Factory Media Centre is seeking submissions from multimedia and experimental film artists for our annual &NOW Production Residency & Scholarship (PR&S) program set to begin this upcoming Winter 2025!

Recognizing that our communities and ways of working continue to be impacted by the pandemic, our &NOW Residency program structure will continue to embrace a hybrid model, with resident artists able to select a structure of working both remotely and in-person at the FMC gallery and studios.

This year’s &NOW Residency term will accept three artist(s) from January to May 2025.

FMC welcome submissions from independent artists or artist teams working in a variety of digital, film, and media art forms including but not limited to: Film – Animation – Expanded Cinema – Photography – Experimental Video – 360 Cinema – Immersive Video – Augmented Reality – Virtual Reality – Live Coding – Electronic Literature – Interactive Mediums – Video Game Design – and other forms & definitions of media artwork.

Our &NOW Residency and Production Scholarship provides:

• $2000 artist fee for the residency period (If applying as a team the artist fee will be split equally among team members)
• Payment for artist talk and public program (to be determined in collaboration with FMC staff)
• $1500 – $2000 scholarship for FMC equipment rentals (Equipment Rentals are open to local artists only, click here view our Equipment Library)
• Introduction orientation session and technical assistance as needed
• Staff and board support
• Online studio visit with peers from Hamilton’s art community

Eligibility

• Emerging, mid-career, or established artists (or artist teams)
• Must be a member of Factory Media Centre (Click here to learn more about becoming a member)

Expectations during residency

• Dedicate part-time to developing new or existing work during the residency period
• Experiment with media art form, technique or content
• Utilize this opportunity for production, post-production or to test work for an exhibition. Dedicate set hours per week and advertise virtual open studio hours for community to visit.
• Chosen artist(s) must update FMC online community with residency progress once a week
• Participate in open studio reception
• Develop and deliver one public program that engages with one of the FMC’s surrounding community (This could be a workshop, participatory experience, or artist talk)
• Acknowledge the support of FMC when presenting the work that was made while in residence.
• Utilize FMC’s production and post-production rental equipment (Optional to local Hamilton artists)
• Provide high-quality documentation (images, video or sound) for FMC website, archives, publication, and grant applications

Adjudication

• Selection criteria will be based on project originality and its potential for artistic growth
• Selections will be made by the members of the FMC’s Programming Committee along with two guest adjudicators from the Hamilton arts community

How to apply

Please find below a breakdown of submission requirements, followed by an online application form. Please email Eli at programming@factorymediacentre.ca with any questions or concerns.

1. Applicant(s) name
2. CV (3 page max)
3. Artist Bio (250 words max)
4. Project Description (300 words max)
5. Residency Work Plan and Schedule (200 words max)
   • Our &NOW Residency accepts three artists / artist teams from January – May 2025. Each selected resident will receive a 5 week residency period:
     • The Residency periods run roughly from: Period One: running from January to February –– Period Two: running from March to April –– and Period Three: running from April to May.
     • In your Residency Work Plan and Schedule, please specify your availabilities and residency period preferences.
6. What type of residency structure you would prefer: Remote, Hybrid, In-Person
7. Local artists only: What production and post-production equipment will your require for your project? Please review our rentals page here, and list the equipment we have available.
   • Ensure it is clear in your project description why this equipment is needed.
8. What public program would you provide to FMC’s community, and how does this compliment your project? (150 words max)
9. Visual support material: (only one option from below is required to submit)
   • 5-7 still images in one PDF document: with image information title, year, medium, duration/size
   • 1-4 DIRECT website links to video projects or video/photo documentation (videos 2 min max): with project information: title, year, medium, duration/size
10. What would make you feel supported during this residency? Is there anything else you would like to share with us to better understand your application?

Factory Media Centre is committed to equity in all aspects of its operations. We encourage applications from Indigenous, Black, and racialized persons; newcomer and immigrant persons and refugees, Francophones, LGBTQI+ persons, women, persons with disabilities, and persons of all socio-economic walks of life. If you require support during your application process, please do not hesitate to reach out to us.