Announcing the Call for Guest Curators & Curatorial Projects for the 2024/2025 Dancemakers season!
(to read the questions before filling out the form, click here)
In person coffee hour: Thursday August 15th 5pm-7pm
Slanted Door Cafe
(442 Bloor st. W)
Dancemakers is seeking 2-3 Guest Curators to select, support and contextualize programming for artistic development and public sharing.
Guest Curators are encouraged to dream projects into being that may not be feasibly supported in more traditional performance venues, companies or festivals. Site-specific projects, projects outside of the downtown core, projects that engage with and integrate communities/audiences, projects that deeply consider the curatorial context of the work and that engage with a range of dance forms will be prioritized.
Guest Curators play a vital role in the re-emergence of Dancemakers as it continues to move forward in becoming a community-led and decentralized company - living inside of and responding to larger contextual realities and needs. We are explicitly looking to support various dance forms, performances that engage with land, social issues and that centre BIPOC voices. We are interested in curatorial projects that are able to answer 'why this now'?
Each project programmed by Guest Curators will be expected to offer some kind of public sharing element whether that be a full production, work-in-progress showing, discussion or artist talk, workshop, participatory event, community-building event and/or another porous approach that includes community interaction.
The process:
This call is open from July 29 until the deadline on September 2, 2024.
A Selection Committee comprised of Dancemakers collaborators and past Guest-Curators will review projects together and may choose to engage in follow up conversations if needed.
The Guest Curators will be engaged with Dancemakers over the coming year through:
preparation from October-December 2024
public sharings occurring in March-June 2025
Guest Curators will receive a $5000 curatorial fee which can be distributed as desired (ie- $1000/month for 5 months of work, a lump sum, 12 weeks of part time work, etc - all based on CADA rates)
Other things to note:
Dancemakers has a list of offerings for Guest Curators to select from in terms of supports provided for projects (such as):
Up to $20,000 for artist fees
Producing support from Dancemakers' Artistic Producer
Booking space rentals, technicians, etc
Accessibility supports
Promotion of event(s)
Documentation (photo, video & commissioned written document/essay)
Questions & Access:
If you have questions or experience any barriers in accessing or completing this application, please connect with us at artistic@dancemakers.org. We are open to other formats and paces and want to learn how to make these kinds of processes easier for applicants.
Watch our virtual info session here:
Banner Image Credit: Fran Chudnoff 2023 [Image Description: 3 dancers are in motion in a public space. Miha on the left and Raoul in the centre wear smiling expressions as they perform floorwork, Lady C’s face is obstructed as she balances on her hands. Pedestrians on blue lawn chairs have mixed reactions, some engaged, some aloof.]