*All definitions below are used for the purpose of this residency program and are not applicable to other programs offered by the EAC. 

Dance is used as an inclusive term to welcome formal and artistic dance practices, including customary, cultural and traditional dance, and other practices that use the movement of bodies as the primary mode for expression. 

Open Studio: A community forward event for public attendees, in which the dancer in residence can present the artistic process in which they are engaging. This format of an Open Studio will allow for conversation, questions, presentations, and exchange of information to the greater dance community in Edmonton. 

Collaborator: Any arts worker with technical skillsets supporting creative exploration in dance. This may include but is not limited to: Projectionist, Lighting Technician, Videographer, and Sound Engineer. 

Mentor: A dance mentor is an experienced and trusted advisor in the dance field who provides guidance, knowledge, support, and encouragement. They offer insights, and help dancers navigate their careers and personal development in dance. 

APPLICANTS MUST: 

• Have an existing and committed practice in dance. This may include, but is not limited to, Indigenous and other cultural customary and contemporary works and practices.
• Be 18 years of age or older.
• Be a resident of Edmonton / amiskwaciy-waskâhikan at the time of the application and for the duration of the residency. This includes the City of Edmonton, and the communities of Enoch Cree Nation, Alexander First Nation, Paul First Nation, and Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation (artists may be asked to provide proof of residency).
• Have a valid Social Insurance Number (SIN) – funding is considered taxable income.

Individuals who have overdue Edmonton Arts Council final reports will not be eligible. 

AN ELIGIBLE RESIDENCY APPLICATION MUST 

• Commit to the January to June 2026 set timeline.
• Clearly benefit the development of the artist. 
• Communicate/​present their creative process through open-studio times

Residency proposals should include information about the artist’s intended use of the time and studio. This could include:

• The skills, work, and direction the artist wants to explore, and how they plan to do that.
• What level of engagement the artist might seek with other dancers, arts workers, and/​or community members.
• If and how the artist hopes to work with mentors, advisors, and/​or other collaborators.
• What the artist might envision for open-studio sessions. 

WHAT IS NOT SUPPORTED BY THIS RESIDENCY

• Direct spending on capital or acquisitions.
  
• Advanced education, such that would lead to a degree or diploma. 
• Projects that primarily benefit an organization rather than an individual. 
• Costs that are already supported by the EAC through other programs. 
• Activities or costs that occurred before the application deadline. 
• Presentation, production, or performance costs for works already created or nearing completion; this residency supports exploration and development, not final outputs. 

CONTRACT PROCESS 

To facilitate the success of the residency, the EAC will enter a contract with the successful Primary Applicant. The applicant will agree to a monthly dispersal of funds, dependent on monthly updates in SmartSimple. To receive funds the applicant must have a Social Insurance Number (SIN).

BUDGET FOR THE RESIDENCY

Due to the unique nature of the residency, the budget is set by the EAC as follows and will not be required to be filled out: 

$15,000 – studio space at Orange Hub

$30,000 – 6 months (25 weeks) full time fee for applicant/​dancer as per CADA West rates of $1200/ week 

Up to $5,000 to be negotiated – incidentals such as: materials, collaborator fees, training, etc. 

RESOURCES

Please visit the Resources section of our website for more information on profile and application expectations: 

• Video resources: https:// www .edmon tonarts .ca/​re…
• Funding FAQ: https:// www .edmon tonarts .ca/​re… 

ACCESS SUPPORT

Those facing barriers while completing their application may request Access Support for up to $500 to assist with submitting an application. A barrier can include but is not limited to, language, culture, physical or cognitive limitations such as those that may be considered a disability, or any similar complication that an applicant may face while completing an application. This could include hiring a typist, interpreter, translator, or other type of support worker to help with submitting a clear application that accurately reflects the artist’s ideas and intentions.

Professional grant writers are not supported by this program as the support is intended for accessibility needs. 

For more information, and to download an Access Support Request Form, please visit the Access Support page. 

DRAFT APPLICATION ASSISTANCE

The EAC offers the opportunity for applicants to have their draft application reviewed before the application deadline. The review process could include: 

• Help to define the intentions and outcomes of your residency application. 
• Providing guidance on how to describe your artistic practice or project. 
• Reviewing budgets and support materials. 

