The 2SLGBTQ+ digital residency is back, and this time for WRITERS!

Brampton Arts Organization (BAO), formally known as The Arts, Culture and Creative Industry Development Agency (ACCIDA), supported by Allegra Tate Consulting, invites all page and/or spoken word poets, prose writers, novelists, screenwriters, playwrights and any other writer that identifies as part of the 2SLGBTQ+ (Two Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning+) community to apply to participate in the third iteration of this unique digital residency this fall—an opportunity to work on your writing, meet other queer and trans writers, and learn from each other, all virtually to be more accessible to community members. If you don’t see your practice listed above but feel you’d be a good fit, reach out to us to discuss further.

BAO recognizes that 2SLGBTQ+ people have a unique history in Canada, with the potential for reduced access to opportunities, education, and employment. This program hopes to remedy some of this, by providing funding and an opportunity to connect with other writers who may face similar barriers. Eight 2SLGBTQ+ writers will participate in a series of collaborative check-in sessions over the course of five weeks to support their development and the creation of brand new works that will be showcased in a collaborative zine, supported by Vide Press, and a launch event in the new year, as well as an accompanying social media campaign.

Participating writers will receive a one-time artist fee of $750 for their participation and the necessary materials and supports involved in the creation of new artworks.

Priority for this program is given to writers residing in Brampton; however, consideration will also be given to all Greater Toronto Area 2SLGBTQ+ Writers.

Note: Participating writers must be 18+ years old.

Full Program Dates

  • October 25, 2022 - Call Goes out
  • November 13, 2022 – Call to artists closes
  • November 15, 2022 – Selection Panel Meets
  • November 17, 2022 - Confirmation of acceptance due
  • November 21, 2022 - Optional Meet & Greet: Free tickets to How to Fail as a Pop Star by Vivek Shraya at the Rose Theatre (Meet at 7pm EST, show at 8pm EST)
  • November 24, 2022 - First Session (5:30 pm - 7 pm EST)
  • December 1, 2022 - Second Session (5:30 pm - 7 pm EST)
  • December 8, 2022 - Third Session (5:30 pm - 7 pm EST)
  • December 15, 2022 - Forth Session (5:30 pm - 7 pm EST)
  • January 5, 2022 – Fifth Session (5:30 pm - 7 pm EST)
  • January 26, 2023 - Launch of Zine & In-person Showcase, Springdale Library (7-8:30 pm EST)

Application Requirements

A complete application package must be submitted in a single PDF document via email to bao@brampton.ca and must include the following:

  • A short (one page maximum) description of what you are hoping to develop during the residency and how the residency will contribute to your personal artistic development in addition to a short description of your connection to Brampton if applicable.
  • An artist CV or statement of training or experience and brief artist biography (2 pages maximum). Note that we encourage applicants of all levels and experience.
  • A link to your artist website/online portfolio and/or social media accounts where we can view examples of your work. Alternatively, please provide 3 - 5 examples of your work either as part of the PDF package or via links to Vimeo or YouTube videos or online publications (e.g. literary magazines) featuring your work.
  • Voluntary—should you wish to do so, please self-identify as belonging to one of the groups detailed below:
    • Priority will be given to applicants who self-identify in their application as belonging to one (or more) of the following groups or intersecting marginalized identities in addition to 2SLGBTQ+ lived experience: BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour); Deaf Persons; Persons with Disabilities; Newcomers; and Persons Living with Mental Illness.

Participants will be chosen based on merit, impact, and viability as expressed in the proposal. Submissions will be reviewed by a panel of team members from BAO, Allegra Tate Consulting, and our guest facilitator, and will include those with lived experiences as members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community.

If you have any questions around the process or the project, please contact us at bao@brampton.ca.

Selection Panel

  • Allegra Morgado, Allegra Tate Consulting
  • Namitha Rathinappillai
  • BAO Staff

Note:  Writers are invited to create whatever content they wish that fits into their practice and the context of this residency. In relation to the zine and launch in January 2023, artists will be invited to share only content that is suitable and relevant for presentation to a public audience that is accessible to people of all ages and backgrounds. Where work may be publicly displayed (i.e. in published zine), content warnings will be made available should it be deemed necessary.

Deadline: November 13, 2022 at 11:59 pm EST

Application Accessibility Support

Applicants who require additional resources, assistance or time to apply are welcome to request as such. Please request this assistance at least one week in advance of the submission deadline. To do so, or for additional information, please contact bao@brampton.ca.

About the Facilitator:

Namitha Rathinappillai (she/they) is a queer, disabled, Tamil-Canadian artist. They are a workshop facilitator, organizer, and spoken word poet. She is currently based in Toronto, and was the first female and youngest director of Ottawa’s Urban Legends Poetry Collective (ULPC). They are a two-time Canadian Festival of Spoken Word (CFSW) team member with ULPC, and they published their first chapbook titled ‘Dirty Laundry’ with Battleaxe Press in November of 2018. In 2019, they won the RBC Youth Ottawa Spirit of the Capital Award for Arts and Culture. Currently, she works at BEING Studio as a digitial workshop facilitator, and at the Canadian Centre for Gender and Sexual Diversity (CCGSD) as the Youth Network Project Coordinator. You can find more at namitharathinappillai.com.

About Allegra Tate Consulting:

Allegra Tate Consulting is run by Allegra Morgado (she/her pronouns), an experienced worker in the non-profit and charitable sector with over five (5) years of experience supporting marginalized and underserved communities through volunteering and paid work. Her main focus over the past few years has been on 2SLGBTQ+ communities, supporting allies in learning about working with queer and trans community members, while also working to better the experience of 2SLGBTQ+ communities in the health and social service sector. Beyond her work, Allegra spends time writing poetry of her own, exploring her neighbourhood, and seeking out the best cup of coffee she can find. Allegra identifies as a queer, fat, white settler and loves the journey of learning and unlearning that comes with social justice work.

About the Brampton Arts Organization (BAO)

Brampton Arts Organization is a unique organization incubating under the City of Brampton focused on growing, celebrating, advocating for and connecting the sector through the provision of a range of programs, services and resources. We are a key partner in delivering the City’s ambitious vision for arts, culture and creative industries as articulated in the City’s strategic vision and culture Master Plan.

www.bramptonartsorg.ca

About Vide Press:

Vide Press is a Risograph print studio located in downtown Toronto. We take pride in custom jobs, high-quality results, and elevating the medium to an art. We specialize in producing publications and zines, posters and promotional materials, and work with some incredible artists, illustrators, designers, musicians, students, small press publishers, galleries and independent businesses across Canada.

Vide Press is owned and operated by musician and designer Quentin Mitchell. With nearly two decades of professional experience in the print industry, Quentin discovered Risograph in 2012 through local studio Paper Pusher, and founded Vide Press in 2016. Through Vide Press, Quentin has established himself as a vital member of the independent publishing and Risograph community and is proud to work closely with other Canadian Riso studios, such as Colour Code Printing in Toronto and Moniker Press in Vancouver.

Additional Information:

For additional information or questions, please contact: Katy Belshaw, Program Coordinator, Brampton Arts Organization, katherine.belshaw@brampton.ca.

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