ABOUT OBORO

Mandate

OBORO is an artist-run centre that supports creation in various cultural practices; its mandate is to encourage innovation, experimentation, the exchange of ideas and the sharing of knowledge to contribute to a culture of peace.

Vision

OBORO is a key organization, a leader in the arts and technology sector in Montreal. Through its work, the organization has a singular and profound impact on the careers of artists and on the artistic community in general.

Field of action

OBORO supports the development of art practices locally, nationally and internationally. OBORO’s sphere of activity encompasses visual and media arts, performing arts, new technologies and emerging practices.

COMPOSITION AND ROLE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, AND COMMITMENT

The Board of Directors is composed of 7 members, whose mandate is for two (2) years, renewable four (4) times. The Board is the guarantor of the organization’s mandate and mission.

The Board of Directors usually holds six to eight meetings per year and a one-day strategic planning meeting. Board meetings are generally held in the early evening.

In addition, OBORO’s Board members are invited, based on their interests and expertise, to sit on one of the organization’s committees.

About 2 hours of meeting and preparation time are required for each Board meeting.

HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

To apply, please send an application to Marianne Breton, Executive Director, at the address marianne@oboro.net, with the subject line Application – OBORO Board of Directors, by Sunday, May 29, 2022.  

Your application package must absolutely include:

Two documents:

• Professional CV (maximum 3 pages)

• A letter explaining your motivation to serve on OBORO’s Board (200 words maximum)

SELECTION PROCESS

The Board of Directors will select the candidate. There will be no public election as the new member will be co-opted during the fiscal year.

The selection will be based on the following criteria:

• Relevance of the candidate’s experience;

• Motivation to participate in the activities of the Board;

• Adherence to OBORO’s mission and values;

• Demonstration of commitment, collaboration and integrity.

We thank all candidates for their interest in OBORO and will follow up with each one at the end of the process.

This call only pertains to residencies. Currently, we do not have an open call for exhibitions or special projects.

The link to the online submission portal can be found further down on this page.

OBORO particularly encourages Indigenous and culturally diverse artists and curators, as well as members of equity-seeking groups and under-represented communities to submit a residency proposal. Submissions will be evaluated on the basis of artistic merit, coherence with OBORO’s mission and mandate, ecological impact, as well as feasibility in relation to technical and human resources available. OBORO seeks to support artists who are parents by researching childcare options and offering financial help whenever possible. If, for reasons pertaining to equity, you wish to submit your proposal in an alternate format, please contact us in order to make arrangements.

Information about venue accessibility.

OBORO invites artists, artist collectives and curators in visual arts, media and digital arts or interdisciplinary practices to propose residency projects for a duration of 4 weeks. These residencies will take place between the fall of 2022 through to the end of 2023. Your residency project may also include a suggestion for a public event (talk, workshop, master class, mediation activity, etc.).

We are interested in innovative practices that offer a contemporary perspective on the issues facing us as individuals, as a society and as artists. OBORO’s mandate is to support creation in various cultural practices and to encourage innovation, experimentation, the exchanging of ideas and the sharing of knowledge. OBORO’s objective is to promote awareness and dialogue within the art world and society at large, and to contribute to a culture of peace.

CONDITIONS OF SUPPORT:

• Residency fee: : $515 per week •- Residency fee: : $515 per week

• Access to OBORO’s spaces and specialized equipment, upon prior reservation and subject to availability. (Details of our equipment can be found here.

• Access to specialized technical advice for media-based projects. (OBORO offers a limited number of hours of training so that artists can be autonomous with our equipment. Beyond this, the artist is responsible for hiring a specialized technician if needed)

• Artistic accompaniment

• Promotion of the activity in accordance with OBORO’s standard communications practices

HOW TO SUBMIT A PROPOSAL:

You must submit your application through the FOLLOWING FORM. Please note that it is not possible to save a draft of your form.

For questions pertaining to the online submission process, contact the Front Desk at 514 844-3250 or email at oboro@oboro.net. If, for reasons pertaining to equity, you wish to submit your proposal in an alternate format, please contact us in order to make arrangements.

