Xpace Cultural Centre accepts proposals of all media from student and emerging artists, curators and/or designers. Exhibitions are selected by our Programming Committee, composed of Xpace staff, representatives from the OCAD Student Union and an outside member of the Toronto arts community. All selected artists/designers/curators are paid a fee, and there is no fee to apply.

The deadline for our current open call for exhibitions is 11:59pm, June 18th, 2021. This call is for solo and group exhibitions from September 2021 – August 2022 across all four programming spaces (see a description of each space below).

Applicants are asked to provide the following items:

1. Artist Statement (500 words max): The Artist Statement should give a description of your overall practice as it relates to the specific project you are proposing at Xpace.

2. Project Description (500 words max): The project description should give a clear and concrete description of the work you are proposing for installation at Xpace. Please specify which exhibition space you intend the work to be exhibited in. All of our spaces consider site specificity, so please take that into account in your description. If you are a curator proposing a group exhibition for the Main Space, please list confirmed artists (if any) and/or the content of your call for submissions (if you are planning on holding one).

3. Technical Description and Budget (250 words max): The technical description should include a list of all foreseeable technical requirements including equipment and materials necessary for installation within Xpace (this does not include materials to create the work). The Budget should indicate roughly how much your project will cost to install, itemized by category (materials, labour, etc.).

4. Alternative Presentation Strategies (250 words max): Due to the unpredictability of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are asking applicants to our Main and Project Spaces to list alternative methods of presenting your proposed project virtually (or otherwise not on site at the gallery) in the event that public health officials require Xpace to be closed to the public by the time of your proposed exhibition opens. Xpace staff will be on hand to support you in the execution of these contingency plans should your proposal be accepted, so we encourage applicants to be creative and experimental! If you would like feedback on any potential ideas you may have please contact Programming Coordinator Philip Leonard Ocampo at philip@xpace.info

Note: If you are applying for an exhibition in either the External Space or Window Space please write “N/A” in this field.

5. Curriculum Vitae (Max 3 pages): Your CV should include education and exhibition history, as well as any relevant experience, reviews, etc. Xpace only shows the work of student and emerging artists/curators/designers – Please make sure that you fall within our mandate before submitting.

6. Visual Support Material (5-10): Images must be in JPG format. You may include links to video and/or audio files. These should be a maximum of 3-5 minutes in total. If there is a specific portion of a longer video you would like the Programming Committee to watch, please indicate it on your support material list.

7. Support Material List: ordered and labeled to match the files given.

CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT ONLINE https://tinyurl.com/5a965mw3

If you have any questions about the proposal process please contact either of our Programming Coordinators Philip Leonard Ocampo (philip@xpace.info)  or Natalie King (natalie@xpace.info)

DUE TO HIGH INTEREST, XPACE WILL ONLY ACCEPT SUBMISSIONS RECEIVED THROUGH OUR FORMAL SUBMISSION PROCESS AS OUTLINED ABOVE. THE PROGRAMMING COORDINATORS ARE HAPPY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS BUT CANNOT ACCEPT INFORMAL SUBMISSIONS.

If you have any additional questions please feel free to review our FAQ here https://tinyurl.com/c8hdyr82

Applicants will be notified within 3 months of their proposal’s status.  Xpace thanks all applicants for their interest.