Research and Creation Residency for Professional Puppeteers

Who is eligible to apply?

This residency is intended for individual puppeteers, collectives and professional organizations that practise traditional or contemporary forms of puppetry.

What are the program objectives?

The residencies were developed based on the following objectives:

• offer puppeteers in residence time to work and rehearse on a show being created, whether they are at the beginning, middle or end of their process
• support the creation of works by the Montréal puppetry community
• provide access to specialized MIAM spaces, equipment and resources
• provide access to a creative space located in the heart of nature at Le Schatz

What are the specifics?

Two recipients will be selected for this program, with one of the two residencies reserved for a project by artists from a minority group: Indigenous (First Nations, Métis or Inuit), racialized minorities or people from diverse ethnocultural communities. 

What type of assistance is provided?

The residency is a partnership between the Conseil des arts de Montréal and Casteliers, in collaboration with the Maison internationale des arts de la marionnette (MIAM) and Le Schatz.

Each creation residency includes:

• a $2,750 research and creation grant
• a flat-rate allowance to cover travel and living expenses at Le Schatz 
• exclusive use of the MIAM laboratory and access to the workshop and workbench
• exclusive use of Le Schatz (in Sutton) for five days 
• a safe workplace that complies with the CNESST standards
• 12 hours of technical support during the residency at MIAM
• a $250 budget for the purchase of materials 
• unlimited Internet access
• the possibility of presenting their residency project as part of the Prelude at the MIAM series

What is the duration of the support?

This is a one-time, non-recurring grant.

What types of projects are eligible?

Research and creation projects

What are the general eligibility criteria?

Individual artists

• Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
• Reside on the Island of Montréal
• Be recognized as a professional artist

Incorporated non-profit organizations on the Island of Montréal

• Be a non-profit organization or artists’ cooperative that pays no dividends
• Be based on the Island of Montréal
• Have a board of directors composed mainly of Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada
• Have the mandate to create, produce or disseminate art works

Professional requirements

• Possess a level of recognized and demonstrable competence
• Be directed by qualified individuals
• Have stable artistic direction
• Have presented activities of a recognized artistic quality
• Be staffed by professional artists and/or cultural workers

Artists’ collectives

• Have a designated member responsible for the application
• Be a group of artists, regardless of the number (minimum of two)
• Two thirds of its members must be artists with Canadian citizenship or permanent residence; the proportion of members of the collective residing outside Canada may not exceed one third
• The majority of the collective’s members (50% +1) must reside in one of the partnership cities, including the person responsible for the application
• Be composed of professional artists

When must the project be carried out?

The research and creation residencies will each last for seventeen (17) days. They will take place in two stages: twelve (12) days at the Maison internationale des arts de la marionnette (MIAM) in Montréal and five (5) days at Le Schatz in Sutton. 

These residences must be held at MIAM during one of the following three periods:  

• December 2 to 13, 2024 
• January 13 to 24, 2025  
• April 28 to May 9, 2025 

and at Le Schatz in October and November 2024, or March and April 2025. 

How many applications will be approved?

Two projects will be selected.

How can I submit an application?

Candidates must complete and submit the registration form on the Casteliers website. 

How are applications evaluated?

Applications will be evaluated by a selection committee composed of four individuals—one representative from Casteliers, Le Schatz and the Conseil des arts de Montréal, as well as one culturally diverse artist.

What are the evaluation criteria?

The applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• interest of the creation project 50% 
• artistic quality of the work of the candidate, collective or company 30% 
• feasibility and relevance of the project in the MIAM and Le Schatz 20% 

What is the response time?

The selection committee will release its decision in June 2024. 

How will the grant be paid?

The grant offered by the Conseil will be paid through Casteliers.

Commitments

Accepting payment of the grant constitutes, for the artist, organization or collective, an undertaking to complete the activities covered by the grant and to comply with the accompanying conditions.

The organization or collective agrees to:

• plan, in collaboration with Casteliers, when the residencies will take place at the MIAM and Le Schatz
• comply with the pre-established residency schedule and carry out their project as planned
• comply with the Public Health guidelines in effect
• prepare and send a brief report of its experience to Casteliers within 30 days of the end of the residence
• mention the support of the Conseil des arts de Montréal and Casteliers in the promotional tools for the show

In addition, organizations, collectives, artists and their representatives agree at all times not to communicate with members of the evaluation committees or members of the Council’s Board of Directors in any matter relating to the management, evaluation or decisions related to their application.  

The Conseil des arts de Montréal staff are available to answer questions about the application evaluation process and decisions.