Before completing the submission form, make sure you have prepared the following items:

• An artist statement (maximum 250 words)

• A detailed artistic and technological description of the project (max. 400 words)

• A short biography indicating your training, recent exhibitions, prizes received, etc. (maximum 150 words)

• A list of technical requirements for the presentation of the artworks, specifying what will be provided by the artists and what would be expected of OBORO. (See our current equipment list)

• Web links for support material: a maximum of 10 images and/or up to 5 minutes of video or audio material. For each item, specify the name of the artist, title of work, media year and duration. Furnish passwords if necessary.

SELECTION PROCESS AND CALENDAR:

OBORO has an artistic programming committee composed of members from the board of directors (who have an active practice in creation, research, writing or curating), as well as members of OBORO’s team and directors. The committee meets to examine the proposals received for the centre’s various programs, and to consider the centre’s overall artistic direction. On an ad hoc basis, the committee invites artists and curators from the art community to take part in the discussions. Members of OBORO’s team are also called upon to play an active role in selecting certain projects, evaluating their feasibility and interest relative to a joint overall vision. All of OBORO’s employees have an artistic practice, and the diversity of their interests and expertise contributes to the energy and vitality of the centre’s programming activities.

Unless a specific agreement has been made, only applications submitted via the online form will be considered. Incomplete applications will not be processed.

Artists and curators whose projects have been selected will receive a response within 2 months of the submission deadline. Due to the volume of submissions, we regret that we are unable to provide personalized feedback on unsuccessful projects.

In addition to its regular programming, pending the availability of resources, OBORO welcomes within its facilities presentation activities (launches, concerts, performances and other events) by artists and cultural organisations.

Assistance to presentation activities takes the form of access to equipment and services of the New Media Lab at reduced rates. This program is dedicated to supporting not-for-profit projects that are in accordance with OBORO’s mandate.

Interested individuals or organisations must send a package including the following information:

— an artistic description of the project
— a completed production activities requisition form (download the form)
— biographical information on the person(s) involved
— audiovisual support material

Requests related to this program may be submitted at any time between September 1^st and May 31^st. Results are generally provided within 6 weeks.

For more information, please contact the Lab Services Coordinator:
lab@oboro.net
(514) 844-3250, extension 230.

Production assistance is provided in the form of access to equipment and services from the New Media Lab at a reduced rate to user members of the New Media Lab (artists or independent producers) for non commercial projects only. Candidates must provide precise information as to the reasons and context that justify their request (for example the difficulty of obtaining financing, first large scale project, sudden unexpected situation, etc.).

Besides completing the Production activities requisition form (download the form), requests must include an artistic and technological description of the project and biographical information about the participants.

Applications for the production assistance may be submitted at any time. Answers are generally given a few weeks after submitting the proposal.

For more information, please contact OBORO’s New Media Lab access coordinator:
lab@oboro.net
514-844-3250 ext 230

This call is now closed.

OBORO particularly encourages Indigenous and culturally diverse artists and curators, as well as members of equity-seeking groups and under-represented communities to submit an exhibition proposal. Submissions will be evaluated on the basis of artistic merit, coherence with OBORO’s mission and mandate, ecological impact, and feasibility. OBORO seeks to support artists who are parents by researching childcare options and offering financial help whenever possible. If, for reasons pertaining to equity, you wish to submit your proposal in an alternate format, please contact us in order to make arrangements.

Download a gallery plan. Please note that our gallery walls must mostly remain white and that no additional walls will be built for an exhibition.

Information about venue accessibility.

OBORO invites artists, artist collectives and curators in visual arts, media and digital arts or interdisciplinary practices to propose exhibition projects to be presented between Fall 2022 through to the end of 2023. We are interested in innovative practices that offer a contemporary perspective on the issues facing us as individuals, as a society and as artists. OBORO’s mandate is to support creation in various cultural practices and to encourage innovation, experimentation, the exchanging of ideas and the sharing of knowledge. OBORO’s objective is to promote awareness and dialogue within the art world and society at large, and to contribute to a culture of peace.

