Organizer Information
SITE Toronto describes itself as a new kind of institution for contemporary art, built in response to concrete gaps in the arts ecosystem and putting artists first, creating space for interdisciplinary experimentation, fostering opportunities for artistic exchange, and connecting contemporary art more meaningfully to everyday life in the city. According to the opportunity announcement, the SITE Residency is the first program of its kind in Toronto, operating through a network of values-aligned partnerships and a collaborative model that benefits residents while strengthening connections across the wider Toronto arts community. Limited additional public information beyond the organization's own website and this open call is available about SITE Toronto's founding or institutional history.
Title & Description
SITE Residency — Winter 2026 Residency Session
The SITE Residency is a fully supported program that provides artists and curators with the time, resources, and critical support needed to undertake research and advance their practices. The program hosts both visiting practitioners in Toronto and locally based artists and curators working abroad, with a focus on strengthening exchange between Toronto and other geographies and situating the city as an active participant in international contemporary artistic discourse. The program foregrounds questions of migration, land, and belonging.
The Winter 2026 Residency is a three-month program, running November 16, 2026 through February 19, 2027, open to both artists and curators. Two residents will be selected through this open call: one Toronto-based resident and one resident from elsewhere. The Toronto-based resident will receive funding to undertake research and/or professional development travel in support of their practice, while the visiting resident will receive funding to cover travel to Toronto and accommodation for the full duration of the residency. The residency is delivered in partnership with XinResidence.
Categories
- Residency
- Curatorial
- Visual Arts
- Multiple Disciplines
- Interdisciplinary Arts
- Research
Eligibility
- Open to both artists and curators
- Two places available: one Toronto-based resident and one resident from elsewhere (outside Toronto)
- The Toronto-based opportunity will prioritize applicants at a formative stage in their practice and from communities that have historically faced barriers to accessing space, resources, research opportunities, and institutional support
- No further nationality, age, or degree-related restrictions stated in the source
Program Benefits & Awards
- Residency stipend: $3,000 CAD per resident
- Travel support: up to $1,500 CAD (covers the Toronto-based resident's research/professional development travel and the visiting resident's travel to Toronto)
- Accommodation: private apartment in Toronto for the full duration of the residency (visiting resident)
- Studio space: private studio in Toronto
- Dedicated one-to-one mentorship with an artist, curator, or other cultural practitioner of the resident's choosing
- Opportunity to develop a SITE Edition (a limited edition artwork; further details stated to be available on SITE's website)
- Opportunity to conceive and present a public program in collaboration with SITE and partner organizations
- Potential to develop a publication connected to the residency
- Access to SITE's network of artists, curators, academics, galleries, non-profit organizations, and cultural partners
- Program additionally supported by Anjli Patel & Parambir Keila and 401 Richmond
Application Fee
None
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 14 September 2026
- Interview Period: Shortlisted applicants may be invited to an online interview during the week of September 21
- Residency Session: November 16, 2026 – February 19, 2027
Location
Toronto, Canada
Additional Details
- Applications will be reviewed by SITE Toronto together with an external selection committee comprising leading art world figures and program partners
- The residency operates through a network of values-aligned partnerships, described as benefiting both residents and the wider Toronto arts community
- Residents are invited to share their work through talks, conversations, performances, screenings, and other experimental formats as part of SITE's focus on creating platforms of exchange
- Each residency is stated to be tailored to best support the individual participant