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“Community-engaged and site-responsive art in downtown Guelph; public participation in real time and space”
Art in Real Life (Art IRL) is an annual program developed by the City of Guelph and delivered by Guelph Arts Council that supports artists in creating shared arts experiences with communities—in real time and space—across a range of mediums. One artist, collective, or artist-led team with a lived connection to Guelph will be selected to create a project in downtown Guelph during Ontario Culture Days (September 18–October 4, 2026). The project must offer a free, accessible public engagement opportunity. Artists may work in community-engaged art, site-specific art, studio practice (drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, photography, mixed media), media arts (sound, video, animation, digital art, projection), or performance (dance, music, theatre, performance art). Artists are encouraged to respond to the physical, social, and/or historical conditions of their chosen site and to consider accessibility in broad and creative ways.
Geographic Eligibility
Disciplines
Up to 500 words
3–6 works
Overview
$10,000 CAD project award
Amount
CA$10,000 - CA$10,000
Includes
Accessibility
Guelph Arts Council is partially accessible. For more information or to request assistance with the application process, contact administration@guelpharts.ca or 519-836-3280.
Two-phase selection process: Phase One – Expression of Interest; Phase Two – Project Proposal. A Selection Committee reviews each phase based on criteria on the project website. Only shortlisted artists advance to Phase Two.
Deadline
June 9, 2026
Program Dates
September 18, 2026– October 4, 2026
Age Requirements
18+ years old
Applicant Type
Individual artists and collectives
Additional Requirements
Expression of Interest – a brief description of the project concept and vision for community engagement (500 words or less, pdf/doc/docx format, up to 2 MB per file); Artist CV (up to three pages, pdf/doc/docx format, up to 2 MB per file); Support Materials – three to six examples of past/current artistic work such as images, short writing samples, or links to video/sound files (pdf, doc, docx, jpg, jpeg or png format, up to 5 MB per file).
Note
Must be a professional artist with a lived connection to Guelph. Projects must be led by at least one professional artist aged 18+. Guelph Arts Council staff are not eligible. City of Guelph employees and current Arts and Culture Advisory Committee (ACAC) members must contact Guelph Arts Council in advance to discuss potential conflicts of interest. Artists from equity-deserving communities (Black, Indigenous, racialized, people with disabilities, 2SLGBTQIA+, low-income, unhoused) are encouraged to apply.
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