Dancemakers Call for Guest Curators
Call for Guest Curators & Curatorial projects
Guest Curators will 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.
To read the questions before filling out the form, please click here
The process:
This call is open from Aug 1 2023 until the deadline on Aug 25 2023.
A Selection Committee comprised of community members 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 Sept-Dec 2023
- public sharings occurring in March-June 2024
Guest Curators will receive a $6000 curatorial fee which can be distributed as desired (ie- $1000/month for 6 months of work, a lump sum, 4 weeks of full 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’ Interim Artistic Producer (who will be covering a one-year maternity leave from Sept 2023-Oct 2024).
- 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 contact artistic@dancemakers.org or call 416 367 1800. We are open to other formats and paces and want to learn how to make these kinds of processes easier for applicants.
About Dancemakers:
Dancemakers is a 50 year old dance company based in Toronto, Canada.
Dancemakers is a decentralized community-led dance organization that focuses on the research and development of dance makers to deepen, revitalize, or transform their practice and form. Through residencies and partnerships with other dance organizations, Dancemakers provides a range of resources to creators, working across genres of dance, seeking innovation in their practice towards the development of new performance works.
Curatorial decisions are made by a rotating committee of dance practitioners to ensure that the broadest community of dancers and choreographers are being served. Dancemakers engages with the public through a variety of activities aimed at illuminating dance practice and form through the creative process of the dance maker.
Guest Curators Tanveer Alam & Nithya Garg’s project ‘Engaging in Repertoire’ in spring 2023. Photo by Akshay Moncy