COLONY AND RESIDENCY FAQ
What is the difference between a colony and residency at Ross Creek?
At Ross Creek, we make a distinction between the two this way:
A Colony is an experience where the visiting artist wishes to work without reference to the Centre’s wider community. There is usually only one moment where they will be asked to interact with the public during their stay, if appropriate. The identified project for the artist is paramount and their complete focus.
A Residency is also art project based, but also provides many possibilities to interact with the community, as a teacher or mentor. Residencies see the artist engaging our community through programs developed in conjunction with our programming staff and administered by Ross Creek. We match artists’ interests and skills with the needs of our community to provide our rural community with the best possible experience. Sometimes, we accept residencies for a particular piece of art to be created at the Centre, especially large scale sculpture or garden works that can live in the landscape here.
How does one apply for a colony or residency?
Mail your completed application form and supporting materials to:
Colony Director,
Ross Creek Centre for the Arts
P.O Box 190, 555 Ross Creek Road
Canning, NS B0P 1H0
Canada
When are the deadlines for application?
All application materials must be postmarked on or before the deadline. If the deadline falls on a weekend or a holiday, application materials may be postmarked the next business day. Please note that the April Deadline is for the subsequent year. For instance if applying in April 2011, your application would apply to 2012 colony dates.
Application Deadline Residency Period
December 15 Sept 1 – Dec15
April 1 Jan. 10– June 30
for example: if you are interested in coming in September of 2015, your latest deadline would be December 15, 2014. We strongly encourage you to apply early however, so that if there are funding opporunties, you have time to realise them.
Applications must be postmarked on or before these deadlines in order to be considered by the jury.
Is there an application fee? Yes, there is a non-refundable fee of $25 CDN (or $20 US) (cheque or money-order)
Can I send my application electronically?
No, applications must be sent via regular post, and should include all required supporting materials in one package.
What should I include with my application?
Please review the materials checklist at the end of the application form for detailed information and review closely before you send your completed application. If any materials are missing or incomplete, the application will be considered incomplete and will not be reviewed by the jury.
How will I know if you have received my application?
We will notify you via email or postcard that your application has been received.
When will I be notified if I have been accepted?
Notification of results will be mailed out by January for the Fall Sessions and August for the Winter-Spring session.
What should I do if I do not have examples of my work for submission?
In order for an application to be reviewed on an equal basis, work samples in the form of images, text, or video must be included. Please review the application guidelines for further details.
How will I get my materials back?
Please send a self-addressed stamped envelope complete with appropriate Canadian postage or equivalent funds if you wish to have your materials returned. However, if you are accepted for a residency, we will hold your materials until you arrive.
Who is eligible for admission?
Eligible artists for the Colony are working at a professional level in their field, be they established or emerging artists. As a multi-disciplinary arts centre, we encourage artists of all disciplines and working in any and all mediums and forms of expression to apply. The Ross Creek Centre for the Arts does not discriminate in its programs or activities against anyone on the basis of age, race, sex, colour, physical ability, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or marital status.
If I am working in collaboration with someone, do we need to apply separately?
Artists who are working in collaboration need only include one Project Description, but should fill out separate application forms if it is their first time collaborating together, and include their own supporting materials. For those who have previously collaborated together, one application between the two is acceptable; however each applicant must submit their own résumé. In any case, all materials can be mailed together in one package.
Organizations such as dance troupes, small theatre groups and music ensembles applying for artistic group retreats will submit one application. Each member of the group must include their individual professional résumé as well.
Will the Ross Creek Centre for the Arts supply my equipment or other supplies and materials?
All equipment, materials and supplies are the responsibility of the artist and must be brought by the artist to the Centre. Ross Creek Centre for the Arts does not provide computer, audio-visual, or sound equipment, though in some cases we may be able to provide access to some woodshop tools or other items. Requests for access to equipment, supplies, or materials must be submitted in advance of the artist’s arrival at Ross Creek and are subject to availability. We will provide guidance for artists to purchase needed materials, but we are very rural, and what you may have easy access to in an urban setting may not be available here. Please check in advance of arrival.
Would there be other artists staying in the colony at the same time as me?
The occupancy of the artist colony varies, and you can generally expect that at least two or three artists will be staying in the colony at the same time as you. There is always a possibility that during your stay you would be residing in the farmhouse alone for a few days, either because the other artists are arriving or departing at different times or in some instances an artist may choose to participate in an individual artist residency.
If you have a need or preference with regards to living in the colony with other artists, please indicate this in your application and we will make every effort to accommodate your preference, however stated preferences do not guarantee actual occupancy numbers at the time of your residency. If you are applying to be a long term artist in residence, you must expect that you will have periods where you are the sole occupant of the Farmhouse for a few days.