Your project can also include a performance or a proposal for a public event (guided visit, artist talk, workshop, master class, cultural mediation activity, etc.).

Our regular installation period varies between 5 and 10 days, with up to 35 hours of assistance from our technicians. Please note that OBORO is not able to support the production of the works that will be exhibited. Therefore, the works must already be completed and ready to exhibit at the time of installation.

Conditions of Support for Exhibitions:

-Exhibition rights: $2,880 for a 5-week solo exhibition

-Exhibition install fee: up to a maximum of $400
-Materials budget for install and take-down: up to $500
-A contribution of up to $1,000 towards the artist’s travel fees.*

-A contribution of up to $800 to cover the return transportation of artworks or equipment.*

* Projects for which travel fees and expenses for the transportation of artworks exceed these amounts will need to secure external supplementary funding.

-For artists living outside Montreal: accommodation, a per diem of $40 (for stays of 7 days or less) or $25 (for 8 days or more). (The standard stay includes the week of the installation and up to 2 days following the opening.)
-Up to 35 hours of installation and take-down technical support from our technicians. Artists and/or curators must be present during the install.

– Access to specialized technical advice for media-based projects. However, our participation is limited to consultation, and depends on the availability of our researchers. It cannot extend to the production of works.

-Promotion of the event in accordance with OBORO’s standard communications practices

-Professional photographic documentation of the exhibition (the artist will receive a set of digital images)

-Access to the following equipment free of charge:

-Up to 4 Mac Mini computers
-Up to 4 multimedia projectors (2 x HD, 2 x 4K)

-Up to 4 HD multimedia monitors (40”)

-Up to 2 4K multimedia monitors (50”)

-Up to 2 Matrox TripleHead2Go display ports
-6 amplified speakers with wall mounts or C-clamps for the ceiling
-3 audio mixers with 4 or 10 entries
-1 digital audio multichannel interface

-1 subwoofer

-4 headphones

-1 4-channel headphone amplifier

OBORO’s team reviews each selected proposal jointly with the artist in order to determine the options that will give the work optimal dissemination. However, any required equipment that goes beyond OBORO’s resources will need to be provided by the artist or other collaborators. Artists requiring supplementary equipment for the presentation of their exhibition will receive a 40% discount on the current member rates at the New Media Lab. If you have questions about the technical feasibility of your exhibition proposal, please contact lab@oboro.net at least 2 weeks prior to the submission deadline.

How to Submit a Proposal:

You must submit your application through a form. Please note that it is not possible to save a draft of your form.

For questions pertaining to the online submission process, contact the Front Desk at 514 844-3250 or email oboro@oboro.net. If, for reasons pertaining to equity, you wish to submit your proposal in an alternate format, please contact us in order to make arrangements.

Before completing the submission form, make sure you have prepared the following items:

– An artist statement (maximum 250 words)

– A detailed artistic and technological description of the project (max. 400 words)

– A short biography indicating your training, recent exhibitions, prizes received, etc. (maximum 150 words)

– A list of technical requirements for the presentation of the artworks, specifying what will be provided by the artists and what would be expected of OBORO. (See https://www.oboro.net/fr/page/tarifs for our current equipment list)

– A detailed budget indicating anticipated expenses and how they will be covered if they exceed OBORO’s means (transportation costs, materials, rentals, etc.).

– Web links for support material: up to 8 minutes of video or audio material and a maximum of 10 images. For each item, specify the name of the artist, title of work, media year and duration.

Selection Process and Calendar:

OBORO has an artistic programming committee composed of members from the board of directors (who have an active practice in creation, research, writing or curating), as well as members of OBORO’s team and directors. The committee meets to examine the proposals received for the centre’s various programs, and to consider the centre’s overall artistic direction. On an ad hoc basis, the committee invites artists and curators from the art community to take part in the discussions. Members of OBORO’s team are also called upon to play an active role in selecting certain projects, evaluating their feasibility and interest relative to a joint overall vision. All of OBORO’s employees have an artistic practice, and the diversity of their interests and expertise contributes to the energy and vitality of the centre’s programming activities.

