Visual Arts Residencies in Canada

Alchemy Artists Residency

Waupoos Island, Ontario, Canada

Alchemy Artists Residency, founded in 2015, is an artist-led international program on Waupoos Island, Prince Edward County, Ontario, where food, art, garden, and table converge to foster site-inspired artmaking, collaboration, and community engagement. The Summer 2026 residency, held August 7–14 on a 15-acre island in Lake Ontario, emphasizes extended studio time, private reflection, shared meals, and exploration of process and materiality in artistic and culinary practices. It welcomes local and international artists interested in living and working within a temporary community.

Artscape Gibraltar Point

Toronto Island, Canada

Artscape Gibraltar Point, also known as Gibraltar Point Centre for the Arts, is a beachfront artist residency on Toronto Islands offering short-term self-directed residencies for artists and writers in a distraction-free environment surrounded by parkland and Lake Ontario. It provides private accommodations, studios, shared kitchen, and amenities like WiFi and bike rentals, hosting thousands of local and international creatives since 1999 in a former school building. Residencies support research, deadlines, collaborations, and are open year-round with typical durations of 1 week to 1 month.

Ayatana Artists' Research

Ottawa, Canada

The Ayatana Artists' Research Program, now known as Biophilium, is a Canadian artist residency focused on encouraging artists' engagement with wildlife, ecology, nature, and life sciences through thematic research expeditions, seminars, and workshops. It previously offered weeklong in-person stays with excursions to natural habitats, labs, and observatories near Ottawa, including housing and meals, but has shifted to two-week online study seminars. Connections are maintained with Ottawa institutions like the National Gallery of Canada and local universities.

BANFF

Banff, Alberta, Canada

The Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, located in the Canadian Rockies, is a renowned post-secondary institution offering programs in artistic disciplines, leadership, and mountain culture. It began in 1933 with a single drama course and has since grown into a global hub for arts and creativity. The Centre provides various programs, including Indigenous Leadership, thematic and self-directed residencies, and practicum programs for hands-on training. Key residencies cover diverse fields like Indigenous World Dance, Chamber Music and Opera, Indigenous Arts, Literary Journalism, and Visual Arts. The Centre is supported by the Government of Alberta, the Government of Canada, and private donors, functioning under Alberta's Post-Secondary Learning Act as a registered charity. Its mission is to advance creative potential, bringing together artists, leaders, and communities for collaborative and inspirational endeavors. The vision of the Centre is to be a catalyst for creativity and thought, fostering the realization of potential in a supportive environment. Situated on Sacred Buffalo Guardian Mountain, the Centre offers a unique setting that inspires participants to connect with their surroundings and each other.

BareneedStudios

Canada

Name of Residency: Sharon PippyArtist retreat and residency, bareneedstudios is located in Bareneed on the raw and natural Port de Grave Peninsula, a one hour drive west from St. Johns, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.The year-round dual studio space offers artists, curators and creative types a getaway from their everyday existence – an experience framed within a unique geographic and cultural context.bareneedstudios encourages cultural exchange through local, provincial, national and interna

Branscombe House Residency

Richmond, Canada

Branscombe House Artist Residency offers professional artists an 11-month live-in stay in a restored 1908 Edwardian house in Steveston, Richmond, BC. Rent is 100% subsidized for 22 hours/month of community-engaged programming. Open to all disciplines.

CASA

Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada

The Artist in Residence (AiR) program at Casa in Lethbridge, Alberta, offers a supportive and community-based atmosphere for artists from various disciplines and experience levels, including recent undergraduates. The program includes workshops, installations, open houses, and artist talks, fostering community engagement and new perspectives. Artists are provided with space free of charge and are encouraged to seek funding for travel, lodging, and per diems from granting agencies. Casa assists with public engagement opportunities and supports successful candidates in their grant applications. The application deadlines are January 15 and June 15 each year, with residencies scheduled between June and December or January and June of the following year. Casa is managed by the Allied Arts Council of Lethbridge, a non-profit arts organization and registered charity.