Will I be provided with private accommodations and studio space?
Sleeping accommodations in the farmhouse are private, with shared bathroom, breakfast area, and living area. Available studio spaces are both shared and private, with different rates for each, and you should indicate your preference in your application.
Where is Ross Creek Centre for the Arts located?
The Centre is 1.5 hours from the Halifax International Airport, and is located on Ross Creek Road, which is on top of the North Mountain about 10 minutes drive from Canning, the nearest town. Situated on 186 acres of farm and forest in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley, the nearby towns provide a vibrant and supportive community for the Centre’s visiting artists, yet the Centre is secluded enough for a true retreat experience.
Do I need transportation?
If you are applying for a longer term residency, then yes. If you are a short term visiting artist (4-12 weeks), it is not necessary, though we do ask that you remember that we are isolated on a beautiful farm and that the local village is 6 km away. We have a few bicycles, and organize day trips for artists to local food producers (wineries and cheese houses) as well as to cultural places and provincial parks.
What are the basic expectations of a Colony or Residency artist?
Aside from the regular expectations of respect and professionalism, our expectation is that you will be available for one open studio day per colony, where the public is able to visit for a short period and see or hear the work in progress and meet you. If this is not possible for you, please outline that on the application form. We also ask that any work created at the centre, in whole or in part be given a mention (for instance any books have reference to being written in part at the Ross Creek Centre for the Arts, etc.) and a copy of anything widely produced (books, magazines, scores, video, or a catalogue from a resulting visual arts show, etc.) be given to the Centre’s library when available. Finally we ask that a current bio and picture be provided on signing of the colony contract to be used on our website and other materials. We may ask occasionally to take images of you working to promote the colony, if this is acceptable to you.
How does the food work?
We have a full time chef who prepares all the food on site. We endeavour to use local ingredients (in the spring, summer and fall, often coming from our own organic gardens) when possible, and to have a variety of different foods available. We generally get our meat from a local butcher who also makes his own sausages and smokes his own bacon. We provide three hot prepared breakfasts per week, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Otherwise a variety of breakfast foods are provided in the farmhouse for you to enjoy at your leisure. We ask that you tell the chef in advance if you will not be eating the hot breakfast in the centre. Lunch is brought to your studio, although you are welcome to eat with our staff and the other artists. Dinner is provided in individual dishes so you can eat it when prepared or reheat, depending on your work and schedule.
We can cater to most dietary preferences; though do not guarantee organic foods, especially if they are not locally produced. We have an extensive question sheet about food which you must submit when you sign your contract – otherwise we cannot guarantee that we can meet your food preferences. We encourage you to bring your own favourite snacks, especially if they are only available in your urban grocery. The Centre is a peanut free facility.
What is the Centre like?
The Centre is a dynamic multidisciplinary centre which has a great deal and range of activity. The Centre is relatively new, only opening officially in 2006, so there is still development of new programming and structures. The main building house most of the studios, though individual studios are steadily being built on the property (off the grid). Our organization has been in existence and offering programming since 1992, and has a strong connection to the community. We are working to be as green as we can, with new projects coming on line with solar power and solar hot water when possible. If you have a need for higher than normal electrical usage, please let us know – performing arts companies are generally in the main building, with theatrical lighting, etc. so it is not an issue. See our website for more information about the Centre’s history. We do have a cultural library with books on a variety of art topics, novels, etc.
The Grounds
The grounds include large organic gardens, walking and snowshoeing trails, some outdoor sculpture and a view over the Bay of Fundy, home of the highest tides in the world. Wildlife seen on the property includes deer, coyotes, bobcats, bald eagles, hawks, porcupines, groundhogs, turtles, waterfowl and herons. There are three ponds on the property, a large boat studio and a secluded summer camp area with cabins and solar showers, etc. for our arts camps. The nights are extremely dark here, with beautiful skies for star gazing. This can be new for artists used to urban life. The winters are cold and spectacular, with snow covered trees and frozen ponds. Artists from hot climates must have winter coats and boots and we encourage you to enjoy the experience! The spring and fall are lovely and mild, with the change of seasons very visible. Our property stretches down a vault, across which can be seen a whole forest which turns colour in the fall. Summer is hot, with the gardens exploding and heightened artistic activity, including live professional theatre performed outdoors.
The Community
We are close to a university town, Wolfville, home to Acadia U with a dynamic weekly market provided for by farmers from the agricultural valley and the community is home to many artists from around the world. There is a cinema multiplex as well as a film series of documentaries, independent and foreign films. We encourage you to visit websites from the Town of Wolfville Fundy Film, and Kings County to see more.
