Mobile Studio

Greetings,

My name is Sharon Hunter. I am honored to be newly hired as the Executive Director of 4Elements Living Arts. 

I am an artist and arts educator originally from Toronto, who moved to Attawapiskat in 2009 to teach art.  In 2012 I moved to the Algoma region. My art practice spans from urban to rural, and remote community environments, creating large scale murals. Works are resonant and layered community-engaged stories. 

In my role with 4Elements I am excited to be working together with communities on Manitoulin. This year along with the Elemental Festival held each year at the end of September, we have exciting ventures to share with you all.

We are currently inviting artists to apply for the open call to the Mobile Studio Artist Residencies, and the juried submissions to the Indigenous Artist Residency. 

As you are considering your submissions, I invite you to reach out to me with a phone call and or email to connect, answer your questions, and hear your thoughts on your residency submissions. 


Sharon Hunter
4elements Living Arts
Executive Director
execdirector@4elementslivingarts.org
705-282-0444
819-855-5424

4elements Living Arts – Artist Residency application

Welcome to 4Elements Mobile Studio located on beautiful Mnidoo Mnising/Manitoulin Island.  Our mobile studio has hosted several artists over the past years and is currently nestled in a secluded forest setting on the property of community folks located in Kagawong area.

4elements Living Arts is a non-profit corporation on Manitoulin Island, dedicated to community engagement in land-based arts. We create and offer opportunities for site-specific land art, using found and natural materials to connect and facilitate discussions about environment, land, histories, and cultural relationships. Given our community-based mandate, our programs are designed to be accessible to people of all ages, economic backgrounds and cultural knowledges. 4elements has a commitment to nurturing space for artists to create, be inspired, and engage. 4elements Living Arts has built on a foundation of community engagement over many years, continuing to bridge the distance between artists and communities in ways that take land and place into account.

The Artist Residency is open to artists at any stage of their career, practicing in any medium of expression. A link to land, location or place is part of what makes artists a fit with 4elements living arts. During your residency, this is your time to delve into a current project or explore a new work connecting with 4Elements philosophies and Land based vision. As part of your residency, 4elements would be interested in arranging community-engaged workshop/s linked to your project. The design and location of these workshops can be discussed —4elements would work with you to arrange these events.

As an artist connected to the Mobile Studio, you will also have an opportunity to present or exhibit at the annual Elemental Festival, which occurs September 23-24, 2023. Elemental Festival is a recurring annual offering that celebrates arts and culture on Manitoulin Island, with a blend of performances, exhibits, and workshops by local artists, musicians, and others who have engaged with 4elements Living Arts through the preceding year – including the artist in residence! The objective of the Festival is to provide a showcase for artists working in land- and place-based media, reducing their distance from audiences, and linking to community in meaningful ways. Many of the festival’s experiences take place outdoors, in Kagawong, a community well-known for its natural beauty. All events are offered for free to the public over the two-day festival.

Here are a few things to know as you consider applying for this residency. The mobile studio is rustic – it’s like camping. It is off-grid, with solar panels which charge a battery. There is a bathroom with a composting toilet but no shower. A running water supply is available, powered by a pump running off the battery. Food refrigeration isn’t available in the mobile studio — a cooler and ice packs will be the refrigeration option. There isn’t a generator back up. Cooking is outdoors with a Coleman stove we provide.  With the solar panels when the sun is out-you will have a fully charged battery for plug in needs. If possible, to conserve your energy usage consider charging your phone and other chargeable devices during the day.

You are responsible for travel to the site, and your food while at the residency.

4Elements Mobile Studio accepts applications all year around and is subject to weather and other unforeseeable conditions which could change your residency date preferences.

We do our very best to accommodate your residency requests and kindly ask you to give us a first, second, third stay requests. This helps us navigate and secure your residency spot/s.

Please carefully read over our submission guidelines and reach out to Sharon Hunter, Executive Director execdirector@4elementslivingarts.org  if you have any questions or with your submission. 

Terms

>artist/s are responsible for their own expenses, travel, accommodation, food, studio materials

>Cost per month is $850/month, or $425 for a two-week residency

>Upon acceptance and confirmation of your residency a 10% deposit fee is required by e-transfer.

 >Deposit goes towards your Mobile Studio rent and is refundable only two-weeks prior to your residency. 

>Cancellation: after the two-week period your 10% deposit unfortunately is non-refundable

>Financial assistance: We offer sliding scale packages. Please contact Sharon Hunter, Executive Director to map a best fit non-barrier financial support for you.   execdirector@4elementslivingarts.org

Applications for residencies are reviewed as they are received.

Include in your application the following:

>Artist CV and Bio

>Completed application questions

1. Tell us about you, we would love to know about your art practice!!
2. Tell us what draws you to 4Elements Mobile Studio.
3. What is your creative plan during your residency?
4. How will community members be engaged in your project?
5. What materials do you need for your community engagement?
6. Name your preference for dates and durations for your residency.
7. Do you have any specific needs and accommodations we need to know?
8. Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

Mobile Studio

Our mobile studio is finally complete and ready to welcome artists to Manitoulin Island! This compact, moveable, off-grid studio is built to accommodate one, or two very close, artists for stays of one week or more. We hope that the mobile studio will be a live/work space for artist residencies, allowing artists to spend a period of time immersed in a location to do land-based work.

Artist Residencies

Contact us below: