Expectations:
Question: Do I need to submit complete artwork for this Call, how many pieces am I expected to submit? How much participation is expected of me in the 6-week program (in-person or online)?
Answer: You can submit up to 10 pieces – they do not need to be complete. You could share (a maximum of) 10 images, OR a 5-minute video/audio, or up to 7 pages of written content with easy to read font size of 14 pt or bigger. We do ask that you consider our team and if you are sharing any work that has triggering content that you label it for our jury/selection team!
We expect the accepted artists to attend at least:
- 1 staff meeting
- 1 Accessibility Committee meeting
- 6 weekly sessions with Kay and Shanna, 1-hour each
- 2-hour participation in a closed Roundtable online
- Participation in a video, interview, and/or other format production for grunt archives
Most of these sessions are virtual; however, we are flexible to host the 6 weekly sessions in-person. The way the video, interview, or product is made will determine where and how it will be filmed or created.
Question: I cannot meet all the deliverables. Is it mandatory for me to attend all sessions/meetings/roundtables?
Answer: No, you don’t have to attend all the sessions at grunt. We’re flexible about how you participate. However, we encourage accepted applicants to join our meetings to learn more about how grunt operates and to share feedback that helps us improve our support for non-verbal engagement. We also want to help artists grow and develop professionally by connecting them with our team. We will work around your schedule. Our greatest priority is that we pay you, and that we find a way to save something about your experience so that there are more examples of non-verbal artists and arts workers in our archives.
Question: What critical deadlines are there?
Answer: In 2025 the critical deadlines are as follows:
- The deadline for AEP application is this Friday January 10th, 2025 end of day before 12am.
- The program begins on Tuesday, February 4th and ends on Friday, March 14th, 2025 for a duration of 6 weeks.
- The deadline for video/interview/etc. Production for grunt archives is Friday, March 7th, 2025.
2026 and 2027 deadlines will be the same general times.
Question: If it is not mandatory to create and submit complete works, how am I evaluated at the end of the program?
Answer: You won’t be formally evaluated, but being active in this engagement can help you prepare for your next opportunity and the more you ask questions or critically engage with the program, the better prepared you will be for future engagements. grunt gallery is seeking to support non-verbal artists and while we hope that artists will want to exchange knowledge, there is no minimum requirement for the selected artists beyond leaving something behind for the grunt archives to acknowledge the engagement (ex: video interview).
Question: Not including the works I have produced, how much work am I expected to produce during this residency?
Answer: The process is up to you as the artist. The directive is focused more on the learning engagement versus a completed piece or series of work. This is an opportunity to potentially make a simple work to be entered in grunt’s permanent archives, but this can be a video interview, or something you donate to the archives from your collections if you like. The fee is to be spent however you like so if you do not produce work during the residency and use the fee in another way, that is valid.
Question: Can I use this opportunity to develop a theme and/or idea that I am already working on?
Answer: Absolutely. This is an opportunity to develop new or old projects during the 6 weeks of the program. In fact, you can simply use the funds however you choose and spend the time chatting and learning from and with grunt – this is also part of a larger theme at grunt – co-learning.
Question: What is the end result expected of me at the end of the residency?
Answer: We ask you to showcase your work process in either film or other formats for grunt’s archives. We do not expect a completed piece at the end of the Accessible Engagement Project, nor are you expected to produce anything on your own.
Question: Am I expected to collaborate with other artists in this program?
Answer: During the closed Roundtable session, we expect our non-verbal and tactile artists to collaborate in discussion with our invited artists in the Roundtable. We will also host a weekly cohort meeting/check-in, but if the schedules don’t work for both artists in a year, we will host separate meetings.
You will be invited to join in grunt’s staff meeting and accessibility committee meeting, but you can simply observe or give feedback in the following week’s check-in. There is no pressure to produce or participate.
We don’t expect any production collaboration, and any project work you do will be self-directed and independent study for your learning engagement. We will hire a videographer for the archive video and work with you on what to film unless you want to do this yourself or you want to engage with the second artist in your cohort.
How long is the Selections Process:
Question: How long is the jury process?
Answer: The jury process will take 2 weeks after submissions close.
Question: How many spots are available? How many are you accepting?
