Call Opens: January 20, 2026
Application Deadline: Sunday, February 8, 2026 at 11:59 PM
Fees: FREE – zero cost to apply
Honorarium: Artists will be paid $250 to participate in this program

Program Dates: March 21 to July 12, 2026
Program Schedule:  Saturday’s from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM and Thursday’s from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Venues:  BAO Office, 8 Nelson St W, Brampton on Saturday’s and Online (Zoom) on Thursday’s

Final Showcase Dates: July 10-12, 2026
Final Showcase Location: TOAF @ Nathan Philips Square, 100 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M5H 2N3

The Brampton Arts Organization (BAO) is seeking applications from emerging to mid-career Brampton creatives to participate in an eight-week professional development program. The program explores the basic and necessary skills to not only survive as a creative practitioner but more importantly thrive.

In this program you will examine aspects of an artist’s work that are related to curatorial practice and exhibiting artwork. The program consists of weekly lectures, assignments and in-person demonstrations. Participants will be introduced to practical ways of exhibiting art, the logistics of framing, packing and shipping artwork, understanding how to install and document artwork and current trends in practices of displaying artwork. The program will culminate in a final showcase at the Toronto Outdoor Art Fair (TOAF) from July 10-12, 2026.

Program Schedule

• March 21 – Workshop 1: Introduction to Canadian Art World and Practical Art Skills
• April 2 – Workshop 2: Grant Writing and Funding an Art Career
• April 18 – Workshop 3: Preparing an Exhibition
• April 30 – Workshop 4: Practices of Display
• May 16 – Workshop 5: Field Trip Day
• May 28 – Workshop 6: Exhibition Planning
• June 11 – Workshop 7: Marketing with a Website and Social Media
• June 25 – Workshop 8: Exhibition Planning
• July 5 – Final Check-in and Artwork Dropoff at BAO
• July 10, 11, 12 – Installation and Final Exhibition at Toronto Outdoor Art Fair

Program Facilitator

Jessica Thalmann is a photo-based artist, curator and educator currently based in Toronto and New York City. She received an MFA in Advanced Photographic Studies from ICP-Bard College and a BFA in Visual Arts from York University. Thalmann has taught at the International Centre for Photography, Akin Collective, MacLaren Art Centre, Toronto School of Art, Gallery 44 and City College of New York. She has been an artist in residence at the Banff Center for Arts and Creativity, Alberta, Canada, and at the Southern California Institute of Architecture in Los Angeles, California, USA. She is a recipient of grants from the Toronto Arts Council, the Ontario Arts Council and the Canada Council.

Her work has been shown in group exhibitions at Aperture Foundation, International Centre for Photography, Camera Club of New York Baxter St, and Humble Arts Foundation (New York), VIVO Media Arts Centre (Vancouver), Museum of Contemporary Art, Harbourfront Centre, Art Gallery of Mississauga, Varley Art Gallery of Markham, Angell Gallery, Gallery TPW, Art Spin, and Gales Gallery at York University (Toronto).

Who Can Apply?

This program is open to all emerging to mid-career Brampton-based creatives who are 18 years of age or older.

We recognize that due to systemic barriers within the broader creative community (e.g. limited mainstream presentation opportunities for individuals from historically disadvantaged groups such as Black, Indigenous, Person of Colour, Deaf Persons, Persons with Disabilities and Persons Living with Mental Illness, 2SLGBTQIAP, and newcomer and refugee creatives) that some flexibility may be required in interpreting eligibility criteria to take into account equivalent professional experience and contexts. Potential applicants from historically disadvantaged groups are encouraged to discuss their eligibility with the program manager in advance of submitting an application.

Selection Process and Criteria

Applicants will be chosen by a selection committee based on artistic merit, impact, and viability as communicated in the application.

Priority will be given to applicants from historically disadvantaged groups, including those who identify as Indigenous, Black, People of Colour, Trans, Nonbinary, Queer, Disabled and intersections of those identities.

Selection Committee

• Brampton Arts Organization staff
• Program Facilitator
• Previous program artists

Payment

Those selected for the Professional Practices for Creatives in Brampton program will be given a one-time payment of $250.00 Canadian dollars* (+HST if applicable) for participating. Payment of the honorarium will be outlined in the artist agreement.

*The honorarium includes any necessary costs or materials, and no further compensation will be made to the artist for costs associated with participating in this program.

Additional Information and Accessibility Support

If you have any questions about this call or need additional resources, assistance or time to complete this application, please reach out at least five days prior to the application deadline to info@bramptonartsorg.ca.

Submission

Applicants are asked to complete the submission form before Sunday, February 8, 2026 at 11:59 pm.

Apply Here

Please note that only applications submitted through the formal submission process will be accepted, unless otherwise previously arranged due to accessibility needs.

Notification

Applicants will be notified of their application status within one calendar months of submission. Communication about the status of your application will be through email.

