From Harm to Harmony
Call for Artist — FALL 2023
Artist Residency + Mentorship Opportunity
Inspiring Action. Nurturing Artists. Building Community
Explore our Community Arts Project
*Notice for Participants*
This Artist Residency and Mentorship Program will not include any physical residency component or require any relocation by participants. Mentoring will take place virtually over Zoom with participants having the opportunity to gather together physically at the end of the program.
Are you a New Brunswick-based experienced artist or artist team, passionate about climate justice, who would benefit from receiving mentorship and professional development workshop led by senior community-engaged artists?
Are you interested in leading a climate art project with a community group of your choice to explore how art can impact environmental change, particularly as it relates to the issues of clean transportation, ocean health, climate change and forest stewardship? If so, the Conservation Council of New Brunswick invites you to contribute your passions and talents to this creative collaboration.
Since 2020, the Conservation Council of New Brunswick’s Harm to Harmony program has connected New Brunswick artists of all levels and backgrounds to help express participants’ feelings about climate change and environmental issues. Led by BC-based environmental artist Juliana Bedoya and co-facilitated by musician/writer/Instruments of Change Executive Director, Laura Barron, this highly impactful climate action art program has engaged the public by raising awareness about these challenges, advocating for solutions, and inspiring behaviour change.
Following a highly successful pilot mentorship program this past spring/summer where new facilitators Matt Elliot, Mario Doiron, and Shoshanna Wingate led innovative programming around energy poverty and clean energy, we are eager to engage four additional New Brunswick-based artists/or artist teams (mediums listed below) to lead and facilitate climate action community-engaged art projects of their own under the mentorship of Juliana and Laura, from October 2023 – March 2024.
We look forward to hearing from candidates who represent a broad range of artistic disciplines including performing and visual arts, and (but not limited to) those who are Indigenous, Black, People of Colour, LGBTQ2+, and of mixed abilities.
Compensation: Mentees receive $4,800 for 6 months of mentorship, which includes 120 contract hours (professional development workshops, 1-on-1 mentor sessions, research, program design, preparation, participant recruitment, and delivery). This fee will also need to cover any material costs.
For reference, visit our ‘From Harm to Harmony’ Project.
For any questions or to setup an information meeting, please contact: danielle.smith@conservationcouncil.ca
Looking for more information? Here's the full scoop!
Here’s how Harm to Harmony’s mentorship program works:
Mentees:
- Must be an emerging or professional artist residing and eligible to work in New Brunswick.
- Preference will be given to artists who have existing relationships with community groups eager to participate in a climate action art project.
- Will receive the support of their mentors through weekly 2-hour workshops, occasional 1-on-1 sessions, and shared resources/tools.
- Will design, facilitate, and deliver a 6-month project from October to March.
- Will work in collaboration with CCNB’s Danielle Smith, Manager of Citizens’ Engagement, to develop a project aligned with the organization’s objectives.
- Will develop an outreach strategy to engage people in their community with a range of artistic skill levels (from curious to committed to professional), and a shared desire to impact social and environmental change, to enrich participants’ perspectives and practices.
- Lead a series of group sessions (in-person, virtual, or a combination of both), throughout the project period.
- Create a project curriculum and plan that will culminate in at least one final exhibition, performance, or showcase of some kind.
- Integrate an evaluation process that can be embedded into the creative work itself, to include with a final report. Both participant and audience experiences are important to capture.
- Public presentation of the final creative product is highly encouraged to maximize impact (IE. place-based installation art, murals, performance art, musical performances, etc. at environmental festivals, protests, rallies, and other activist or art events).
- Develop a strategy for further sharing creative work, through social media channels and more, to maximize impact.
We invite candidates interested in improving and strengthening the following skills:
- Navigating collaborative relationships in community settings (digital and/or in person), with an awareness of the needs of individuals and groups of people from a wide variety of backgrounds, abilities and skill levels.
- Ongoing research on environmental activism and environmental practice relevant to the project.
- Project management, including goal setting, development of workable action plans, scheduling and time management, content management and filing, effective communication and problem-solving.
- Sensitive communication allows for adaptation to different accessibility needs, communication styles, and varying digital literacy.
- Awareness and integration of JEDI principles (Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion) in the strategy, content, and outcome of the project.
- Motivational strategies that are necessary to rally members of the community and build confidence.
- Creative flexibility and versatility allow for an organic community ideation process, which is inclusive of artists of different levels of experience.
- Understanding how to create projects that enable active community engagement and participation, to educate and inspire the public.
- Ability to translate environmental and conservation objectives into creative outputs through different artistic mediums.
Some quick facts:
- Partnering environmental organizations can provide logistical assistance (e.g. space for workshops, outreach information, promotion, and community networking assistance).
- CCNB will provide contracts and support the processes of each mentorship
- CCNB will provide additional marketing support as mentees do outreach, pursue community partners, and promote events
Timeline:
- Application Due September 22, 2023
- Artists selected- September 29, 2023
- Project Start date October 9, 2023
- Project End Date: March 1st, 2023
Learn more about our Community Art Project
Learn more about our Community Art Project