Answer: There are 2 open spots available for local, non-verbal guest artists.
Question: When will I find out the results of the selections?
Answer: Kay and Shanna will reach out to you through aep@grunt.ca or access@grunt.ca with the results of your application by the end of day on Friday January 24th.
Question: What are your criteria for evaluation?
Answer: We are specifically looking for artists who are interested in knowledge sharing with the gallery towards creating spaces for other non-verbal artists. We want to see artists who are proud of their work and practice, and are looking to find spaces that will respect and support their practice.
Rather than a minimum education or experience level, we are excited to welcome outsider (or untrained) artists, as well as self-trained artists. However, we are seeking artists that have been engaged in their practice seriously for at least one year and can challenge the art world with self-confidence. Artists do not need to be established (be recognized or have a lot of experience) but we are looking for artists who are excited to share, talk, or break down barriers!
There is no formal rubric or scoring that is planned for intake unless grunt gallery receives an overwhelming response. If so, we will use the grunt gallery curatorial scoring system that reviews artists based on their artistic merit, feasibility (how possible it is for grunt to support the work or care for the artist), and impact (how will this program affect the artist’s path at this point in their career). For more information, visit grunt gallery’s submissions page.
Question: I am not d/Deaf/HoH, but I am interested in applying. Am I suitable for the program?
Answer: This opportunity is for artists who identify with having a non-verbal artistic practice. This includes Neurodiverse, Autistic, Disabled, and medically non-verbal artists. Priority will be given to artists of diverse d/Deaf/Hard of Hearing and disabled communities and/or BIPOC artists. Non-verbal Queer artists who may be temporarily non-verbal during their transition are also encouraged to apply.
This engagement program focuses on non-verbal participation and communication – not non-auditory or hearing loss or deafness. However, a participant may be Deaf, deaf, or hard of hearing and have a non-verbal art process and practice.
All artists must live within the colonial borders of the Lower Mainland/Metro Vancouver area, including adjacent Coast Salish territory and lands.
Question: Does my work have to be focused on my disability identity?
Answer: We do not require you to disclose your disability identity. Your artistic practice also does not need to reflect it. However, this opportunity is focused on non-verbal engagement within your artistic practice, so we encourage your application to reflect the non-verbal forms of engagement and challenge the verbal-centric/oral-prioritized approach.
Question: Is this an in-person program or remote opportunity?
Answer: It is a hybrid opportunity. grunt gallery does not have a maker space and is a public gallery, but artists are welcome to use the space to host meetings, or to work during their 6-week engagement. Weekly meetings will be hosted online, and staff meetings are also hosted online. Please note that all meetings are conducted with a digital transcript tool recording voice to produce transcripts. In the case of digital meetings without voice, the chat transcript is saved.
If safe and accessible, artists are asked to visit the gallery at least once.
Question: Can folks outside of Metro Vancouver/Lower Mainland apply to this program?
Answer: No. Because of our grant funding, we are limited to the local area near grunt. However, we are working to try and find funds to expand this outside of the province. That you want to work with us is important – and if you know of a local gallery or service that could replicate this program in your local area, tell them to contact us! Also, we hope to add programs to this base engagement that will allow us to pay people out of province to join in other programs in future years. Please write us an email at aep@grunt.ca so we know you’re interested!
Fees, Compensation, and Accomodation
Question: What access accommodations will be provided through grunt?
Answer: Relaxed participation and voice-off/silence throughout the engagement.
Option to sign, chat, text, write, or otherwise non-verbally communicate with staff and program facilitators.
Auto transcripts are a minimum at all grunt meetings (using a voice-recording AI tool, Otter.ai). There is a budget for CART or ASL Interpretation at meetings with verbal/hearing staff, and the project facilitators are open to discussing other service solutions with the selected artists.
Question: I require additional services. Can grunt support?
Answer: Describers, CART, ASL interpreters, Interveners, or Support Care will be provided for any in-person or online meetings where there is speaking or visuals. Support will be discussed with the accepted participants but there is a budget to support access.
Travel to and from the gallery for a singular visit can be covered by the gallery.
Meetings or program subscriptions will be covered by grunt (Ex: Otter.ai, speechify, google meet, Zoom).
