Call for Applications: &NOW 2026 Production Residency & Scholarship

Factory Media Centre is seeking submissions for our annual &NOW Production Residency & Scholarship program set to begin this upcoming Winter 2026!

Application Deadline: Sunday, November 23, 2025, 11:59pm ET

The &NOW Production Residency & Scholarship program is a valuable opportunity for artists and creators to utilize the space and resources at FMC to produce a new work, or continue a developing body of work. Selections are based on project originality, its potential for artistic growth, and the use and integration of FMC as a production location.

This year’s &NOW Residency will accept three artists from January to May 2026. FMC welcomes submissions from independent artists or artist teams working in a variety of digital, film, and media art forms including but not limited to: Film – Animation – Expanded Cinema – Photography – Experimental Video – 360 Cinema – Immersive Video – Augmented Reality – Virtual Reality – Live Coding – Electronic Literature – Interactive Mediums – Video Game Design – and other forms & definitions of media artwork.

Applicants for our &NOW Residency Program must be members with Factory Media Centre. Learn more about becoming a member.

Serena Zena, Lotus Birth, 2024, Digital Render, Blender

The &NOW Residency and Production Scholarship Provides:

• $2000 artist fee for the residency period (If applying as a team the artist fee will be split equally among team members)
• $1500 – $2000 scholarship for FMC equipment rentals (Equipment Rentals are open to local artists only, click here view our Equipment Library)
• Payment for public program (to be determined in collaboration with FMC staff)
• 24/7 access to our editing and audio studios (available to local artists only)
• Opportunity to showcase residency work in a short exhibition or open studio format (to be determined in collaboration with FMC staff, please note: this opportunity is seperate from the public program)
• Introduction orientation session and technical assistance as needed
• Staff and board support
• Opportunity to hold studio visits with peers from Hamilton’s art community

Eligibility

• Emerging, mid-career, or established artists (or artist teams / collectives)
• Must be a member of Factory Media Centre (learn more about becoming a member here)

Expectations During the Residency

• Dedicate part-time to developing new or existing work during the residency period
• Utilize this opportunity for production, post-production or to test work for an exhibition. Dedicate set hours per week and advertise virtual open studio hours for community to visit
• Experiment with media art form, technique or content
• Chosen artist(s) must update FMC online community with residency progress once a week
• Develop and deliver one public program that engages with one of the FMC’s surrounding communities (This could be a workshop, participatory experience, or artist talk – to be determined in collaboration with FMC staff)
• Acknowledge the support of FMC when presenting the work that was made while in residence
• Utilize FMC’s production and post-production rental equipment and studios (Optional to local Hamilton artists)
• Provide high-quality documentation (images, video or sound) for FMC website, archives, publication, and grant applications

Tyler Matheson, Love is the Message, 2024, installation view. Photo: Eli Nolet

How to Apply

Please find below a breakdown of submission requirements, followed by an online application form. Please email Eli at programming@factorymediacentre.ca with any questions or concerns.

1. Applicant(s) name

2. CV (3 page max)

3. Artist Bio (250 words max)

4. Project Description (300 words max)

5. Residency Work Plan and Schedule (200 words max)

• In your Residency Work Plan and Schedule, please specify your availabilities and residency period preference(s).
• Our &NOW Residency accepts three artists / artist teams from January – May 2026. Each selected resident will receive a 5 week residency period:
  ◦  Period One: January 5 – February 6
  ◦  Period Two: February 9 – March 13
  ◦  Period Three: May 4 – June 5

6. What type of residency structure you would prefer: Remote, Hybrid, In-Person

7. What production and post-production equipment are you interested in using during your residency? Please review our rentals page here, and list the equipment we have available. We encourage artists to experiment and explore equipment/softwares during their residency period. You do not have to be specific in which equipment or software you’re interested in – listing general categories such as “Video cameras”, “3D Rendering software”, etc. is acceptable. This helps our jury understand what resources at FMC applicants are interested in accessing.

8. What public program would you provide to FMC’s community, and how does this compliment your project? (150 words max)

9. Visual support material (only one option from below is required to submit, but applicants are welcome to provide both a still images and direct website links in one PDF package):

• Formatted in one PDF document: 5–7 still images with image information: title, year, medium, duration/size
• Formatted in one PDF document: 1–4 direct website links to video projects or video/photo documentation with project information: title, year, medium, duration/size. (Videos over 3–5mins accepted, however if there is a specific portion of a longer video you would like the Jury to watch, please indicate it under the video hyperlink)

10. What would make you feel supported during this residency? Is there anything else you would like to share with us to better understand your application?

Apply to the &NOW Residency here

Application Deadline: Sunday, November 23, 2025, 11:59pm ET

About the Factory Media Centre

Factory Media Centre is Hamilton’s not-for-profit artist-driven resource centre for film, video, new media, installation, sound art, and other multimedia art forms. Our mission is to develop and support a vibrant, sustainable, creative, and diverse community of Members and non-Members within Hamilton and its surrounding region.

Factory Media Centre is committed to equity in all aspects of its operations. We encourage applications from Indigenous, Black, and racialized persons; newcomer and immigrant persons and refugees, Francophones, LGBTQI+ persons, women, persons with disabilities, and persons of all socio-economic walks of life. If you require support during your application process, please do not hesitate to contact Eli at programming@factorymediacentre.ca with any questions or concerns about the &NOW Residency application process.

Factory Media Centre
366 Victoria Avenue North
Hamilton, ON L8L 5G6
www.factorymediacentre.ca

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