Aurora Cultural Centre & Station Gallery Permanent Collection Exhibition Call for Curators

Aurora Cultural Centre & Station Gallery Permanent Collection Exhibition Call for Curators

Application Deadline: Sunday, March 1, 2026, 11:59 PM ET

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Apply via Typeform here!
 

OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION:

OCAD University’s RBC Centre for Emerging Artists & Designers (CEAD) is excited to announce an amazing curatorial opportunity in partnership with the Aurora Cultural Centre (ACC) and Station Gallery (SG). One (1) emerging Curator will be selected to lead an exhibition consisting of 25-35 artworks from the SG permanent collection, exhibited in the Homeroom Galleries at the ACC from November 12, 2026 – January 16, 2027. The selected candidate will be awarded an honorarium of $2000 plus an additional $391 for their participation in a live group Q&A discussion with ACC and/or SG staff on Saturday, December 6, from 11am-1pm.

ABOUT AURORA CULTURAL CENTRE
At the Aurora Cultural Centre, we believe that arts, culture, and heritage can play a role in changing our world and our community. This is the fabric that deepens our understanding of our shared experience and creates a more compassionate society. Since 2010, the Centre has welcomed the community to create and participate in diverse experiences for all ages. We proudly program four vibrant gallery exhibition spaces, a range of instructional classes for children, teens and adults, an eclectic live music series, special family events and summer arts camps.

ABOUT STATION GALLERY
In 1967, a group of passionate arts enthusiasts in Whitby started a community gallery. Through the foresight of a number of local citizens and the Town of Whitby, the century-old Whitby Junction Station continues to serve the community, not only as an art gallery, but as a part of Whitby’s heritage.

The Station Gallery Permanent Collection currently holds over 400 works, plus archives. The community initiated the collection in 1980 by acquiring gifts from numerous Ontario artists associated with the gallery along with Open Studio, a prominent Toronto printmaking facility.

RESPONSIBILITIES & TIMELINE:

The exhibition will consist of 25-35 artworks from the SG permanent collection, exhibited in the Homeroom Galleries at the ACC from Thursday November 12, 2026 – Saturday,January 16, 2027.  The selected curator will be responsible for:

• Determining the title, themes, and selecting artworks from the SG permanent collection
• Complete at least three (3) site visits to the ACC for meetings with staff, exhibition installation, and exhibition events   
• Complete at least four (4) visits to the SG for the purpose of selecting and researching works from the SG permanent collection.      
• Create curatorial plan, including floor map of exhibition layout and design
• Participate in the design of exhibition vinyl and catalogue in liaison with ACC team     
• Write thematic exhibition statement (500 words max)      
• Work closely with theACC and SG team both virtually and in-person to coordinate logistics of exhibition including selection of works, transport of artworks, installation needs, etc. All packing, movement, and condition reporting to be completed under the direction and supervision of SG staff. Artwork handling must be supervised by SG and ACC staff at all times.
• Participate in a live recorded Q&A within the ACC and/or SG curatorial staff during exhibition period.

All curatorial decisions including exhibition title/themes, artwork selection, curatorial plan, exhibition design, vinyl, catalogue, exhibition statement, etc. must be reviewed and approved by the ACC and SG.

The selected candidate is responsible for their own transportation to and from the SG and ACC for scheduled visits. OCAD U CEAD is contributing a $200 stipend to the recipient to offset travel costs. All visits to the ACC and SG are expected to occur during office hours of each venue, with liaison and approval from staff. Tasks outside of physical visits to the ACC and SG are to be completed remotely at the selected candidates own schedule.

Contract Timeline

The selected candidate will be required in-person at the ACC and SG during the following dates. (Note: Dates may be rescheduled in liaison with the selected candidate)

• June 1, 2026: Contract Start. The selected candidate is expected to attend a 3-hour onboarding session at the ACC from 10:00AM-1:00PM.
• June 1 – October 30(Exact Dates to be scheduled):
  o  Three (3) visits to SG meet with SG staff, research the collection, and select works for curatorial plan.
  o  Additional meetings with SG and ACC staff to be determined and scheduled in this period to monitor and support project progress.
• November 3: One (1) visit to SG prior to installation to present final selected works and curatorial plan to SG and ACC staff. Time TBD.
• November 4: The selected candidate to attend the first installation day of exhibition at the ACC to lead and implement curatorial plan in-person and support installation where required. Time TBD.

PARTNERS:

Aurora Cultural Centre 
auroraculturalcentre.ca
50 Victoria Street, Aurora, ON

Station Gallery
stationgallery.ca
1450 Henry Street, Whitby, ON

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 2024 or 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
• Studies in Criticism and Curatorial Practice an asset
• Familiarity with Aurora/York Region and/or Whitby/Durham Region an asset

RATE:

$2000 Honorarium (Providedby ACC)

$391 for their participation in a live group Q&A discussion (Provided by ACC)

$200 travel stipend (providedby CEAD)

APPLICATION 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)
• A short statement of intent (300 words max)

DEADLINE TO APPLY:

Sunday, March 1, 2026, 11:59 PM ET

Hiring Timeline:
March 9-13: Interviews completed
March 25: Applicants notified of results

APPLICATION PORTAL:

Apply via Typeform here!

Click here for more information about our Career Launchers opportunities.