Indigenous Curator, Jardin Botanique de Montréal – Espace pour la vie

Call for Applications – Indigenous Visual Arts Curator
As part of a preliminary study on the creation of an Indigenous art symposium

Job Call: Indigenous Curator as part of the development of an Indigenous Arts Symposium for Jardin Botanique de Montréal-Espace pour la vie

Introduction

The mission of the First Nations Garden is to highlight the close bonds many Indigenous peoples have with the plant world and medicines. For the last 20 years, this cultural garden set in the very heart of the Jardin botanique de Montréal has been showcasing a diverse lineup of Indigenous artists and artisans through live art, visual art, educational activities and summer events. The First Nations Garden wishes to continue its mission Indigenous artists by organizing an Indigenous art symposium for summer 2023.

About First Nations Garden

Sitting on 2.5 hectares of land, the First Nations Garden is the only garden of this magnitude in North America dedicated to honouring the Indigenous people within what is now known as Québec. The Jardin botanique wishes to hold an Indigenous art symposium in the summer of 2023, in order to:

• Showcase Indigenous contemporary artists and their vibrant practices;
• Offer the public a chance to (re)discover the First Nations Garden through art installations that arouse curiosity and wonder;
• Enhance the sensory and immersive experience of visitors to the First Nations Garden;
• Increase the presence of and break down barriers for Indigenous audiences and artists through the Jardin botanique de Montréal.

The Jardin botanique and the First Nations Garden currently features art installations that showcase its uniquely rich natural environment with works by Jocelyne Alloucherie, Armand Vaillancourt, Michel Goulet, Paul Borduas, Richard Robertson, France Gros-Louis Morin, Lindsay Katsitsakatse Delaronde, Ernest Aness Dominique, Jean St-Onge.

The symposium aligns with the strategic objectives and commitments of the City of Montréal’s 2020-2025 Strategy for Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, to:

“Promote cultural and artistic exchanges at the First Nations Garden and other Espace pour la vie facilities:

• Highlight the practice of various Indigenous artists at immersive experiences;
• Support the organization of cultural events for Indigenous people;
• Provide opportunities for cultural reappropriation and encourage the creation of a feeling of belonging to the First Nations Garden.”

Job Description

The Jardin botanique is seeking a remote contracted Curator to assist with project implementation of an arts symposium. This is a contract position that will meet remotely over the course of 2022 bi-weekly and then weekly in 2023. The position is funded through an honorarium that will be paid to the Curator in installments over the course of 2022 and 2023.

In collaboration with the Jardin botanique team, the Curator will:

• Identify one or more themes for an Indigenous art symposium at the First Nations Garden, taking into account the essence and nature of the site (outdoor spaces, infrastructure, landscaping, etc.);
• Propose a preliminary concept and roadmap;
• Establish a preliminary body of Indigenous works and artists in line with the objectives;
• Collaborate with the Public Programs and Education division of the Jardin Botanique to determine the project selection process.

The mandate for producing the event will be detailed at a later date.

Schedule of deliverables

Submission of application deadline: March 10, 2022 at 11:59pm EST
Selected candidate interviews: April 5, 2022 to April 8, 2022
Candidate selection: April 13, 2022

Your application must include:

• A full CV (maximum three pages)
• A cover letter
• An assessment of the number of hours required to carry out this contract
• Curatorial proposal
• A calendar
• Your working budget (following CARFAC 2022 fee Schedule) of up to $11,000

Though this is a francophone environment mostly this opportunity is open to French and English speaking applicants. The Jardin botanique is an institutional member of the Indigenous Curatorial Collective | Collectif des commissaires autochtones and follows the Truth and Reconciliations calls to museums and archives.

Please send your offer to

Myriam Landry (elle/her/she)
Cultural coordinator of the First Nations Garden
Jardin botanique de Montréal – Espace pour la vie
C. (1) 514 475-0734
myriam.landry2@montreal.ca