Call Opens: February 6, 2026
Application Deadline: Sunday, February 27, 2026
Fees: FREE – zero cost to apply
Honorarium: $8,000 Canadian (+HST if applicable)

Residency Dates: June to September 2026
Residency Venue:  Brampton Library’s South Fletcher’s Branch, 500 Ray Lawson Blvd, Brampton, ON L6Y 5B3

Presented by the Brampton Arts Organization (BAO) and Brampton Library, the Brampton Artist in Residence program provides funding of $8,000 and free, dedicated workspace to professional artists, creatives, arts organizations and collectives working in any artistic discipline to undertake a community-engaged artist residency at South Fletcher’s Library Branch, from June to September 2026.

Information Session: February 18th from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM

This virtual information session on Wednesday, February 18th from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. will go over the requirements and application process with BAO staff. You can have your application reviewed ahead of submitting it as well as getting all your questions answered.

Register Here

What Does This Residency Support?

The Brampton Artist in Residence program provides funding to Brampton-based professional artists, creatives, arts & culture organizations and collectives working in any artistic discipline (visual arts, performing arts, music and more) to undertake a community-focused artist residency at South Fletcher’s Branch Library.

The selected artist/s will have the opportunity to access free, dedicated workspace within the library during regular operating hours. They will hold public office hours, create and deliver free public arts programming, explore their practice in a community setting, engage with the library and its surrounding neighbourhood, undertake collaborative artistic research or creation, and make and present work in new ways. Eligible activities include, but are not limited to: artistic research, community-engaged projects and programming, visual and media arts installations, screenings and exhibitions, workshops, education and mentorship, performances, and other arts activities open to the public. Permanent artwork is not eligible for funding through this residency program.

Who Can Apply?

This program is open to all Brampton-based professional artists, not-for-profit arts & culture organizations or artist collectives operating on a not-for-profit basis.

The Ontario Arts Council defines a professional artist or arts professional as someone who has developed skills through training or practice, is recognized by artists working in the same artistic tradition, has a history of public presentation or publication, seeks payment for their work and actively practices their art.

We recognize that due to systemic barriers within the broader creative community (e.g. limited mainstream presentation opportunities for individuals from historically disadvantaged groups such as Black, Indigenous, Person of Colour, Deaf Persons, Persons with Disabilities and Persons Living with Mental Illness, 2SLGBTQIAP, and newcomer and refugee creatives) that some flexibility may be required in interpreting eligibility criteria to take into account equivalent professional experience and contexts. Potential applicants from historically disadvantaged groups are encouraged to discuss their eligibility with the program manager in advance of submitting an application.

Please note, you may not apply as an individual and as a part of an organization or collective that is also applying.

Eligibility Criteria for Individual Artists

• Undergraduate students are not eligible to apply to this program.
• The applicant must have a residential address within the City of Brampton and must have been located in Brampton for a minimum of 12 months prior to the date of application.

Eligibility Criteria for Organizations and Collectives

• Organizations and collectives must be located in the City of Brampton and only 1-2 members of the organization will have access to the dedicated library workspace.
• Applicants applying on behalf of the organization must have a residential address within the City of Brampton and must have been located in Brampton for a minimum of 12 months prior to the date of the application.

Residency Program Requirements

Timing of Residency – the artist residency is four months long and will take place from June to September of 2026. The schedule of the residency will depend on the scale of the proposed activities and the capacity/availability of the branch.

• A creation and presentation schedule will need to be developed in consultation with the branch staff.
• All public programming must be designed in collaboration with branch staff to align with existing programming and public health protocols, if applicable.

Budget – proposed budget should include all artist fees, materials, equipment rental, insurance, and any other project expenses associated with the project for yourself and anyone else involved. Payment of professional artist fees is a requirement of this program and should follow arts sector guidelines or at a minimum, living wage benchmarks such as

• CARFAC (visual arts)
• Canadian Alliance of Dance Artists
• Canadian Actors Equity – Independent Theatre Agreement
• Canadian Federation of Musicians
• Independent Media Arts Alliance (IMAA)
• Ontario Living Wage as a minimum standard for artists/arts workers’ salaries and fees of $26 per hour in 2024

Insurance and Vulnerable Sector Check – The successful applicant/s are required to have Commercial General Liability (CGL) insurance for all public programming, with an inclusive limit of not less than $5 million (CAD) per occurrence. The policy should name BAO and BPL employees as additionally insured with a copy forwarded in advance of the beginning of the residency. Higher inclusive limits may be required for certain projects. Please ensure you include CGL in your budget. The successful applicant/s may be required to complete a Vulnerable Sector Check (VSC) for any programming directly engaging participants.

Registration or Ticketing – activities can include drop-in and/or pre-registration through the library system. All tickets to your programming must be free of charge.

Public Health Restrictions – successful applicant/s must follow public health restrictions that may be in place when the residency occurs.