Question: Is my supplies budget included in the $2,000 artist fees?
Answer: Yes. Supplies and materials come out of the $2,000 artist fees at the artist’s discretion. This can include renting tools, buying tools, and purchasing materials. It is worth noting that this fee counts as income when you are doing your taxes—please be advised!
Question: Can my $2,000 artist fees be used towards caregiver support etc.?
Answer: Yes, your artist fees can be used at your discretion (meaning, there are no restrictions on how you use your funds). It is worth noting that this fee counts as income when you are doing your taxes—please be advised!
Question: Are there other funding sources that can support my project outside of the $2,000?
Answer: Not immediately. grunt staff facilitators will work with artists to create support letters or to co-author grants should the artist wish to seek additional funds. There are no additional funds available from grunt beyond the $2,000 per artist during the engagement, but grunt will work to support the artist in locating additional funds for ongoing projects if that is the support they want during the engagement.
Question: Can I get paid in increments/installments instead of a lump sum?
Answer: Yes. Artists can receive incremental payment and can dictate the sum. grunt gallery can pay out the sum over an extended period of time, but it must be fully paid out by June 30th, 2027.
Question: I don’t have a space to work out of. Can grunt support in providing space or rentals?
Answer: The $2,000 fee can be used towards renting a space, but grunt gallery does not have specific studio/making space available for our artists. grunt gallery does have an office space where the artist is welcome to work during their engagement as long as their production does not interfere with daily office operations. Access to the gallery will be limited to staff hours (Tu-F, Noon-5PM).
Question: Can I use the $2,000 towards studio rental in another location or studio membership?
Answer: Yes, you can use the $2,000 towards studio rental in another location or studio membership. There is no restriction on how you use the funds. It is worth noting that this fee counts as income when you are doing your taxes—please be advised!
Question: My medium requires [x amount of work and equipment]. Can Grunt provide funding for those supplies? Example: ceramic kiln, clay wheel, woodworking tools.
Answer: You can use your fee ($2,000) to fund these supplies. grunt gallery does not have an extra materials budget but can assist the artist in writing a letter to seek sponsorship or donations if they want that support. We do not have a studio, we have limited production equipment, and we do not have an additional materials budget.
Beyond the Engagement Project
Question: Are there future opportunities with grunt?
Answer: Artists who complete the non-verbal engagement program can’t join it again, but they are encouraged to apply for grunt gallery’s annual curatorial submissions in July or take part in the Mount Pleasant Community Art Screen (MPCAS). While participation doesn’t guarantee future selection, it helps artists build a connection with grunt. This makes it easier for the team to understand and support their work in the future.
In 2027, grunt gallery is planning to host a symposium that will welcome back past non-verbal and non-visual participants in the Accessible Engagement Program. More information will be shared on this soon.
Question: What additional support does the grunt team provide for the Non-Verbal Program? What is the grunt capacity?
Answer: During the engagement, artists are encouraged to discuss their practice and share their portfolios, goals, and barriers they have experienced, as well as ideas to better serve non-verbal artists in Contemporary art. Artists will have access to our staff, including our curator, archivist, and exhibition managers.
The two program facilitators will have up to 4 hours of weekly help to the selected artists. This time needs to be split between the artists and has to allow time for setup, meetings, roundtables, and final filming or creation of the archive object, but schedules will be discussed and transparently shared when the engagement is accepted.
Engagement artists are considered team members during the 6-week engagement and are encouraged to attend events or participate in learning opportunities if they so desire. If an installation is happening during the engagement, artists are welcome to support and shadow staff and exhibiting artists.
Question: I want to show my works in an exhibition. Will I have an opportunity to showcase my work publicly at the end of my program if not at Grunt?
Answer: Selected artists will either be interviewed or create something, like a video, that shows their experience with grunt. This will be added to grunt’s public archives and shared online when possible.
Artists can apply for an exhibition at grunt gallery by submitting a proposal in July through the regular submission process. During the program, artists can share their ideas with grunt staff to get feedback. If the submission process isn’t accessible, artists can also reach out to staff after the program for help with their proposal.
For works showcased outside of grunt, we can support accepted artists in creating a support letter for their application to other galleries and granting opportunities.