Call for Submissions
Labour Arts Catalyst (LAC)
2026–2027
Mayworks’ Labour Arts Catalyst pairs artists with labour justice organizations in a collaborative research-based project to develop art for the festival.
History
This initiative aligns with the vision of Mayworks “to initiate and support the creation and production of art that engages diverse artists and workers at the intersection of art, social justice and labour.”
The program was launched in 2021 and has since run an annual call for submissions. We invite submissions from artists working in all disciplines: visual art, film and video, digital media, music, dance, theatre, performance, installation and beyond.
Visit past projects here
Participating Organizations
This year’s participating organizations are The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) Scarborough Local 602 and Sudan Solidarity Collective.
CUPW Scarborough Local 602 represents postal workers in the GTA East and surrounding areas, advocating for their rights, fair working conditions, and workplace safety. As part of the larger CUPW national organization, Local 602 protects its members’ interests by negotiating collective agreements, addressing workplace issues, and fostering solidarity among workers. Committed to advancing social justice and labour rights, Scarborough Local 602 is vital in ensuring its members’ voices are heard while contributing to broader community-building initiatives.
Sudan Solidarity Collective formed in response to the outbreak of a brutal war in Sudan. It seeks to resource grassroots civil society formations at the frontlines of relief efforts in those parts of Sudan that have been hardest hit by militarised state violence. Comprised of a group of Sudanese diaspora (students, professionals, activists and community members), the collective also aims to develop spaces for the Sudanese community in Toronto and beyond, to come together in solidarity to facilitate avenues for collaboration around political education, advocacy, collective healing, mutual aid and community-building.
About the Program
Artists select the organization with whom they wish to work during the submission process. We encourage you to research their work ahead of applying. Mayworks’ staff facilitate initial meetings with the labour organization. Artists are then responsible for following up with their labour organization to continue research. Artists create an artwork inspired and or informed by the work of the selected labour organization.
Artists retain copyright and creative control of their work, but are expected to share a work in progress with the labour organization for feedback prior to completion of the artwork.
The goal is to present the work at Mayworks Festival 2027.
“All Seeing Work, Forever Work” by Kamika Peters. This project was developed through Mayworks’ Labour Arts Catalyst in conversation with Rising Tide Toronto, a group that engages in environmental activism through Indigenous solidarity work.
Through found objects, images, wisdom and industrial materials, “All-Seeing Work, Forever Work” serves to visually express a personal and collective experience. The artist’s primary focus being to overcome isolation and build relationships while sharing a glimmer of the abundance of creative power found at centre. Learn more here.
Program Details
Eligibility
Applicants must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents, reside in the GTHA and be available according to the timeline and locations listed below. Applicants must be 18+.
Mayworks acknowledges we live in a society rooted in oppression and inequalities; that structural injustice and unconscious prejudice influence our experiences; and the importance of incorporating the knowledge and guidance from oppressed people’s experience within the organization. We encourage applicants from members of these groups to apply.
Artist Fees
Each selected artist will receive $2,000 toward the creation of their artwork. If the artwork is presented during the Mayworks 2027 Festival, artists will receive an additional exhibition fee of $1,000.
*Note that while the intention of the program is to create art for the festival, final programming decisions for Mayworks 2027 will be made by Mayworks’ Programming Committee.
Project Expenses
Artists are expected to cover the costs of the creation of their artwork for the Mayworks 2027 Festival. Mayworks will apply for funding to help artists offset costs such as research, production and mentorship, but this funding is not guaranteed.
Location
Project development including meetings with labour organizations, research, and interviews will take place in-person in the GTHA and remotely. Presentation at the festival (performance, installation, other) and other accompanying programming such as artist talks and workshops require the artists to be in the GTHA.
Project Documentation
Mayworks may commission a writer or documentarian to create documentation about the artwork and the artistic process. Artists will be required to share their process and progress with the assigned writer or documentarian.
Timeline
2026
April 7, 6:00PM: Labour Arts Catalyst information session for potential applicants. Join here.
April 24, 11:59PM: Submission deadline
Early June: Selected artists notified
June 11: Mandatory orientation
June 23: Meeting with labour organization
July/August/September: Project research
September: Artists share project proposal and workplan with Mayworks
October/November: Project research and development
November: Artists share work in progress with labour organization
2027
January/February: Project development and creation
March: Project completion
April: Build, implement, rehearse, etc., as required. Documentation created for festival promotion.
May: Presentation at the Mayworks Festival
June 12: Final report submitted to Mayworks
*Artists will meet with Mayworks staff approximately once a month to discuss their projects.
Submission Process
Please submit your application by April 24, 2026, 11:59PM
To submit your application, send a short bio and the answers to questions 1–8 as one single pdf document to submissions@mayworks.ca.
- Name
Pronouns (optional)
Address
Email address
Phone number
2. Mayworks Festival seeks to present work at the intersection of art, labour and social justice. How do you envision your work aligning with this goal?
3. Which labour organization would you like to partner with, and why? Please select one only: (1) CUPW Scarborough Local 602 OR (2) Sudan Solidarity Collective.
4. Describe your past experiences or your interest in undertaking art-making informed by research and collaboration.
5. Provide links to up to five work samples.
6. Are you able to attend the mandatory virtual orientation on June 11, 2026?
7. Are you able to attend a meeting with your selected labour organization on June 23, 2026?
8. Have you read the Labour Arts Catalyst 2025/26 residency program info including the timeline and FAQ?
Frequently Asked Questions
Can emerging artists apply?
Yes! Artists of all career levels are encouraged to apply. The jury recognizes self-taught practice, learning outside art institutions, and transferable skills.
Can mid-career and established artists apply?
Yes! Artists of all career levels are encouraged to apply. Mayworks prioritizes applicants of systemically marginalized groups.
What kinds of support material are accepted?
Diverse support materials are accepted (performance recording, poetry, photography, workshop facilitation, unexhibited works, etc). To strengthen application, work should be as relevant as possible to your proposal.
How specific should I be in the application?
Successful applicants use the word count as a frame for going into detail about past experiences and interest in being a part of this program with specificity to the organization they’ve selected.
I don’t have a personal connection to any of the organizations, can I still apply?
A personal connection is not required. Doing research about the organizations may be helpful in finding a meaningful connection and point of interest based on your experiences.
What can the creation fee be used towards?
Artists have used their creation fee towards costs including but not limited to: painting supplies, interview subject honorariums, printing, installation materials, technicians, designers, and more.
“A Garden and a Library” by Atanas Bozdarov. This project was developed through Mayworks’ Labour Arts Catalyst in collaboration with the Disability Justice Network of Ontario. A Garden and a Library consists of a portable flower garden that is structurally designed to be wheelchair accessible, and a library with publications that explores ideas at the intersection of accessible gardening, labour, disability justice, and restorative practice. Learn more here.