If you would like someone to review your draft application with you, please email no later than 10 business days before the application deadline. Requests for review made after this time may not be possible. 

Please ensure you have a complete draft of your application ready in SmartSimple at least 1 day (24 hours) before your scheduled meeting. If you do not have a draft ready in SmartSimple, your meeting may be rescheduled to accommodate serving applicants that are able to have their drafts reviewed. 

REVISION REQUESTS

In the two weeks following the application deadline, if your application requires an update or additional information, you may receive a Revision Request by email. If this information is mandatory, you will be informed and if not completed it may result in your application being withdrawn from assessment. You must log in to the SmartSimple portal to see the details of your Revision Request, as well as the deadline for submission. Revisions Requests are given no more than one week to complete. Instructions for accessing Revisions Requests are provided as a PDF in the email notification. Revisions that are incomplete after the deadline will be contacted with a notice of withdrawal where applicable. 

Please add support@​edmontonarts.​ca to your safe senders list to ensure you don’t miss notifications from SmartSimple, and ensure you are checking your email to see if your application requires attention. 

The deadline for submissions is 11:59 AM on September 2, 2025 (noon).

Apply through the EAC’s online portal SmartSimple:

• Complete (or update) an individual profile in the online portal eac​.smart​sim​ple​.ca. 
• Once a profile has been made, the Dance Residency program application form is made available in SmartSimple under the ​“Open Opportunities” icon. If the applicant already has a profile, the Dance Residency application will be visible a minimum of 30 days before the application deadline. 

Once a Dance Residency application has been submitted, EAC will internally review the proposal to examine:

• The completeness of mandatory elements of the application. 
• The residency’s potential overall impact on the Edmonton dance sector. 
• The proposal’s alignment with the aims of this program. 

The success of the residency will be measured by the depth of engagement in the artistic process. An Advisory Committee of subject matter experts will provide assessment, context and recommendations to the EAC. 

ASSESSMENT PROCESS

An Advisory Committee of diverse, knowledgeable members from both the dance/movement-artist community and broader Edmonton arts ecosystem will review the applications and conduct an assessment. Applications are evaluated by the criteria listed in the guidelines for each opportunity. The selection and support of a Residency are at the sole discretion of the EAC. This process will take 12 to 16 weeks. Thank you for your patience! 

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Assessment will be based on what is outlined in these guidelines: 

• Artistic Merit: The artistic practice of the applicant along with the artistic intention(s) and goals of the residency. 
• Feasibility: The applicant’s ability to successfully carry out the proposed project, considering the suitability of specified activities and plans. 
• Impact: The potential impact of the residency on the artist, the artist’s future practice, and the broader dance community. 
• Alignment: The overall alignment of the goals and activities with the intentions of the Dance Residency program, as it fits within the Edmonton arts ecosystem. 

REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

Artists who receive funding through the residency program will be required to submit an update monthly through SmartSimple in order to receive funds. The artist will be expected to assess their experiences monthly during the residency in respect to the goals that they articulated in their application, and articulate what work has been completed to date. The final report must also include a summary of any Open Studio time, and the impact is has had on the individual/​collective and the attendees. 

Final reports are found under the My Action Item section of your SmartSimple homepage are due three months after the stated residency end date. 

The Orange Hub is located at 10045 156 St NW, Edmonton, AB. The following are specific details about the space:

• Dimensions: 1,100 square feet
• Features: Sound system, sprung floors, mirrors, and Wi-Fi

The Edmonton Arts Council acknowledges the support of Arts Habitat Edmonton, our partner in Connections & Exchanges: A 10-Year Plan To Transform Arts and Heritage In Edmonton, for the studio space for the Dance Residency 2025. 

Information about the successful residency recipient funded under this agreement will be shared with Arts Habitat Edmonton for auditing and results measurement purposes. Arts Habitat may contact recipients of its funding directly to invite them to take part in impact measurement activities. Successful applicants are required to use an Arts Habitat logo, along with the EAC logo, on their marketing materials. 

GENERAL

• A Residency title;
• A short description of the Residency (30 words);
• Residency start and end date. * 

* Residency dates are set from January 1, 2026 – June 30, 2026

ARTIST BACKGROUND

The information in this section will be directly imported into your application from the applicant’s individual profile in SmartSimple. Please ensure your profile is up-to-date and submitted before completing your application. 

