TO Live
Call for Indigenous Artists
Details
Recipients
Laiken Breau is a Metis, T’karonto (Toronto) - based interdisciplinary artist and designer. He holds a Bachelor's of Design (Hons) with a minor in Printmaking from OCAD University. Laiken’s practice explores themes of mass media, the impermeability of the built environment and the resilience of urban indigeneity. He examines the overlooked traces of human intervention on urban surfaces and their ability to denote passage of time and forgotten histories. Within his practice, he utilizes screenprint, relief printing, lithography, aerosol and stencil.
Website: laikenbreau.format.com/home
IG: @laikenbreau
Jordyn Hendricks is a two-spirited Michif artist with familial and ancestral ties to the Red River region.Currently they live in Tkaronto, pursuing their BFA in OCAD University’sIndigenous Visual Cultures program. Their practice is multidisciplinary, engaging with themes of spirituality, the land-self relationship, and questions regarding human existence.
Website: jordynhendricks.format.com
IG: @jordyn.hendricks
Kenzie Littlelight is a Dìne and Blackfoot multidisciplinary artist and curator from Treaty 7 territory, now based in Tkaronto. She is currently pursuing a BFA in Sculpture and Installation program at OCAD University and works as the art curator for an upcoming Indigenous supportive housing project in East Vancouver. Her art draws on her connection to her culture, infusing traditional knowledge with elements of pop culture to create a visual dialogue between tradition and contemporary Indigeneity.
Website: kenzielittlelightportfolio.format.com/artwork
IG: @Keeniebobeenie
Kay Nadjiwon (they/them) is a queer interdisciplinary Anishinaabe artist and member of Batchewana First Nation currently working on Williams Treaty territory. Their practice spans photography, video, beadwork, sculpture, and installation. Nadjiwon embraces ambiguity as they address the multiplicities of identity, trauma, and desire.Grounded in autoethnography and storytelling, their work situates grief as asite for political engagement and spiritual connection.
Website: kaynadjiwon.format.com
IG: @aanikoobijigan
Emilia Nahdee is an interdisciplinary artist and curator of Shawnee Anishinaabe(member of Walpole Island First Nation, Bkejwanong Territory) and of Portuguese descent. In her work she engages Anishinaabe pedagogies, epistemologies and ontologies in relation to material research, contemporary art, and publicIndigenous art and design.
Website: emilianahdee.format.com
IG: @emilianahdee
Errol Ricard (he/him) is a 2S Black- Métisartist working and living in Tkaronto while pursuing a BFA, specializing inDrawing and Painting, at OCAD University. His interdisciplinary practice explores identity and relationality, its effect on how we occupy spaces; and the multitude of networks that connect life. Through the language of abstraction, expressive and experimental techniques, the work is an expression of feelings and perspective of a racialized queer man.
Website: errolric-art.format.com
IG: @errol.ricard
Liv Sydney is an Nunataagmuit and Gwich’in artist from Inuvik, NT. Practicing in printmaking, painting, and textile arts. Liv explores themes of love, beauty, familial connection, and navigating the world as a carrier of generational trauma caused by the systemic oppression of Inuit and First Nations. Currently based out of Toronto, Liv is pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Art at OCAD University.
OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION
TO Live and the Centre for Emerging Artists & Designers are excited to partner on a Career Launcher providing an exhibition opportunity for six to eight (6-8) artists from OCAD U’s Indigenous community to exhibit their work at Meridian Arts Centre, Lower Gallery throughout the month of December 2025. Successful applicants will each receive an exhibition fee of $1000.
Artists are invited to submit existing artworks in any medium (painting, sculpture, textile, digital media, beadwork, leatherwork, installation, photography, quillwork, performance, mixed media etc.)
This opportunity is for artists who identify as Indigenous, Inuit, First Nations or Métis.
ABOUT THE PARTNER
At TO Live we are transforming our venues into creative, social, and educational hubs where artists and non-artists alike come to work, play, and create. We believe that the arts are crucial to creating healthy, vibrant, and engaged diverse communities.
As one of the largest national multi-arts institutions, TO Live has seven stages, two art galleries, and many public spaces.
Meridian Arts Centre is a performing arts venue in the North York district of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Designed by Canadian architect Eberhard Zeidler for musicals, theatre productions, and other performing arts, the venue opened on October 16, 1993 as the North York Performing Arts Centre. Today it is one of three landmark City theatre venues programmed and operated by TO Live. The Gallery, originally home to MOCCA (Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art), the gallery space has two spacious and bright floors that link the upper and lower levels. The Upper Gallery can fit 157 people, while the Lower Gallery can fit 169 people.
ROLE & RESPONSIBILITIES
- Work closely with TO Live’s Indigenous Cultural Curator to ensure artworks are delivered and installed according to the timeline below.
- Artwork transportation is the responsibility of the artists.
KEY DATES
- Artists selected and notified: by end of July, 2025
- Install artwork: November 29 - 30, 2025
- Exhibition Duration: December 1, 2025 – January 2, 2026
- De-install: January 3 - 4, 2026
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Please provide the following information in one PDF document:
- Full contact information (Name, phone, and email)
- Current resumé or CV
- Website and/or social media
- Artist bio (150 words max)
- A brief statement about the artwork(s) you are submitting (2 – 4 sentences about each piece)
- 3 - 7 images or video links (Vimeo, Youtube, etc) of existing work to be submitted for consideration.
- A corresponding list for the support images including: artist name, title, year, medium, size, and duration (for time-based work).
*If submitting as a group, applicants can submit the above materials for each individual group member, or as the group.
PARTNER
TO Live
www.tolive.com
Meridian Arts Centre, Lower Gallery
5040 Yonge Street,
North York, Ontario
ELIGIBILITY
- Current Indigenous OCAD U undergraduate students who will have completed 10 credits or more by June 30, 2025.
- or Current Indigenous OCAD U Master’s students
- or Indigenous OCAD U Alumni (undergrad and Master’s) who graduated in 2025, 2024, 2023
This opportunity is for artists who identify as Indigenous, Inuit, First Nations or Métis.
Collectives and groups are welcome to apply as long as every member of the group meets the eligibility criteria above. Please note: one (1) Exhibition royalty fee will be awarded to the collective or group (rather than each individual member).
RATE
$1,000 Exhibition royalty fee
(Artists are responsible for transportation of their artwork)
EXTENDED DEADLINE
Wednesday, July 9, 2025, 11:59 PM
Eastern Time
INFO SESSION
NEW DATE:
Thursday, April 17, 2025
3:00 - 4:00 PM ET
OCAD U, Indigenous Student Centre
113 McCaul St., Room 410
Click hereto RSVP
Join CEAD, ISC and Sierra da Silva-Canadien, TO Live's Indigenous Cultural Curator, for and info session to learn more about the exhibition and venue. Ask questions and get advice for putting together a strong application.
SUBMISSION INSTRUCTION
Apply via Typeform here: https://ocadu-cead.typeform.com/to/fBiKQzE1
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.
