Condé Beveridge Labour Arts Residency Program

In memory of Carole Condé

Carole Condé (June 27, 1940 – July 19, 2024) will be remembered for her dedication to building an art practice centred around revolutionary social change. Her work responded to critical and contemporary cultural, social, and political issues.  She rejected the elite capitalist artworld and brought representations of working people to art made with and for the people.

Along with long-time collaborator and partner, Karl Beveridge, they created a significant body of work, spanning over fifty years. Their work involved collaboration with union members and spoke to issues of labour justice. They have exhibited internationally and been recognized for their significant artistic contributions.  Condé and Beveridge have been leaders in the field of labour arts in Canada and are founding members of both the Mayworks Festival of Working People and the Arts and the Workers Arts and Heritage Centre in Hamilton.

To learn about their work read this article in POV magazine by Vincenzo Pietropaolo or view the documentary, Portrait of Resistance, by Roz Owen and Jim Miller (coming soon).

The residency program seeks to embody: the spirit of collaboration; the commitment to labour movements and social analysis; the openness to artistic genres; and the public accessibility that is found in their practice.

Taking place over two years, the residency offers an artist or an artist group:

●  a fee for participation in the residency program

●  funding to cover research and creation expenses

●  two sessions with Karl Beveridge

●  mentorship with an experienced labour artist

●  collaboration with a relevant labour union and or union members 

●  presentation in the Mayworks festival

●  a fee for festival participation

Program Details:

Eligibility
Artists who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents or those waiting for permanent residency are welcome to apply.

Artist Fees
Artists will receive $4,000 to participate in the program.  Artist groups of two or more will receive $6,000.
Artists will receive a minimum fee of $800 to present their work in the festival.*
*While the program is designed to create art for the festival, final programming decisions rest with the Mayworks programming committee.

Project Expenses
Artists will receive up to $800 to cover research and creation expenses, however if costs exceed this amount, the artist is expected to cover these expenses. Mayworks will seek to raise funds to help artists offset creation costs, but this funding is not guaranteed. 

Mentorship
Mentorship includes up to 8 two hour sessions. Both Mayworks and the artist may recommend potential mentors. Mayworks will need to approve the final selection. 

Collaboration
Based on the artists’ concept, Mayworks will work with the artist to bring a union or union members on board to participate as collaborators. 

Sessions with Karl Beveridge
The artist may meet with Karl Beveridge twice over the two year residency. Once at the beginning for an orientation session and then later for further conversation about the project’s development. 

Location
Project development including meetings and mentorship may be done remotely. Installation, implementation and presentation including artist talks or other accompanying programming requires artists to be in the Toronto area. Mayworks will apply for funding to offset travel costs, but this funding is not guaranteed.

Timeline
Call for submissions opens: January 9, 2025
Deadline to apply: February 18, 2025
Selected artist notified: April 8, 2025
Orientation meeting with Mayworks staff: April 15, 2025
Meetings and mentorship/ Research and creation; April 2025 – February 2027
Preliminary development plan due and meeting with Mayworks: June 9, 2025
Project update meetings with Mayworks: fall 2025, spring 2026, fall 2026
Project complete: February/March 2027
Installation/presentation plan due and meeting with Mayworks February 2027
Festival promotion documentation due: March 1, 2027
Final report submitted to Mayworks: June 14, 2027 

Selection
Artists will be selected by an independent jury made up of cultural workers and union members based on materials submitted by the artist during the submission process.

Submission Process
A submission form will be available from January 9th to February 18th, 2025.  The form will invite interested artists to submit the following:

1. Resume

2. Bio (max 250 words) - a description of your artistic practice and any other information about you that you would like to share and that is relevant to this residency

3. Samples of your previous work - please send links to up to five samples

4. What do you propose to develop and create for presentation at Mayworks 2027? (max 500 words) Please include an explanation of your intentions to incorporate into your project: collaboration; a commitment to labour movements and social analysis; an openness to artistic genres, and accessibility to the public.(It is understood that projects may shift over the two-year period.)

5. Work Plan describing how you will develop the project over the two-year period. (max 250 words)