Additionally, the successful applicant or organization/collective must agree to

• Sign the Artist Agreement, which will detail the terms and conditions of the funding for the program. The Agreement once signed must be sent to BAO and Library staff before the start of the residency.
• Funding for this project may only be used for the purposes outlined in the application. All projects must be completed within the dates specified in your application.
• Submit their Social Insurance Number for each participating artist. The individual recipient/s will receive a T4A for the funding amount.
• Participants are required to acknowledge the support of the Brampton Arts Organization (BAO) and the Brampton Library (BL) in all written materials related to the activities for which funds are granted. The BAO and BPL logos will be provided to you. In lieu of the logo, the recipient may use the phrase “produced with the support of the City of Brampton through the Brampton Arts Organization and Brampton Library.”
• Recipients are required to send BAO information on any public performances or events presented in the context of their grant-supported projects. This information should be emailed to the Programming Manager.
• In addition to the above conditions of funding, BAO reserves the right to place other conditions on the release of the funding (such as confirmation of venue, programming, other sources of funding, etc.). Any specific conditions will be contained in the Artist Agreement.

What is Expected of the Artist in Residence?

The successful applicant/s is expected to engage multi-generational community members in creative experiences at South Fletcher’s Library Branch including but not limited to:

• Three public residency engagements, preferably drop-in based
• A minimum of four regular, weekly office hours per week to engage one-on-one with library customers and local artists
• A final showcase for the general public to celebrate the work of the residency to be held in September
• Deliver the selected project within the program’s timeline and budget
• Promote the project via social media
• Provide regular progress updates to library and BAO staff
• Document your time in the residency with written and visual records
• Be available to speak with the media
• Attend a debriefing session
• Write a close out report at the end of the residency

Additional Accessibility Funding

Projects involving Deaf artists and artists with disabilities may apply for additional funding by completing the Accessibility Expenses section of the application and including the necessary information in their budget. This accessibility funding will provide up to a maximum of $2,000 towards accessibility costs for artists sustained during the project.

Accessibility costs can include but are not limited to

• ASL interpretation
• Audio description
• Closed captioning
• Communications assistants
• Attendant care (including helpers for Elders)
• Support workers and equipment rentals
• Other supports required to meet the artists’ accessibility needs

Selection Process and Criteria

A proposal will be chosen by the selection committee based on artistic merit, impact, and viability as expressed in the proposal. The following criteria will be assessed:

• Artistic merit of the proposed project
• Suitability of the proposed project for the space and resources available at the library branch
• Quality of experience the proposed project will provide to the participants/library branch customers, and the benefits it will provide to the local community
• Ability of the applicant to carry out the proposed project
• Financial viability of the project

Priority will be given to applicants from (or that center performances by) from historically disadvantaged groups, including those who identify as Indigenous, Black, People of Colour, Trans, Nonbinary, Queer, Disabled and intersections of those identities.

Proposals and presentations cannot be disrespectful or anti-other cultures, political or religious views, creed, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, language, national or social origin, property, birth or other status such as disability, age, marital and family status, health status, place of residence, economic and social situation. Proposals or presentations should be void of any political or religious views.

Selection Committee

• Brampton Arts Organization Staff
• Brampton Library Staff
• Community Member/s
• Local Artist/s

Payment

The selected applicant/s for this program will be paid $8000.00 Canadian dollars (+HST if applicable). The payment includes any necessary costs or materials, and no further compensation will be made to the artist/s for costs associated with participating and/or running the selected project.

Additional Information and Accessibility Support

If you have any questions about this call or require any assistance, accommodations or additional support in completing this application, please reach out at least one week prior to the application deadline to Katy Belshaw, Head of Programming, Brampton Arts Organization, katy@bramptonartsorg.ca.

Submission

Applicants are asked to complete the submission form before Sunday, February 27, 2026 at 11:59 PM.

Apply Here

Please note that only applications submitted through the formal submission process will be accepted, unless otherwise previously arranged due to accessibility needs. You will receive a confirmation email when your application is submitted. Check your spam/junk mail folder if it doesn’t arrive in your inbox.

Notification

Applicants will be notified of their application status within two calendar months of submission. Communication about the status of your application will be through email.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if my project changes?

Program funding may be used only for the purposes outlined in the application. Changes to the scale, activities and timeframe of the project must be reported promptly to BAO and Brampton Library. In such cases, BAO and Brampton Library may require full or partial repayment of the funding. Changes to project dates must be reported to the Program Manager.

What do I do when I have completed my project?

Participants are required to submit a final report on their project. The final report will be due one month following the close-out of the project. The Program Manager will provide the report template to you.

What is the dedicated workspace like?

The workspace is located in the South Fletcher’s Branch Library and is 15 x 20 feet. You will have the ability to store materials and supplies in in storage units within the room. The room is open to the public and staff when not in use by the artist. For this reason, you must be able to pack up any loose materials and supplies after each use. In conversation with branch staff, the furniture and objects in the room can be re-arranged as needed.

Additional programming space is available in the branch pending availability, including potential outdoor space. There is an accessible entrance to the Library and accessible washrooms.

Call Opens: February 10, 2026
Fees: FREE – zero cost to apply

Check back later for the details, requirements and application form.

Call Opens: February 17, 2026
Fees: FREE – zero cost to apply

Check back later for the details, requirements and application form.

Call Opens: February 24, 2026
Fees: FREE – zero cost to apply

Check back later for the details, requirements and application form.

Call Opens: March 10, 2026
Fees: FREE – zero cost to apply

Check back later for the details, requirements and application form.