Call for Curatorial Proposals: Canada Council’s 70th Anniversary Exhibition

Âjagemô Exhibition Space | Canada Council for the Arts

Visitors in the Canada Council Âjagemô Exhibition Space, Ottawa. Photo: Brandon Clarida Image Services.

Invitation to curate a multidisciplinary exhibition for the Canada Council’s 70th Anniversary in the Âjagemô Exhibition Space

Submission Deadline: October 19, 2026 at 5pm
Exhibition Dates: September 2027 – May 2028
Review the guidelines and complete the online form

The Canada Council for the Arts is seeking multidisciplinary exhibition proposals from established curators for the Âjagemô Exhibition Space in Ottawa to celebrate the Canada Council’s 70th anniversary.

In keeping with the vision described in the Canada Council’s 2026–2031 strategic plan, Together with the Arts, curators are invited to propose an exhibition that will welcome a broad public into a reflection on the Canada Council’s legacy, while setting the stage for conversations about the future of the arts in Canada.

As Canada has evolved, the Canada Council has played a vital role in supporting artists, strengthening cultural expression from coast to coast to coast and demonstrating the profound impact of the arts on communities across the country.

Reflecting on this legacy offers an opportunity to consider how the arts have evolved alongside Canadian society, how the Canada Council has adapted and grown over the decades and how the arts shape meaningful connections and possibilities for the future.

Project Requirements

In collaborating with the Canada Council Art Bank team, the curator will have access to the Art Bank collection, which holds more than 17,000 works of art, and will contribute to the research, interpretation and selection processes as part of a multidisciplinary team.

• The exhibition should be aligned with the Canada Council’s vision, as described in its 2026–2031 strategic plan, Together with the Arts.
• As the inclusion of art forms other than visual art is required as part of this multidisciplinary exhibition, the curator’s proposal must clearly outline how they envision the relationship between the various art forms within the exhibition space.
• The exhibition proposal should provide multiple points of entry into the material and offer various layers of content and meaning. Curators are encouraged to incorporate accessibility and audience engagement considerations from the outset to foster an inclusive experience for a broad range of visitors. The Canada Council will work with the curator to ensure that the exhibition includes accessibility features to help make it welcoming to a diverse audience.
• The exhibition should engage the audience through a call to action, an exchange or an interaction of some kind; this could include audiences leaving a physical mark or imprint or participating through social media or some other means.
• Content must be appropriate for all ages, since Âjagemô is in a public space.
• All programming and didactic materials must be in English and French (the Canada Council will provide writing, editing and translation services). The Canada Council is also open to opportunities to include Indigenous languages in the exhibition.

Exhibition view, Edge Conditions / Inawendiwin, Canada Council Âjagemô Exhibition Space, Ottawa. Photo: Brandon Clarida Image Services.

Eligibility

To submit a proposal, a curator must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or a student with a valid study permit (for international students).

Compensation

The selected curator will receive $6,000.

The total budget for the exhibition is $50,000 and is managed by the Canada Council Art Bank. The budget covers the curator’s fee, minimal travel expenses for research, installation and vernissage attendance, artist exhibition and reproduction rights fees, restoration and/or framing, fabrication and installation costs, documentation of the exhibition and public programming.

Writing, editing, translation, design and installation of didactic panels and promotional material, including web content, are covered separately from the stated budget.

Guided tour with curator Leah Snyder, Edge Conditions / Inawendiwin, Canada Council Âjagemô Exhibition Space. Photo: Brandon Clarida Image Services.

Submission Requirements

Curators are invited to submit their proposal outlining:

• their concept (300–500 words);
• a list of five to 10 suggested artists or works of visual art from the Canada Council Art Bank collection that speak to the ideas they would like to explore;
• a list of suggested complementary art forms and up to five artists working in the disciplines they are interested in bringing together, along with an explanation of how they envision including them in the exhibition space;
• a recent CV, biography or narrative text (300–500 words) outlining their curatorial experience; and
• the names and contact information of two references.

How to Submit

Review the guidelines and complete the online form on the Art Bank website.

Submission Deadline: October 19, 2026, at 5pm

Application Assistance

Application Assistance helps cover costs for services that support an exhibition proposal submission process for individuals who self-identify as:

• Deaf, hard of hearing, having a disability or living with a mental illness; or
• First Nations, Inuit or Métis facing language, geographic and/or cultural barriers.

To submit a request, contact artbank@canadacouncil.ca at least one week before you plan to submit your proposal.

For additional information or questions, please contact:
Questions can be sent by email to artbank@canadacouncil.ca or a message can be left at 1-800-263-5588, extension 4479. You can expect a response in two business days.

If you are Deaf, hard of hearing or a TTY user, please use your preferred MRS (Message Relay Service) or IP (Internet Protocol) service to contact the Council. The Canada Council also welcomes VRS (Video Relay Service) calls. For more information, please visit the VRS Canada website.

Canada Council Art Bank
921 St-Laurent Boulevard
Ottawa, ON K1K 3B1
artbank.ca
artbank@canadacouncil.ca
613-566-4414, extension 4479

Facebook @CCartbank
Instagram @artbank_banquedart

Canada Council Âjagemô Exhibition Space
150, Elgin Street
Ottawa, ON K2P 1L4
canadacouncil.ca/about/ajagemo

The Canada Council’s offices, located in Ottawa, are on the unceded, unsurrendered Territory of the Anishinaabe Algonquin Nation whose presence here reaches back to time immemorial. Read the full statement.

Accessibility:
The Canada Council Âjagemô Exhibition Space is fully accessible. For more information, visit canadacouncil.ca/about/ajagemo.

Image Descriptions:
1. Two visitors read the introductory text for the Edge Conditions / À la lisière / Inawendiwin exhibition at the Canada Council Âjagemô Exhibition Space.
2. Wide view of the Edge Conditions / À la lisière / Inawendiwin exhibition, showing artworks and displays throughout the gallery.
3. Guided tour participants viewing artworks in the Edge Conditions / À la lisière / Inawendiwin exhibition.