING

DEADLINE: Sunday, November 3, 2024 (11:59 p.m.)

VOIR LA VERSION FRANÇAISE

Caravansérail is looking for various propositions to constitute a year of programming that represents the extent of current practices in visual arts. With a focus on research and experimentation, the Center invites artists to present daring, bold projects. It is time to take some risks, push your practice's limits further, and take unprecedented avenues in art-making! 

Caravansérail devotes a lot of energy to democratizing artistic practices and engaging with a wide range of audiences. Making contemporary art accessible to the largest number of people while also providing mediation, education and vulgarization is at the heart of our mandate. We invite artists to think about the place their artistic practice can take within this larger project, that of making Caravansérail a space for engaging with one another, dialoguing and discovering new perspectives.

PROGRAM COMPONENTS AND ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

FIRST SOLO SHOW | 1 exhibition per season

The FIRST SOLO SHOW program is intended for artists who have never had a solo show in a professional context. Artists of different backgrounds are eligible for this program, including graduates of art programs, self-taught artists, and artists who have only presented works in collective shows.  

EMERGING | 3 exhibitions per season

The EMERGING program is for artists who have less than 10 years of experience as a professional artist in Quebec. Graduating students of art programs and self-taught artists are eligible for this program. The Caravansérail team is also aware of the fact that immigrant artists have to rebuild their whole network when arriving in Quebec, even if they have developed careers in their country of origin. Therefore they are also eligible for this program if they've had a career of fewer than 10 years in Quebec.

LOWER ST. LAWRENCE | 1 exhibition per season

The LOWER ST. LAWRENCE program is reserved for artists of all career levels whose main residence is in the Lower St. Lawrence region.

CONDITIONS

Selected exhibitions will run between September 2025 and August 2026

• Soutien à la coordination, à la diffusion et à la promotion de l’exposition
• Aide au montage et au démontage
• Documentation photographique professionnelle
• Droits d’exposition selon les barèmes CARFAC
• Droits de communication et de reproduction publiques
• Médiation de l’exposition auprès de différents groupes et publics
• Financement partiel ou total, selon les capacités du Centre, des frais de déplacement et de séjour

SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION

Caravansérail wishes to make the process of applying as accessible as possible. Therefore, we accept project proposals in French or English, and in written or video format.

CHOICE 1: WRITTEN APPLICATION

Please note it is not possible to save the form and come back to it later. You must fill in and submit the form within a single work session. To help you prepare for the questions present in the form, you can download a Google Doc document that includes the entire form: access to the preparation Google Doc - Written application

CHOICE 2: VIDEO APPLICATION

This is a new option available this year: instead of submitting your application in writing, you can prepare a video of a maximum duration of 10 minutes in which you present your project to the selection committee. The video application still requires that you fill in a form for us to have the necessary information to manage your application.

Please note it is not possible to save the form and come back to it later.You must fill in and submit the form within a single work session. To help you prepare for the questions present in the form, you can download a Google Doc document that includes the entire form: access to the Google Doc - Video application

Complete the deposit form

SPECIFICITIES OF THE SPACE

The exhibition space of Caravansérail is located in a former movie theater. Therefore, the space has a sloping floor and a particularly high ceiling which makes it impossible to hang works from it. The proposals have to take these particularities into account. 

Please consult the PLANS ET ÉQUIPEMENTS section of our website to adjust your projects to the possibilities of our space. Unfortunately, this section is only available in French as of now. If you need help in understanding elements from this section, contact us and we’ll help you as best as we can!: plans et équipements.

To see a photo preview of the space: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1d6Vu0o1DOT7qiszM25_Mz3GR_JXZt3cZ?usp=sharing

CONTACT AND SUPPORT

If you have questions, difficulties or any other inquiries while preparing your application or filling in the form, don’t hesitate to contact our team:

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(418) 722-0846

It will be our pleasure to help you and discuss alternative application methods with you if necessary. Caravansérail wishes to make its application process as accessible as possible.

INFORMATION SESSIONS

Our team will hold two information sessions via videoconference to answer your questions and offer some advice to help build your proposal. These information sessions are free and open to all.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2024
12H30 TO 1H30 p.m.
Online: meet.google.com/oje-jidr-xmi 
Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/share/ZUegvSGeESmwNhih/

TUESDAY, OCTOBRE 1, 2024
5H30 À 6H30 p.m.
Online: meet.google.com/den-eswp-pqt 
Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/share/UvboZzq1oAsnyH7M/

WE’RE EXCITED TO RECEIVE YOUR PROPOSALS!

DEADLINE: NOVEMBER 3, 2024 11H59 p.m.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. Question 
   Is it possible to apply to more than one component?
   
   Answer
   Yes, as long as you meet the criteria for each component.
2. Question
   What is the difference between filing in writing and filing by video clip?
   
   Answer
   We offer artists an alternative to a written submission, so it is possible to explain your exhibition project to us by filming yourself. We recommend using the deposit method that suits you best.
   
   
3. Question
   Is it possible to submit more than one different project?
   
   Answer
   It’s possible yes. To stay strategic, it’s best to choose just one. 
   
   
4. Question
   What does it mean to take risks? What do innovative, experimental or installation practices mean?
   
   Answer
   What would we like to do here that we couldn't do elsewhere? For example, an artist who paints, how will the exhibition you place go beyond simple hanging on the wall?
   
   
5. Question
   Are you eligible for the first solo if you have already been part of a first solo exhibition but not paid (no fee)?
   
   Answer
   Yes, without a fee it is an unprofessional experience.
   
   
6. Question
   What information should be included in the project description?
   
   Reflection pointers:
   To help you with writing this part of the proposal, you can use the following questions as a guide. They should be seen as motivation for your process and thoughts, not as requirements. We don’t expect you to answer all of them in your project description: rather, you should elaborate on the aspects that represent your work the most. 
   
   - What is the focus of the exhibition project you’re presenting to Caravansérail? What subjects, realities, ideas, identities, etc. are being explored?
   
   - Which techniques or media are you working with for this project? How have you planned the research and experimentation leading up to the creation of these works?
   
   - What are your inspirations for this body of work? What connections do you see between your work and that of other artists?
   
   -  Why do you wish to present this exhibition at Caravansérail? What makes you interested in presenting your work at our Artist-Run Center? 
   
   - How will you take into account the specificities and challenges of our exhibition space?
   
   - Are there any particular resonances between your project and Rimouski or the Lower St. Lawrence? If your project is accepted, can you foresee any fruitful dialogues between your practice and the historical and ongoing realities of our region?
   
   - How advanced is this project at the moment you’re sending in your proposal? What remains to be done before the exhibition?
   
   - What does this project represent in the evolution of your practice and career? How do you link this project with your previous work, and, if it’s the case, to other works or exhibitions to come?
   
   - Does your work draw on personal experiences, your lived reality or that of the people around you and/or in community with you?