Submit your application by midnight on Friday, February 5th, 2021.

Artists will be notified by Friday, February 19th, 2021.

Exhibition duration: May 1st-30th, 2021 with artist panel to-be-scheduled during this timeframe.

Mayworks Kjiputuk/Halifax and the Khyber Centre for the Arts are pairing up to present a multidisciplinary group exhibition and artist panel in tandem with this year’s festival, over May 2021. This will take place at the Khyber (1880 Hollis St, see map + access notes + floor plan). We encourage artistic responses to labour (in any of its forms), worker’s justice, solidarity and liberation– specific to rural communities and realities. We seek submissions from artists, makers and creatives who are based rurally across Mi’kma’ki, as well as from those who have rural life experience or work in proximity to a rural environment.

Approximately 60% of Nova Scotia’s population resides in rural communities. Rural artists, makers and creatives are producing incredible work, but often do not get as much representation or access to support in comparison to artists based in urban settings. Our aim is to create a platform to showcase various works and mediums to represent the diversity within rural art and perspectives. We are open to exhibiting artwork of all media, installation or performance, and presenting work that may challenge or disrupt stereotypical notions of what rural “Maritime” art can be and look like.

Participating artists will each receive $450.00 in exhibition fees and $325.00 in speaker fees.

How to Apply:

Acknowledging that standard proposal writing can be intimidating, hyper academic and a barrier for many artists and organizers, the Khyber accepts submissions in a variety of formats. If communicating via text doesn’t feel accessible to you, you are so welcome to share your ideas through video, audio or Zoom presentation.

All applications, unless arranged otherwise are to be submitted by email to submissions@khyber.ca. All files must be contained within a single folder that is Mac compatible, then sent using Dropbox, WeTransfer or directly by email, if files aren’t exceedingly large. We do not accept CDs or DVDs. Artists, who wish to apply through recorded presentation or those who require assistance, have the opportunity to schedule appointments with Khyber staff, Hannah and Bria, using email above.

Apply: Please address the following in your submission.

1) Artist bio– Tell us about yourself; include your name and pronouns, where you are living, your artistic practice, interests, previous projects and/or experiences. Let us know if you are based rurally and/or about your rural realities. If you use social media, include your handles and/or artist website. CVs, links to articles and/or professional references are optional but can be included if you feel it is relevant to your proposal.

2) Description– Share information about your artwork and in connection to themes of Mayworks Kjiputuk/Halifax. Discuss your relationship to the subjects of your work. Include if your work has a title, materials used or involved and any details you feel are relevant. Please review our access page with COVID-19 protocols and consider the realities of the pandemic. Speak to any other details you feel are relevant. Images, audio, video or text as support material is welcomed. Past juries have found visual sketches extremely helpful.

3) Intention– Tell us your aims or what you hope to accomplish with this artwork, yourself and engagement with others.

Eligibility

We seek submissions from artists, makers and creatives who are based rurally across Mi’kma’ki, as well as from those who have rural life experience or work in proximity to a rural environment.

The Khyber will prioritize desires, requirements and proposals from those who have systematically faced oppression, exclusion and tokenism within the art world, including artists who are BIPOC, LGBTQ2+, Deaf and Hard of Hearing and those working in Disability Arts.

As an artist-run centre operating within the context of Turtle Island, we want to acknowledge the responsibility we have to present and highlight work by specifically Indigenous and Black artists. Located on Kjipuktuk, unceded Mi’kma’ki, we will place utmost priority on working with proposals and supporting the work of Mi’kmaw and African Nova Scotian artists.

We encourage applicants to self identify within their application. It is mandatory to self identify in your application if you are a white person and/or a cis man.