Open Call for Artworks & Artist Residencies: Support 2028 Festival, Edmonton

Al Young, 2026, digital photograph. @somehowsunny

Call for Expressions of Interest:
Artwork and Artist-in-Residence Opportunities at the Support 2028 Festival

Submission Deadline: December 15, 2026
Various galleries and performance venues, Edmonton, Alberta

Based at the University of Alberta, the Co-Designing a Smartwear Revolution project is currently trying to develop “smart” garments that can respond to the body and provide support when it is needed. In order to spark conversation, critique and co-design with the communities that our smart garments aim to serve, we invite artists to engage with and creatively respond to our work.

We’re inviting artists, designers, performers, & artist-researchers to propose artwork for an arts festival on the theme of Support, to be held in Edmonton, Alberta in 2028. Propose new or existing work exploring the topics of support, disability, smart textiles, technology, access, and embodiment. For details, see smartwearrevolution.com/open-call.

In addition, we also have an open call for two artist-in-residence opportunities, one in-person and one fully remote. For more info on the residencies, visit smartwearrevolution.com/air.

Michelle Kwasnycia, 2026, detail from in-progress etching. @michellekwasnycia

Application Process

The application is in two stages. Stage 1 involves sending us an Expression of Interest (EOI) by December 15, 2026. Stage 2 applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal by February 15, 2027, with results announced March 15, 2027.

EOIs can be submitted through the Google form on our website. EOIs should include:

• Application form
• Artist statement (250-500 words)
• Artist biography or short CV (250-500 words)
• 8-10 work samples
• Project proposal

Please email us at adwg@ualberta.ca if you would like to register for an online information session on Wednesday, October 14 at 4-5pm MST, Wednesday, November 18 at 6-7pm MST, or Wednesday, December 9 at 4-6pm MST.

Smartwear Revolution
University of Alberta
smartwearrevolution.com
adwg@ualberta.ca

Instagram @smartwear_revolution

Image Descriptions:
1. An extreme close-up of hands holding a piece of fabric where an Arduino circuit board has been stitched into the cloth.
2. A monochromatic etching, with shapes that evoke the bones and vertebrae of a spinal column and ribs, detailed lines and shapes evoking electrical circuitry, arranged in sections, like pieces of a quilt.