Critical Distance Centre for Curators 2026 Projections Program Call for Curators

Critical Distance Centre for Curators 2026 Projections Program Call for Curators

Application Deadline: Sunday, August 3, 2025, 11:59 PM ET

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Apply via Typeform here!

OCAD University’s RBC Centre for Emerging Artists & Designers (CEAD) and Critical Distance Centre for Curators (CDCC) have partnered to co-create the CDCC Projections Program Career Launcher.  One(1) emerging Curator will receive $1,700 to curate a single channel, projection-based screening program of work from the OCAD U community. The Projections Program will be displayed at the CDCC for six-weeks in January/February 2026. The recipient will select artworks from the CDCC Projections Program Call for Artists, write a ~750 word exhibition essay, and give a brief curator’s talk at the reception. The selected Curator will receive curatorial guidance from the CDCC all points throughout the project.

Critical Distance Centre for Curators (CDCC), a not-for-profit gallery, publisher, and professional network devoted to the support and advancement of curatorial inquiry in Toronto, Canada, and beyond. With a focus on critically-engaged, collaborative, and cross-disciplinary practices, underrepresented artists and art forms, and community outreach and education in art and exhibition-making, Critical Distance is an open platform for diverse curatorial perspectives, and a forum for the exchange of ideas on curating as a way to connect, engage, and inform people and publics across cultures, disciplines, geographies, and generations.

The CEAD and CDCC are inviting emerging writers to submit their work for consideration. The essay will be published on CDCC’s website to accompany the billboard exhibition. The selected writer will receive editing support from the CDCC team. After the exhibition, the writer will be added to the CDCC’s online database of artists, curators and writers.

To see examples of past writing and publishing projects, visit CDCC’s website.

RESPONSIBILITIES & TIMELINE:

The selected emerging Curator will: 

• September, 2025: Select four (4) to five (5) artists from the CDCC Projections Program Call for Artists Career Launcher application pool with support from CDCC.
• Meet with CDCC throughout the project.
• October, 2025: Meet with the selected artists to coordinate and finalize works to be shown in the program.
• October-November, 2025: Write an approximately 750-word essay to accompany the program.
• Mid-November: Submit a first draft for review. Editing guidance will be provided by the CDCC.
• January 2026: Be available for installation if needed. CDCC staff will facilitate installation and take-down.
• Mid-January 2026: Give a brief Curator’s talk or screening introduction at the opening reception. CDCC staff will be present to support and advise on installation and take-down.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

Please provide the following information in one PDF document:

• Full contact information (Name, phone, and email)
• Current resume or CV
• Website and/or social media
• A brief statement/bio (150 words max)
• Ashort writing sample about a work of contemporary art (300 words). 

PARTNER:

Critical Distance Centre for Curators
www.criticaldistance.ca

401 Richmond St. W, Suite 122
Toronto, ON, M5V3A8

ELIGIBILITY:

• Current OCAD U Undergraduate students who have completed 15+ credits and will be graduating in 2026,
• or current OCAD U Master's students graduating in 2026,
• or OCAD U Alumni (Undergrad and Master’s) who graduated in 2025

*Priority may be given to applicants who have not previously received a Career Launcher opportunity

**If you have already received this opportunity in a previous year, you are not eligible to apply

QUALIFICATIONS:

• A strong knowledge of contemporary art and discourse
• Experience writing about projection-based art and an interest in arts writing/publishing would be considered an asset

RATE:

$1700 total project fee, comprised of the following breakdown:

• $650 to write an accompanying ~750 word essay
• $400 for adjudication and selection of Artists from the Call-for-Submissions
• $150 for a curator’s talk/screening introduction
• $500 for other curatorial activities

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTION:

Apply via Typeform here!

For more info about this and other Career Launchers visit www.careerlaunchers.format.com