Unless a specific agreement has been made, only applications submitted via the online form will be considered. Incomplete applications will not be processed.

Artists and curators whose projects have been selected will receive a response within 4 months of the submission deadline. Due to the volume of submissions, we regret that we are unable to provide personalized feedback on unsuccessful projects.

This call is now closed.

Interval is a short-term artist residency program in digital media set up by Festival Accès Asie and OBORO, creative partners since 1999, to produce and present an artwork. Interval’s goal is to support a local artist from the Asian community in the development and dissemination of a new media art project, which may take the form of an installation, a performance, or a public presentation (in person or online). The selected artist will receive an artist fee and a production budget. They will also benefit from OBORO’s support in the development of their artwork, thanks to an access to studios and equipment for up to 5 days, as well as occasional assistance from the New Media Lab’s team. Applicants must reside in the greater Montreal area. The selected project will be presented once, on May 14, 2022, as part of OBORO’s programming during Festival Accès Asie.  

Founded in 1995, Festival Accès Asie promotes Asian arts, cultures and histories through a diversity of artistic disciplines including the visual arts, dance, theatre, video, film, music, literature, performance, new media and culinary arts. The Festival presents events that feature artists of Asian origin and artists whose work is inspired by Asian arts, cultures and histories.

Founded in 1982 with the conviction that transcultural artistic experiences contribute to the betterment of humankind, OBORO fosters the development of art practices locally, nationally and internationally. OBORO’s sphere of activity encompasses visual and media arts, performing arts, new technologies and emerging practices.

Eligibility criteria, the following projects are eligible:

– Projects that are already in progress or that have been presented in contexts other than OBORO or Festival Accès Asie

– Projects in development that require only a short production period

– Installations, performances, video, new artistic practices, digital art, music, sound art or live art practices.

The following projects are not eligible:

– Projects led by artists residing outside of the greater Montreal area

– Research-creation projects

– Projects already presented at OBORO or Festival Accès Asie

– Projects requiring more than 5 days of production or one day of presentation

Applications may only be submitted electronically by email at oboro@oboro.net with the subject line mentioning “Proposal for Interval 2022.” You may include links for supporting material (WeTransfer, Dropbox, Vimeo, YouTube, etc.)

Your submission must include :

– A short artist biography* (150 words)

– An artist statement (maximum 250 words) outlining your areas of interest

– An artist CV or a profile highlighting recent works (maximum 3 pages)

– A short project summary (250 words)

– A project description (max 1.5 pages) that indicates how this project contributes to your artistic practice. Please indicate the stages of development that are already accomplished, and make a detailed list of your needs (e.g., access to a filming studio with cameras — specify whether you are proficient in using them or whether you need technical support, etc.) **

– A portfolio of past projects or project sketches (maximum 10 images, or a 10-minute video), if available.

* Artist collectives are welcome, however the conditions offered remain the same.
** The list of available equipment can be found on OBORO’s website.

Conditions offered:

– Artist (or artist collectives*) fee of $ 1,000 for production and presentation

– Contribution up to $ 500 for materials, equipment rental, or to hire human resources that may not be available at OBORO but are necessary to the performance (with supporting bills or invoices)

– Access to a work studio and equipment for up to 5 days (consecutive or not) in the week preceding the presentation

– Access to OBORO’s studios and equipment for the presentation

– Occasional support from members of the New Media Lab team

– The promotion and documentation of the event.

* Any fees for the artist(s)’s collaborators are not covered by OBORO. All other costs related to the production or presentation of the project are the responsibility of the artist and/or the producer of the project.

Previous recipients of the Interval residency:

2021: An-Laurence Higgins

2019 : Marites Carino

2018 : Chittakone Thirakul (Hazy Montagne Mystique)

2017 : Yen-Chao Lin

2015 : Cheryl Sim

2014 : Khadija Baker

2013 : Ila Firouzabadi et Payam Mofidi

2012 : Parker Mah