Book Stay
blue cutout exterior image of a heritage brick boutique hotel

Call to Artists

Nuit Blanche Toronto 2023

Gladstone House, 1214 Queen Street West

EXPRESSION OF INTEREST DUE APRIL 30, 2023

Gladstone House is seeking expressions of interest from artists (individual or team) for a project for Nuit Blanche (September 23, 2023). The project will be presented in the windows of the hotel’s Robinson Room, a space that faces Queen Street just east of the hotel’s main entrance. The project will be viewed from the street only and should be dynamic, incorporating film/video or light.

The 2023 Nuit Blanche curatorial theme, Breaking Ground, speaks to ideas centred around the natural world as well as being on the vanguard of change and innovation. Defined as the preparation for building or planting, Breaking Ground invites artists to explore a multiplicity of themes, including but not limited to the implications of climate change, construction and development of the city’s urban landscape, the impacts on communities and our collective responsibilities around land and stewardship.

The theme is well-suited to Gladstone House, an 1889 heritage-designated building that, while always a hotel, has undergone several transformations in its 134-year history. In addition, the hotel has borne witness to major changes in the nearby urban landscape – the changes are occurring as recently as today and as close by as across the street. Ideally the selected artist(s) will respond not only to the theme of Breaking Ground but will also consider the context of the hotel.

an empty room with a brick wall and wooden floors

BUDGET: $3000

This fee covers all aspects of the project, including but not limited to artist fee, site visits, project development, production, equipment rental, installation, and execution of the project during Nuit Blanche. The budget does not cover travel expenses and accommodation, and as such this call is open to local (GTA) artists only.

THE SPACE

The project primarily must make use of the windows, as it will be viewed from outside only. However, the artist will have access to the entire room.

The windows (lower sections) are 29.6in x 78.5 in (75.2cm x 199.5cm), 29.6in x 78.5 in (75.2cm x 199.5cm), 40.8in x 78.5in (103.7cm x 199.5cm).

The project cannot include sound.

ELIGIBILITY

  • This call is open to professional artists* in Toronto and region (approximately 50km radius from Toronto). Solo artists and artist teams are eligible to apply.
  • Gladstone House is committed to equity and diversity. Qualified applicants with diverse identities and lived experiences are encouraged to apply.
  • Artists must be legally eligible to work in Canada.

The Canada Council defines a professional artist as an artist who:

  • has specialized training in the artistic field (not necessarily in academic institutions)
  • is recognized as a professional by his or her peers (artists working in the same artistic tradition)
  • is committed to devoting more time to artistic activity, if possible financially
  • has [some] history of public presentation or publication [including exhibitions as part of post-secondary coursework or thesis]

TO APPLY

To apply, please email Lee Petrie, Curator at lpetrie@archivehospitality.com with the subject line Nuit Blanche 2023 and include the following:

  • Your website and Instagram related to your art practice.
  • If your CV is not on your website, please attach your CV.
  • Links to video or images of up to 5completed projects which demonstrate your experience with making light, film/video or kinetic art.
  • A brief description of the project you’d create. This description can be very preliminary – the selected artist and curator will solidify the project in the months leading up to Nuit Blanche. Questions to address: will you work with film/video? Light? Something else? What equipment will you use – projection? Monitors? Light fixtures? What will be the general theme and what kind of images or forms do you expect to use?

THE PROCESS

A selection of artists will be invited to view the space and discuss their ideas (individual meetings, not group).

DEADLINE to submit expression of interest: Sunday, April 30, 2023

QUESTIONS?

Email Lee Petrie, Curator at lpetrie@archivehospitality.com

Everything you could imagine is real.

Pablo Picasso