Conseil des arts de Montréal : Pilot project to support artist collectives in the developpement ofproperty for artists’ studios

Application deadline: Thursday, January 21, 2021, at 11:59 p.m.

Artistic disciplines: primarily the visual arts and craft arts

The Conseil des arts de Montréal, in collaboration with Ville of Montréal, is launching this pilot project to support artists and artist collectives in the development and sustainability of artist studios.

Are you working on a project to create or restructure an artists’ studio and need professional expertise to support you in this endeavour?

Your project could be one of four selected to receive support over four months from a Montréal Technical Resource Group (TRG*), starting in February 2021. TRGs can offer support services with regards for example to governance, property prospecting, the development of a business model or any other support service relevant to the development of the project.

A choice of two support categories is offered:

1- Project start-up

A group in discussions to develop property for artists’ studios
A group in the process of reaching an agreement with a property owner
A group with a signed offer to purchase

2- A restructuring or development project

A group with an expansion project
A group with a pooling project in a space already occupied by one of the stakeholders
A group wishing to restructure the management of their space

Funding for this support is entirely and directly covered by the Conseil des arts de Montréal.

Artist collectives from culturally diverse or Indigenous communities are invited to participate and are included in the term “group” and “artist collective.”

General eligibility criteria

To apply, you must meet the following eligibility requirements:

Your project is for an artists’ studio, i.e., a workspace and not a diffusion space
Property must be held collectively. Sole proprietors or individual projects are not accepted
The project must be for professional artists* living in Montréal
The project must be non-residential
The project must be located on the island of Montréal

How to apply

1. Describe your group and your project in a maximum of four pages (letter format, not handwritten, in PDF format), specifically detailing:

The artistic disciplines targeted: the primary focus of the project must be on visual arts and craft arts.
The type of collective: describe the group in a few lines. For example, are you an informal group of professional artists or a collective made up of several organizations?
The project: present it by answering the following questions:

– Who is it for?
– What need does it meet?
– What are its main objectives?
– Have you found a building?
– What are its main characteristics?

Your project timeline: outline the steps you have already taken. For example creation of a committee, organization of working meetings, initial contacts made, drafting of supporting documents, development of a business plan, etc.
The type of support sought: specify which category your project falls under (start-up or development)

2. Indicate any specific needs already identified. Within the framework of this pilot project, the main needs identified are support in terms of governance, property prospecting or the creation of business models.

3. Documents to include with the proposal (in PDF format only):

CV of the group or group members
Supporting documentation relevant to the project. For example draft agreement with an owner, offers to purchase, minutes of working meetings.

Special condition

This support process will be documented by the technical resource groups for the purpose of sharing expertise. Sensitive and confidential information pertaining to each group and project will not be disclosed under any circumstances. However, each of the four selected groups must give their consent so that any key insights and issues raised during the support process may be anonymously included in a report.

Selection process

Applications must be emailed to melanie.courtois@montreal.ca no later than 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, January 21, 2021. Selection of the four projects will take place at the end of January 2021.

Projects will be selected by teams from the Conseil des arts de Montréal, the Service de la culture of the City of Montréal, and members of the resource groups, and will be based on the following four selection criteria: