GRIFFIN–SIMILKAMEEN RESIDENCY EXCHANCE
ANNOUNCING A NEW COLLABORATION WITH GRIFFIN ART PROJECTS
Griffin Art Projects (Griffin) and the Similkameen Artist Residency (SAR) are thrilled to announce the Griffin–Similkameen Residency Exchange Initiative which will take place in 2026. This Griffin–SAR Awards series provides professional development opportunities for Lower Mainland and Okanagan-based artists and curators. Built on awards which Griffin has been providing Lower Mainland artists since 2016, three visual arts residency opportunities in the Similkameen Valley and one curatorial residency in North Vancouver will be awarded in 2026.
The Emily Carr University MFA Graduate Award, North Shore Studio Award, and BIPOC Award will provide artists based in the Lower Mainland with a one month retreat at the Similkameen Artist Residency in Keremeos, BC in 2026. Awardees will be provided with access to a large and well-maintained semi-private studio space, a private bedroom, and shared communal spaces on a rural property nestled in the Similkameen Valley.
The Okanagan Curator Award will provide an Okanagan-based curator with a one month residency at Griffin Art Projects in North Vancouver in 2026. Along with private accommodations, Griffin will also provide the awardee with meaningful introductions to artists and curators within the Metro Vancouver area to advance their professional curatorial practice.
MORE INFORMATION & HOW TO APPLY
These award opportunities are intended for emerging, mid-career, or seasoned artists from across Canada and internationally. Griffin and SAR encourage applicants from a wide variety of disciplines and backgrounds, and are seeking artists with a BFA, MFA, or equivalent experience, who can demonstrate a strong and committed practice. As the residency is a communal environment, we welcome artists who value collaborative and community practices. Individual award eligibility is indicated in the information below and on the Application Form.
For any of the three artist residency awards, please see our FAQ for information about SAR’s program and facilities, and our 2026 Application Form to apply. There is a question on the form where you can self-nominate for any of those awards. If you have any questions or would like application assistance, please contact us at: info@simartres.com. The application process and materials required for the Okanagan Curator Award are outlined below.
Award winners will be notified by the end of 2025.
THE AWARDS
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THE AWARDS ~
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In partnership with Emily Carr University Art + Design (ECU), Griffin and SAR will present one residency award to an ECU MFA student graduating in 2026. This award recognizes the achievements of a distinguished student in ECU’s MFA program, alleviates the burden and costs of attending a residency, and provides community support as an emerging artist transitions to professional practice upon graduation. Past awardees have included Esteban Pérez (2021), Gemma Crowe (2022), Sidi Chen (2023), Caitlin ffrench (2024), and Boya Liang (2025).
Eligibility:
The applicant should anticipate graduating from ECU’s MFA program in 2026.
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NORTH SHORE STUDIO AWARD
Griffin Art Projects is committed to recognizing the achievements of our local arts community by supporting the work of artists living on the North Shore. We are pleased to announce a call for submissions for Griffin Art Project’s annual North Shore Studio Award, and are excited to facilitate a cross-regional exchange by partnering with SAR to host the awardee in the Similkameen.
Eligibility:
The applicant must reside in the Districts of North and West Vancouver, or the City of North Vancouver.
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In recognition that diverse voices build stronger arts communities, Griffin Art Projects and SAR are committed to provide a platform and material support for BIPOC artists. This award alleviates the burden and costs of attending a residency for a BIPOC artist, and provides material and community support through the Similkameen Artist Residency’s platform. This is a studio residency opportunity intended for artists living in the metro-Vancouver area.
Eligibility:
The applicant must reside in the Metro Vancouver area and be Black, Indigenous, or Racialized.
Awardees receive:
1 month of studio space and rent-free accommodation at SAR, scheduled according to the awardee’s availability
A materials stipend of $500
A travel stipend of $500
The opportunity for professional development and networking opportunities in the Okanagan, including artist talk and/or workshop opportunities, as applicable to the awardee’s interests and contingent on funding
Please Note: Award winners will be staying in the house with 1–3 additional individuals. A refundable deposit of $500 is required to commit to the residency once selected, which is returned at the end of an awardee’s residency if no damages have been found.
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Griffin Art Projects Society supports national and international exchanges and the development of artistic and curatorial practices, hosting visiting artists and cultural producers from the region and the world. Participants receive studio space, bedroom and access to shared kitchen, bathroom and washing/drying facilities, introductions to cultural producers and the local community, and a connection to audiences through scheduled visits and public presentations.
The Okanagan Curator Award is a collaboration between Similkameen Artist Residency and Griffin Art Projects; it will provide an emerging or established curator with one-month accommodations and networking opportunities in Vancouver with the support of Griffin’s extensive Metro Vancouver networks.
Eligibility:
The applicant must be a resident of the Okanagan (Similkameen-Okanagan, North Okanagan, Central Okanagan, or South Okanagan) and will ideally have a minimum of 1–3 years of experience with curation.
How to apply:
Rather than submitting via the Similkameen Artist Residency Application Form, applicants should indicate their interest by providing jurors with:
A letter of intent, outlining their research and why a residency with Griffin Art Projects would advance their curatorial practice;
A CV outlining relevant professional experience;
The names and email addresses of two professional references; and
The applicant’s requested residency dates.
The above should be sent to: info@simartres.com by November 30, 2025.
Accessibility:
Griffin’s main entrance is a non-automated door that opens out onto the sidewalk, with a width clearance of 32”, as well as a lip along the bottom of the threshold approximately ¼” tall.
The Okanagan Curator Awardee receives:
1 month of studio space and rent-free accommodation at Griffin Art Projects in North Vancouver
A materials stipend of $500
A travel stipend of $500
The opportunity for professional development and networking opportunities in the North Vancouver, as applicable to the awardee’s interests and based on funding
Please Note: The residency space (including a kitchen and bathroom facilities) is shared with two local artists. The visiting curator will stay onsite in a private bedroom.
Each Resident is responsible for keeping the studio and living space in good condition, within consideration of normal wear and tear. Communication between the Residents is important for maintaining a productive work space for each person.
ABOUT GRIFFIN AND SAR
Griffin Art Projects is a non-profit art residency and gallery established in 2015, and located in North Vancouver. Griffin has a history of supporting artists and curators in the production of new work through its residency program, and in creating new research on contemporary Canadian and international art, artists and art collections from around the world in its exhibition program. Griffin’s mandate is to share private collections with the public, which it delivers through solo and group projects and thematic exhibitions of works, collaborating with established cultural producers, guest curators, artists, writers and art educators in the region, nationally and locally. Griffin also produces public programs and publications on contemporary art in the region.
The Similkameen Artist Residency is a self-directed artist residency space in a renovated log house near the village of Keremeos (BC). Operations are managed by a long-term artist in residence. Artists are invited to apply for residencies up to three months, with up to four artists hosted at a time. This is a live/work setting that nurtures a balance between personal needs and mutual care. Established in 2021, SAR was developed in recognition of the significant value that residencies play in the development of artists’ lives.
TERRITORIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Griffin Art Projects is a non-profit art gallery and artist residency operating on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territories of the səl̓ilwətaɁɬtəməxʷ (Tsleil-Waututh) and Skwxwú7mesh-ulh Temíx̱w (Squamish).
The Similkameen Artist Residency's programming takes place on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the syilx Okanagan Nation. We ask visiting artists to be considerate to the land and to the Sməlqmix people who have tended to this place for centuries, and to treat these territories with care and respect.