Centre des Arts Contemporains du Québec à Montréal

Montréal, Canada

No artist residency named 'Centre des Arts Contemporains du Québec à Montréal' exists based on available information; the closest match is 'Centre des Arts Contemporains du Québec à Sorel-Tracy' (CACQST), located in Sorel-Tracy, Quebec, which focuses on promotion, production, and diffusion of contemporary arts through exhibitions, events, and workshops. It appears the query may refer to this center, but it is not in Montréal and no specific residency program details are confirmed. Similar Montréal residencies include CALQ's Atelier-résidence à Montréal for Quebec artists outside the city, offering 6-month studio stays.

Conseil des Arts et des Lettres du Québec

MONTRÉAL, Canada

The Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec (CALQ) offers the Atelier-résidence à Montréal, a six-month program exclusively for Quebec artists and writers living outside Montreal, providing access to a studio in the city. In partnership with PHI Montréal, CALQ supports the Résidence artistique d'engagement public, also six months long, for one Montreal-based artist and one from elsewhere in Quebec to develop and present public engagement projects. These residencies include financial support, with the PHI program offering a 12,000 CAD stipend per artist and housing for the non-Montreal resident.

Fonderie Darling is a visual arts center in Montreal's Old Montreal that offers international artist residencies through its Open Access program, welcoming contemporary artists and curators of all nationalities for tailor-made residencies lasting one to six months in a 19th-century industrial complex. The residency includes access to live-in studios, common areas, technical workshops, and support for artistic development, networking, and promotion.

Drake Hotel

Toronto, Canada

The Drake Hotel in Toronto offers an Artist in Residency program that provides artists with accommodation to work in their chosen medium, often in public hotel spaces, fostering creativity and experimentation in a unique environment. The program has been a staple in Toronto's creative scene for years, hosting local, national, and international artists, and includes related offerings like the Artist Loft for touring performers. A sister program at Drake Devonshire in Prince Edward County features 2-3 night stays with food allowances during winter months.

Empire of Dirt Residency

Canada

Name of Residency: Marnie TempleEmpire of Dirt (EoD) prioritizes creating space for artists to connect with the land, community, and each other. EoD has grown out of a desire to create residency opportunities for artists experiencing reduced access to rural or non-urban spaces, in particular Black and Indigenous artists. Our annual programs include Black Artists Gather, Indigenous Arts, and Artist-Led Cohorts; these programs prioritize artists connecting with each other in a variety of ways, bot

Gallery 44

Toronto, ON, M5V 3A8, Canada

Gallery 44 Centre for Contemporary Photography is an artist-run centre in Toronto committed to supporting diverse approaches to photographic and image-based practices through exhibitions, education programs, and artistic production. The organization offers multiple residency opportunities including the Career Launcher program for OCAD U students and the Member-in-Residence program for current Gallery 44 members, providing access to production facilities, mentorship, and exhibition opportunities.

Gibraltar Point Centre for the Arts

Toronto, Canada

Gibraltar Point Centre for the Arts offers fully subsidized month-long residencies for professional artists on Toronto Islands, providing uninterrupted time to think, create, and experiment. The center hosts various residency types including self-directed programs, thematic residencies, and specialized programs like graduate research-creation residencies, accommodating up to 19 residents at a time.

Gushul Residency

Lethbridge, Canada

The Gushul Residency, owned by the University of Lethbridge and located in Blairmore, Alberta, provides private studio and living spaces in the Artist's Studio and Writer's Cottage for professional artists and writers amid the inspiring Crowsnest Pass landscape. Opened in 1988/1991 and managed by the Gushul Residency Program Committee, it hosts residents year-round on a competitive or rental basis, with durations typically from one to four months. Residents cover all fees, travel, and supplies, though select student prizes offer funded stays.

Hidden Creek Arts Centre

Nelson, Canada

The Hidden Creek Arts Centre, also known as The Narrows Artist Residency, offers retreat-style residencies at a sustainable eco-centre near Grohman Creek, a short boat ride from Nelson, BC, primarily for local artists in visual arts, creative writing, and music composition, though open to all career stages. Residencies typically last one week, providing shared housing, food allowances in some cases, boat transport, and access to a dedicated straw bale studio, with past recipients spanning visual arts, literary arts, performing arts, and theatre. The program emphasizes solitude and artistic development in a natural setting.

The International Writers' and Artists' Residency is a non-profit organization in Val-David, Quebec that offers residencies of one to six weeks to writers, poets, fiction writers, creative nonfiction writers, and visual artists. The residency provides a creative community with communal spaces and hosts biannual international festivals in May and October to facilitate global artistic collaboration and exchange.

Kingsbrae International Residency

St. Andrews, Canada

Kingsbrae International Residence for the Arts (KIRA), established in , is an artist residency program in St. Andrews, New Brunswick, Canada, that awards six artists multi-week residencies to foster creativity and promote excellence in the arts while benefiting the local community. Residents receive individual studio space, private housing on a historic seaside property, two daily meals prepared by an on-site chef, and a stipend, with requirements to engage the community through workshops, talks, or collaborations. The program supports diverse disciplines including visual arts, music/composition, writing, new media, and interdisciplinary arts, welcoming artists at all career levels with a collaborative attitude.

Klondike Institute of Art and Culture

Dawson, Canada

The Klondike Institute of Art and Culture (KIAC) Artist in Residence Program, founded in in partnership with Parks Canada, accommodates two artists at a time in historic Macaulay House in Dawson City for research, development, and production of new or ongoing work. It welcomes visual artists, media artists, interdisciplinary artists, and curators of all levels from Canada and internationally, providing free housing and studio space while requiring a public talk or open studio and possible community outreach. Participants cover their own travel, food, and materials, with no stipend or fees provided.

La Chambre Blanche

Québec, Canada

La Chambre Blanche is an artist-run centre in Québec City, Canada, founded in 1978, dedicated to promoting experimentation and dissemination in visual and digital arts, including performance, photography, installation, and new media practices. It offers research residencies and master's degree residencies to artists and curators, providing opportunities to explore artistic practice, production, and contemporary cultural issues in real and virtual spaces. The centre serves as a hub for artists, makers, and the community interested in visual arts and digital innovation.

Main & Station Nonesuch

Parrsboro, Canada

Main & Station Nonesuch is a privately funded artist residency program based in Parrsboro, Nova Scotia, and Montreal, Canada that encourages artistic activity, interdisciplinary collaboration, and community involvement. The program hosts 1-10 residents at a time (up to 6 in Parrsboro facilities) who are self-directed in their practice and expected to give artist talks, provide community arts programming, and participate in the life of the centre.

Ottawa School of Art

Canada

Name of Residency: Ottawa School of Art Residency ProgramThe Ottawa School of Art (OSA) established an artist residency program during its 135th anniversary. The residency program is located solely in the ByWard Market campus in downtown Ottawa. OSA has opened its specialized studios there for ceramics, printmaking & sculpture for use by resident artists during the schools regular hours of operation. OSA will accept a maximum of 2 artists per studio at any time during the year. We suggest that t

Ross Creek Centre for the Arts

Canning, Canada

The Ross Creek Centre for the Arts offers self-directed and project-based artist residencies in a rural Nova Scotia retreat setting, providing time, space, studios, accommodations, and meals to professional artists across disciplines like visual arts, writing, theatre, dance, film, music, performance, photography, and fibre arts. Residencies last 2 weeks to 4 months (typically 4-12 weeks), with options for community engagement, teaching workshops, or large-scale projects, and applications accepted year-round. The program emphasizes inspiration from the changing landscape and supports both individual and collaborative artists.

Studio H Canada

Canada

Name of Residency: Studio H multimedia & interdisciplinary artist residencyStudio H Canada collaborative art residency and exchange is hosted by Heidi Bergstrom in Metchosin, a stunningly beautiful rural municipality of Victoria, BC, Canada. Artists from around the world and Canada, in all disciplines and media, are invited to engage in collaborative projects or to develop new work on their own in this creative and inspiring setting. The vision of the Studio H Canada Art Residency program is to

The Herdsman House in Neubergthal

Canada

Name of Residency: The Herdsman House in NeubergthalWe accommodate year-round, self-directed, and self-funded individual residencies for up to 3 people, with the option to accommodate family, and negotiate financial limitations. The Herdsman House offers 2 bedrooms with writing desks, a bedstee, kitchen, living space, and 3 piece bathroom. Below the art studio of the residency owner, Margruite Krahn, there is a suite that includes a large bedroom, kitchenette, and private bathroom. Both spaces i

The Ou Gallery

Vancouver Island, Canada

The Ou Gallery is a gorgeous and intimate place to nurture your creative rest and renewal. Artists and writers have 24-hour access to their own designated studio in a 100 year-old boat-building workshop and a thoughtfully appointed private bedroom in a shared suite with a fully equipped kitchen and bathroom. Our Great Room, with its modern fireplace, original fir floors, 12’ ceilings and huge windows overlooking a creek fed by Mount Swuq'us (and frequented by herons and owls) is a perfect spot to unwind and connect with other creatives after a full day in the studio. Located in the Quw'ustun Valley, in the heart of Vancouver Island, a stunning, nature-filled place. Come here to decompress, gather new inspiration alongside like-minded artists and devote space and time to your work. There is no fee to apply. Residencies are two or four weeks long. See website for details: www.theougallery.com.

The Sointula Art Shed Residency

Sointula, Canada

The Sointula Art Shed is a small artist-run residency program established in in Sointula, British Columbia, Canada, offering a self-contained cottage and adjacent shed studio with a window gallery in a remote fishing village founded by Finnish socialist utopians. It welcomes writers, musicians, visual, and performing artists seeking quiet, nature access, and community engagement through workshops, open studios, and exhibitions. Residencies typically last 1-2 months at a cost of around $700-850 CAD, with no stipends provided but support for grants and local outreach opportunities.

THIRDSPACE Emerging Artist Intensive

Toronto, Canada

THIRDSPACE Emerging Artist Intensive is a month-long summer residency program at OCAD University in Toronto, Canada, designed for interdisciplinary emerging artists, including students, recent graduates, and early-career practitioners exploring new directions. Participants receive mentorship from a Toronto-based artist-in-residence, access to shared studios and specialized facilities, workshops, field trips, discussions, and culminate in a public exhibition at the OCAD U Graduate Gallery.

Toronto Artscape Inc.

Toronto, Canada

Toronto Artscape Inc. operates artist residency programs, most notably at Artscape Gibraltar Point on the Toronto Islands, offering affordable short-term studio and accommodation rentals for artists seeking focused creative work in a distraction-free environment. The organization is a not-for-profit that develops real estate projects, programs and services to empower artists and connect them to communities across Toronto.

Treehouse Artist Residency

Huntsville, Canada

Treehouse Artist Residency is an artist-run alternative studio and gallery located in Muskoka near Algonquin Park that supports independent and emerging artists in creating new networks. The residency provides studio and gallery spaces equipped with painting facilities, accommodations with four bedrooms, and access to the local arts community inspired by the Group of Seven legacy.

University of Victoria & Jeffrey Rubinoff Sculpture Park Artist Scholar Residency

Victoria, Canada

The University of Victoria & Jeffrey Rubinoff Sculpture Park Artist Scholar Residency is an annual program for artists and scholars to create work for exhibition or publication inspired by Jeffrey Rubinoff’s sculptures and the park experience, typically spanning 2-6 weeks in September-October at the Sculpture Park on Hornby Island, BC, plus one week at UVic in Victoria to engage with faculty and students.

Vacances Arts Nature

Quebec, Canada

Vacances Arts Nature is a summer arts school in Quebec, Canada, offering workshops and artist residencies focused on creation and transmission in a nature-surrounded setting. Residencies occur during the school year with durations of 4, 6, or 8 weeks, providing conditions for artists to learn, create, and discover.

Wild Rose Farm Artist Retreat

Canada

We offer a one week retreat at our eco-friendly organic farm. Artists can pursue their work, cultivating their creativity in direct contact with nature in a restful and beautiful setting. Working space is provided, and farm, nature and found objects are available to those who would like to make use of them with gratitude.Whether seeking inspiration, rest or just time to work in a rural and peaceful environment, this retreat offers all of these possibilities.There are only 4-6 spaces available at

Yukon Arts Centre

Whitehorse, Canada

The Yukon Arts Centre offers multiple artist residency programs for visual arts, performing arts, film, music, and literary arts. Programs include the Jenni House Artist Residency (June-October , one-month residencies with $1,000 CAD honorarium), the Kluane National Park Artist Residency (two-week residencies June-August with $3,000 CAD honorarium and accommodations), and the @YAC Residency for performing arts. Residencies serve artists from the Yukon, northern regions, and circumpolar countries.