VANS in Residence is a program coordinated by Visual Arts Nova Scotia in partnership with host organizations (libraries, museums, community centres) across the province. This work will engage the participating artist and the community in exploring the chosen artist’s practice, and community-based art. This project evolved out of VANS’ artist in the schools program, PAINTS (Professional Artists in The Schools).

Current Artist Calls

Since 2010, we have hosted residencies in: Yarmouth, Antigonish, Port Williams, New Glasgow, Sydney, Bridgewater, Spryfield, North End Halifax, Woodlawn, Herring Cove, Musquodoboit Harbour, Kentville, Birchtown, and Annapolis Royal.

• Artist Talks: 11
• Youth Workshops: 21
• All-ages Workshops: 25
• Open Studios: 20+
• Art Shows/Exhibitions: 12
• Parades: 1
• Total number of participants in all activities: 1500+

How it works

In this 4 week residency, the selected artist will divide their 40 working hours per week between their own practice (60-70%), and designing and implementing art education programming with children, youth and/or intergenerational groups through workshops, talks, open studios and creation processes (30-40%). There is also one week of planning, to take place in advance of the residency. The artist is paid a stipend (usually $2500) for the residency.

The goal is to allow the artist’s own process and the community based ones to inform and support one another.

Our education programs allow groups to be introduced to the idea of a professional artist’s practice, to explore and develop some skills or have an experience of a brief art process. Through a longer term residency, there is the potential for a deeper level of infusion and cross pollination to happen for everyone involved.

Building relationships is an important part of the project. A legacy of the residency will be a shared understanding of both the project artist and the project community by the organizations and individuals involved.

Goals

• To provide the artist with time and space to research and develop an ongoing or new body of works/projects.
• Create opportunities for the professional artist to work in community and/or school settings in more in depth ways.
• Create opportunities for the community to develop skills, knowledge, and appreciation in and of the arts.
• Increase awareness in the community of the work and life of professional artists in Nova Scotia, and especially of the resident artist.
• Increase awareness and appreciation of local visual artists throughout the province.
• To deepen the artist’s relationship with a community.

Levels of Engagement

The residency will involve participants in many ways. Some community members may attend an artist talk or an exhibition of the community created work, some will actively engage in workshops and studio visits during the residency, some may engage with the artists as a mentor. All are important elements of the whole.

Partner Roles

VANS Responsibilities

• Create the guidelines, press releases and other documents needed for the program.
• Facilitate the artist selection process.
• Act as a support for the project artist and the community in creating the work plan for the residency.
• Where possible and appropriate, provide support to the activities of the residency.
• Facilitate and participate in the evaluation process.

Community Partner Responsibilities

• Help to find living accommodations for the artist for the duration of the residency, to be paid for by VANS.
• Participate in the selection process for the project artist.
• Communicate with the project artist on the creation of the residency work plan.
• Make physical space available for the work of the residency, potentially both inside and outdoors.
• Publicize the VANS in Residence program in the host community.
• Act as a liaison with the artist and the larger community.
• Participate in the evaluation process.

Artist Responsibilities

• Create a residency work plan, in communication with the partner organization and VANS.
• Lead activities of their own design, which may include artist talks, hands-on workshops, and other activities in the community.
• Carry out their own artistic work during the residency period.
• Fully participate in the one week of preparation time and in the full time, month-long residency.
• Participate in the evaluation process.

A call for applications for our next residency will go out in 2025, but in the meantime check out our recent VANS in Residences: ARTSPLACE in Annapolis Royal with artist Cortney Cassidy, and Wonder’neath in Halifax with artist Ibe Ananabe.