Artist in
Residence Program
About the Program
We officially launched our Artist in Residence program in 2020, hosting our first group of resident artists, featuring both sculptors and painters. These artists came seeking personal artistic growth and to be surrounded by the inspirational works of their peers in the beautiful natural setting of our twenty-acre outdoor sculpture park in nature.
Inspired by her personal experience of growth as an artist, and having gained opportunities to expand her own art practice through artist residencies, Katie Ohe created and launched this program in 2020 — allowing artists of all levels and backgrounds to invest uninterrupted time in contemplation, research, exploration and discovery.
Artist in Residence Program
First SessionWinter/Spring:
A period between Dec 1 and Apr 31
Application deadline: October 30, 2025 / Successful candidates will be announced mid November 2025.
Second SessionSummer/Fall:
A period between Jun 1 and Oct 31
Application deadline: March 31, 2026 / Successful candidate announced mid-April, 2026.
Objectives
This program recognizes that physical spaces, time and the financial resources needed to create art are scarce, and these limitations constrain artists, preventing their work from reaching its full potential. Our artists come seeking personal artistic growth and are surrounded by the inspirational works of their peers in the beautiful natural setting of our twenty-acre outdoor sculpture park in nature near Calgary, with stunning views of the Rocky Mountains.
A diverse range of artists each year can move their practice forward in a dedicated studio space for new exploration, inspiration, ideation, and creation. Our Artist in Residence (AiR) program cultivates a research and process-focused experience, facilitating artist work that otherwise may not have been realized. Artists in Residence will work in a spacious, functional studio space, having opportunities to create, exhibit and document new works. Public engagement is a requirement of this residency, and artists applying will be expected to provide a plan for public engagement with their application.
Duration & Requirements
KOAC’s Artist in Residence Program provides artists at all levels access to studio space within our 20 acre art centre for research, art production, experimentation. The program length is flexible and is designed through close conversation with each resident artist, and generally lasts 4-8 weeks, depending on the artist’s availability. Resident artists are required and supported to share their art with the public and engage with the local community through artist talks, workshops, and other public events, and to connect with KOAC’s decades long community of art supporters.
NOTE: The Residency does not include financial support, room
and board, transportation. These costs are covered by the artist.
A clean, safe, semi-private studio space to create and research.
Access to KOAC’s extensive contemporary art library by appointment.
public bathroom facilities.
Grant Support: KOAC will provide a letter of support (if required) to Resident Artists who apply for a supplementary artist grant, to cover the cost of room and board, supplies while attending the residency program.
Exhibition Support: KOAC encourages Resident Artists to hold open studios, solo or group exhibitions, and/or an off-site project during or post residency, and with advance discussion, will collaborate and provide administrative and marketing support and a limited budget.
Community Support: KOAC will provide opportunities to connect with KOAC’s community of artists, art supporters and art organizations, and encourage art residents to join a community of past resident artists. This art community will offer support, feedback and insight into their practice. Depending on availability, resident artists may have the opportunity to meet founder Katie Ohe for a one hour private mentorship session.
Administration Support: KOAC staff will check in with artists regularly, and at least once formally midway, to ensure needs are met, provide admin. support for studio visits and grant assistance, provide feedback at the end of the residency, and co-design the outcome of the residency with you and the other artists.
What KOAC Provides
Resident Artist Expectations
Resident artists will immerse themselves in intensive self-directed artistic research and creative practice for a period of four to twelve weeks. KOAC’s facilities are well suited for painting, drawing, collage, sculpture research, writing, reflection, and performance, as well as for work that is community-driven, socially based, or land-based. The design and format of residencies and their artist output are largely determined by the artists themselves. The residency grounds are peaceful and private, other than tours of the sculpture grounds.
❋ Be Inspired & Research in Nature
There are opportunities for resident artists to participate in KOAC’s public art programming and exhibitions outside of the Artist in Residence Program, and potential shared revenue opportunities including teaching art classes to children and adults, hosting art tours and exhibiting art in silent auctions. We strive to create life-long relationships/connections with our residents.
❋ Engage with the Public
While there is no requirement to commit to completing works during the residency, resident artists who eventually create art inspired during their time at KOAC will be supported to exhibit this work/research publicly in-progress or completed. Post residency, KOAC’s Artist in Residence Program support will be recognized in public materials.
❋ Create Art
Artist talks, studio visits and exhibitions provide resident artists with an opportunity to share their work or work in progress and/or their experiences at KOAC with the public, and prepares them for future exhibitions as they develop their careers. Presenting publicly about one’s work and receiving public feedback through a Q & A session, will contribute to artistic growth and new perspectives.
❋ Public Exhibition
Who Should Apply
The KOAC art residency program is open to visual artists of all disciplines and stages of their career who permanently reside in Canada. Institutional post-secondary education, such as Bachelor of Fine Arts, is not a requirement.
All individuals with a creative practice focused on visual art, demonstrating the need for studio space, who are seeking opportunities to share their work publicly are eligible.
Artists whose projects do not require dedicated ventilation (i.e. painting, drawing, some craft work like textiles, sculpture, limited woodworking, photography, video, new media, etc.).
We strongly encourage equity deserving artists, including women, Indigenous, Black, racialized artists, and LGBTQIA2S+ artists to apply. Diversity is a crucial selection factor, both in terms of artists’ identities and backgrounds and the mediums and styles of their work.
PLEASE NOTE: We have limited garbage and recycling removal at the site, and in the spirit of limiting environmental impact to the property we ask that you ensure that a sustainability plan is considered when developing your plan for art material usage on site. All material brought in and garbage created must be removed. KOAC cannot store any artwork post-residency.
