Call for Applications: Est-Nord-Est Residencies for Artists & Authors 2027-2028

Heather Rattray’s studio view, 2026. Photo: ENE / Jean-Sébastien Veilleux photographe

2027-2028 Call for applications / Est-Nord-Est, residencies for artists and authors

Deadline: November 8, 2026, 11:59pm ET

About Est-Nord-Est:

Est-Nord-Est (ENE) is an artist-run centre whose mission is to provide an international community of artists and authors in contemporary art with support by offering space and time for research and experimentation, as well as privileged access to local resources and knowhow.

The centre is situated in Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, a village on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River, in a unique geographic and historical locale. The predominant aspects of the landscapes are farms, forests, and the river.

Originally based on the idea of encounters between sculptors with contemporary practices and those using regional traditional skills, ENE now welcomes contemporary visual-art artists from all disciplines. The residencies at ENE are intended for professional artists, both established and emerging, from all over the world. They offer artists and authors an opportunity to explore their research more deeply, to experiment, and to create in a cultural space that is unique, lively, and stimulating.

The eight-week residency periods, which bring together four artists and one author in the field of contemporary art, are offered in spring, summer, fall and winter. ENE occupies a building designed and built for the residencies of artists and authors. The architectural concept places exchanges, friendly relations, and technical and logistical assistance at the heart of the experience offered to residents.

Spring residency at Est-Nord-Est, 2026. © Jean-Pierre Pelletier

Duration of the residency: 8 weeks

Residency periods:

Spring: April 19 to June 11, 2027
Summer*: July 5 to August 27, 2027 (Unavailable for authors)
Fall: September 27 to November 19, 2027
Winter: January 24 to March 18, 2028

*The summer 2026 residency is curated by Cécilia Bracmort titled Corps céleste, corps terrestre (Celestial Body, Terrestrial Body), exploring the concept of osmosis, conceived as a process of gradual transformation through which beings, materials, and environments influence one another.

Eligibility: Priority is given to artists of African descent, while welcoming anyone whose practice resonates with the themes explored. This residency is unavailable for authors. See the call for applications web page for more details.

The eight-week residency includes:

Residency honorarium of CAD $2080
Access to an individual studio workshop to be used for work and lodging
Access to specialized equipment (wood, metal, ceramics)
Access to a documentation centre (books, magazines)
Access to local resources
Technical, artistic and logistical support
Access to a bicycle in season/occasional local transportation in winter

* Materials, travel fees and other living charges are at the residents’ expense.

ENE offers artists and authors:

Time and a place to devote themselves to research and experimentation
Privileged access to local resources and diverse areas of knowhow
An international art community

Expectations towards the artists/authors:

To make full use of the residency period offered for his/her research
To be present during the entire residency period
To present his/her approach and research interests at the beginning of the residency at a public event organized by ENE
To present his/her research and experiments carried out during the residency at a public event organized by ENE at the end of the residency period
Optional: To propose a workshop for a community organization in the region (an additional $300 is offered to artists whose workshop proposal is selected)

Family workshop along the St-Lawrence River with Jil Lahr, 2026. © Jean-Pierre Pelletier

Submission requirements:

ENE’s application form duly completed
A curriculum vitae (maximum two pages, PDF format)
A text including an artist’s statement and your research and experimentation intentions, including any specific needs in terms of technical resources, if applicable (maximum one page, PDF format)
For artists: A portfolio of 10 to 15 images in a single PDF document accompanied by a description list of the images. If video works are used, provide a link (Vimeo, YouTube) accompanied by the password, if applicable. Make sure that the videos will be accessible.
For authors: Two published texts on contemporary art: review or critique of an exhibition, essay, or a text from a pamphlet, catalogue, or book on art (maximum 10 pages in total in PDF format)

The application must be submitted online. No application sent by mail, incomplete or received after the deadline will be accepted.

Submit your application as an artist
Submit your application as an author

Submission Deadline: November 8, 2026, 11:59pm ET

Artists/authors are selected according to:

The strength of the proposal
The potential impact of the residency on the artist’s career
Consistency with the centre’s mandate
The constructive complementarity of art practices

Est-Nord-Est recognizes the importance of bringing together a multiplicity of forms of artistic and cultural expression. In the selection process, emphasis will be placed on cultural, generational, sexual, and identity diversity. In this spirit of inclusion, we encourage artists from underrepresented, marginalized, and minority groups to apply.

Accessibility and application support:

Est-Nord-Est wishes to promote inclusion and accessibility for all artists and authors, particularly those from underrepresented and/or marginalized groups.

Video application
If you wish to submit a file in a format other than written, please contact us at info@estnordest.org or at 1-418-598-6363.

Virtual mentoring
A virtual mentoring session is possible, upon request, to obtain support for preparation of your application in response to this call. Please send a request to info@estnordest.org before November 1, 2026.

If you have more questions, we invite you to join us for an online Q&A session with the centre’s general and artistic director on October 1, 2026, at 1pm in French and 2pm in English, via Zoom.

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