TO Live Call for Indigenous Artists

TO Live Call for Indigenous Artists

Application Deadline: Monday, June 23, 2025, 8:00 AM ET

Click here to learn more about this opportunity.

Apply via Typeform here!

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)
 

INFO SESSION:

Thursday, April 10, 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!  

For more info about this and other Career Launchers visit www.careerlaunchers.format.com

[Image credit: Meridian Arts Centre, Lower Gallery. Artwork: "You Have Observed Me Everyday, But What Was There to Witness" by Laiken Breau.]