Critical Distance Centre for Curators
2025 Public Billboard
Call for Artists
Details
OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION
OCAD University’s RBC Centre for Emerging Artists & Designers (CEAD) and Critical Distance Centre for Curators (CDCC) have partnered to co-create the Critical Distance Public Art Billboard Career Launcher. The opportunity will select a work from one (1) emerging artist to be exhibited at their public art billboard space on Shaw street in August/September 2025. An essay will be commissioned to accompany the work.
Critical Distance Centre for Curators (CDCC), a not-for-profit gallery, publisher, and professional network devoted to the support and advancement of curatorial inquiry in Toronto, Canada, and beyond. With a focus on critically engaged, collaborative, and cross-disciplinary practices, underrepresented-artists and art forms, and community outreach and education in art and exhibition-making, Critical Distance is an open platform for diverse curatorial perspectives, and a forum for the exchange of ideas on curating as a way to connect, engage, and inform people and publics across cultures, disciplines, geographies, and generations.
The CEAD and CDCC are inviting emerging artists to submit existing works for consideration. Artists are asked to reflect on how their submission functions in a public art context in the surrounding neighbourhood. The Artist and the Writer will be added to the CDCC’s online database of artists, curators and writers.
To see examples of past projects in the Shaw billboard space, visit CDCC’s website.
RESPONSIBILITIES & TIMELINE
The selected emerging artist will:
- Provide a high resolution print file to the CEAD and CDCC by mid-May 2025.
- Specs are: 300 dpi CMYK, 96” x 96” with additional 2” bleed all around. TIFF, EPS or PDF file.
- Meet with the selected writer for the Critical Distance Exhibition Essay Career Launcher. Parties will be connected in mid-May, 2025
- Be present for install in late July/early Aug, 2025. Exact date TBD with artist.
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Please provide the following information in one PDF document:
- Full contact information (Name, phone, and email)
- Current resume or CV
- Website and/or social media
- Artistic statement/bio (150 words max)
- A written response about the submitted works and on how it functions in a public art context in the surrounding neighbourhood. (100 words)
- 1 -3 images of existing artwork to be considered, and a corresponding image list including: artist(s) name, title, year, medium, and dimensions
PARTNER
Critical Distance Centre for Curators
www.criticaldistance.ca
401 Richmond St. W, Suite 122
Toronto, ON, M5V3A8
ELIGIBILITY
- Current OCAD U undergraduate students who have completed 15+ credits and will be graduating in 2025,
- or current OCAD U Master's students graduating in 2025.
*Priority may be given to applicants who have not previously received a Career Launcher opportunity
**If you have already received this opportunity in a previous year, you are not eligible to apply
QUALIFICATIONS
- Artist must be able to provide a high resolution image of the selected artwork based on the specs provided
RATE
$650 Artist fee. Billboard production costs covered by the CEAD
DEADLINE
Monday, April 7, 2025, 8:00 AM ET
SUBMISSION INSTRUCTION
Apply via Typeform here: https://ocadu-cead.typeform.com/to/yBq4fXNT
APPLICATION SUPPORT
The OCAD U RBC CEAD is committed to promoting substantive equality for equity-seeking groups that are under-represented in the creative sector. We encourage applications from first-time applicants to the program and graduates of equity-seeking communities including racialized and Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, and persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities / expressions. Applicants are welcome to advise the CEAD of any accommodations needed to ensure you have access to a fair and equitable process.
Applicants who need assistance with their submissions are invited to connect with the RBC CEAD for Advising support. Click here to learn more about how to book an advising appointment.
ACCESSIBILITY
Applicants who have concerns about meeting a Career Launcher application deadline are invited to connect with the CEAD in order to discuss possible alternatives. We encourage all who might require assistance with the application process to reach out to determine available support. Outreach of this nature should be undertaken at least one week prior to the published application deadline.