• Artist name – the name that you use publicly as an artist if different than your preferred name;
• Artist primary and secondary practice – these will be the applicants’ main artistic practices in which they have the most experience. This may be different than the artistic practice(s) of the Residency that this application is for; 
• Artist statement – a description of your existing artistic practice which may include major influences, disciplines, cultural practices and/​or lived experience (250 words); 
• Artist biography – a summary of your life and career highlights, and education relevant to your practice (250 words);
• Artist CV/​Resume – artistic work history or comparable (PDF, recommended maximum of 4 pages);
• Online presence – these links, such as social media and web links, are used by the assessors as additional information on your professional artistic practice. Please only include public links to information that will support your application.

RESIDENCY DETAILS

• Residency primary discipline (drop down menu); 
• Residency secondary discipline (check all that apply); 
• Does this project involve a Mentor, Elder, or Knowledge Keeper? 
• CV/​resume/​biography of the mentors, Elders, or Knowledge Keepers if applicable*; 
• Provide the names and roles of any additional project collaborators that are NOT LISTED in the above sections. 

* Which may include artistic work history, biography, personal narrative, or comparable (PDF, recommended 2 pages)

RESIDENCY DESCRIPTION

• Residency Goals – Describe the intended process-oriented goals of the residency.
• Residency Activities – Describe your artistic process, who you might collaborate with, any learning opportunities or mentorships, the open studio time, etc.
• Residency Timeline – Provide a residency plan that includes a clear timeline, allowing for the development of ideas, exploration and/​or creation throughout the residency period. (The Residency will run from January to July 2026). 
• Residency Impact – Outline how your process has potential to impact you as an artist, and your artform. Also describe any potential impact on the greater dance ecosystem in Edmonton.
• Other Details – Any other relevant details that may assist in the decision-making process. 

BUDGET

The value of this residency is fixed at $50,000 to support the artist’s living expenses ($30,000), studio costs ($15,000), and any additional costs while they pursue their artistic work. The remaining $5,000 will be negotiated between the successful applicant and the Edmonton Arts Council. 

Please note that neither a budget nor a detailed timeline is required for this application, and will not be assessed if submitted. 

ALLOWABLE EXPENSES

The remaining budget that is not allocated to support the artist’s living expenses and studio costs will be negotiated with Edmonton Arts Council once the successful residency is chosen. Examples of eligible expenses includes:

• Providing payment to mentors, collaborators, Knowledge Keepers and/​or technical staff at professional rates OR with honorariums; 
• Fees for online or in-person courses including their tools, software, materials, mentorship, training or collaboration; 
• Renting and/​or purchasing equipment, tools, software and/​or materials required for the proposed the work proposed; 
• Travel costs incurred while attending professional development outside of Edmonton. 

SUPPORTING MATERIAL

Video resource: What should I include in support materials?

Please consider that assessors have a limited amount of time (roughly 10 minutes per application) to review your support material, so being clear, not having too much, and ensuring that all material is relevant to your current work and project is important. Supporting material is both your portfolio to establish Artistic Merit, as well as additional information for your proposal.

Supporting Material is required and important for the accurate assessment of your application. To support your application, you may upload up to 10 audio/​visual/​PDF files and up to 5 direct links to external websites related to your proposed project. 

• These must include samples of your artistic work, but may also be letters of support, reviews, interviews, etc.
• For each supporting material uploaded, you are required to provide a description of the material which could include creation date, medium, location, names of artists, etc.
• Uploaded video or audio files should total no more than 10 minutes in length, and all files should be less than 2GB in size. Uploads are preferable to links whenever possible, so that access for assessors is as simple as possible.
• Links must be direct and public. These links should go directly to the support material specified, rather than to a landing page or home page requiring further navigation by assessors. 

Please do not provide links that go through file sharing sites or subscription sites that require an account to access, such as Spotify, Google Drive, Dropbox, etc., or online portals that require an account to access. This is for the privacy of assessors, as well as to have direct access. 

Please do not submit images as PDF files, rather directly upload images in JPEG or PNG format.