Call for Submissions – Impressions Artist Residency

In collaboration with the Conseil des arts de Montréal

Submission Deadline: December 17, 2025

The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA), with the support of the Conseil des arts de Montréal (CAM), is launching a call for applications to its Impressions artist residency. For an eight-week period, from March 23 to May 15, 2026, the Museum will open its doors and its collection to a visual artist living in Montreal and belonging to a cultural community.

As one of the city’s leading cultural institutions, the MMFA is strongly committed to supporting original initiatives that offer emerging artists an opportunity for professional development.

A dialogue between the artist and the MMFA’s collection
The Impressions artist residency offers the participating artist special access to the Museum, its archives and its collection to carry out research for the development of a future artistic project. The MMFA is home to one of the largest and most wide-ranging collections in Canada. The artist in residence will bring forth an original perspective on this rich and varied collection, which spans several millennia and many territories throughout the world.

Who is eligible to apply
Solo visual artists who are first- or second-generation immigrants and members of an ethnic or visible minority, and who reside in Montreal.

The objectives
This program is designed to:

• Encourage research with a view to bringing new perspectives to the Museum’s collection.
• Inspire the participating artist’s practice through their exploration of the Museum’s collection.
• Foster the artist’s professional development by offering an opportunity to improve their skills in showcasing their artistic process.
• Provide the artist enhanced visibility among the Montreal artistic community.

Support provided
The selected artist will receive:

• A $9,000 grant, consisting of a $6,000 honorarium and a $3,000 allowance ($375 per week over eight weeks)
• Eight (8) hours of guidance from a Museum curator relating to their artistic approach to stimulate their reflection
• Access to the Museum’s archives and personalized support in developing their research methodology
• Unlimited access to the galleries during Museum opening hours
• Invitations to Museum events to provide opportunities to expand their network, meet new people and share ideas

Note: The support is offered exclusively during the eight-week period of the residency.

What constitutes an eligible project
A research project focused on an aspect of the MMFA’s collection.

General eligibility criteria

The Impressions residency is intended for individuals who meet all of the following eligibility criteria, set forth by the Conseil des arts de Montréal:

• Be a professional visual artist (painting, sculpture, video art, installation art, performance art, photography) who works independently, has completed basic training in the arts, and possesses a level of skill recognized by their peers. The professional artist creates, performs or publishes works that are exhibited or distributed. Their artistic practice is their primary occupation, and they are remunerated for the works they create;
• Be a solo artist who is a first- or second-generation immigrant and a member of an ethnic or visible minority
• Have less than seven (7) years of professional experience in Quebec
• Hold Canadian citizenship or permanent residency in Canada
• Have resided on the island of Montreal for at least one year

Specific eligibility criteria

• Demonstrated feasibility of the research project based on the artist having familiarized themselves with the Museum’s collection
• Availability during the established eight-week period of the residency
• Consent to undergo a background check
• Commitment to write a one-page report about their residency experience
• Commitment to give a talk presenting the results of the work carried out during the residency

Note: While the MMFA encourages the submission of a research project that will inform the artist’s future work, the completion of an artistic project during or after the residency is not an eligibility requirement.

Project period
The Impressions residency will take place from March 23 to May 15, 2026. These dates can be adjusted on the condition that both parties agree to the proposed date change. The Museum reserves the right to refuse a proposed date that conflicts with its activities timetable.

Number of selected applicants
Only one applicant will be accepted.

Exclusion criteria

Applicants

• Artists who do not meet all of the general and specific eligibility criteria
• Employees of the MMFA or the CAM, or immediate relatives of an MMFA or CAM employee
• Artists whose works are already held in the MMFA’s collection

Projects

• Research projects that entail on-site creation or production

Applications

• Incomplete applications
• Applications received after the deadline

Applications deemed ineligible will not be reviewed by the evaluation committee.

Selection criteria

• Originality of research project and approach
• Relevant link between the research project and the Museum’s collection
• Flexibility and autonomy of the candidate
• Understanding of the historical and artistic context of the MMFA’s collection
• The potential for the project to positively impact the candidate’s career, the expansion of the Museum’s audiences and the MMFA’s collection

What to include in the application

• Duly completed application form (online)
• An up-to-date résumé
• Ten (10) images of the artist’s works
• A brief biography and description of their artistic approach
• A letter of intent outlining the proposed research project, including its objectives and its relevance to the collection. The letter must also explain the relevance of the residency to the artist's work and the impact it would have on their practice.

The deadline for submitting applications is Wednesday, December 17, 2025.

Online Application

Application processing time
It will take up to nine (9) weeks from the submission deadline for the evaluation committee to process the applications and reach a decision.

For more information, please contact: appelresidence@mbamtl.org.

List of past laureates

• Karen Tam (2013-2014)
• Naghmeh Sharifi (2014-2015)
• Pansee Atta (2015-2016)
• Ari Bayuaji (2016-2017)
• Jobena Petonoquot (2017-2018)
• Leila Zelli (2018-2019)
• Nayla Dabaji (2019-2020)
• Ahreum Lee (2020-2021)
• Anahita Norouzi (2021-2022)
• Jinjoo Yang (2022-2023)
• Santiago Tamayo Soler (2023-2024)
• Lynn Kodeih (2024-2025)

About the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts

Founded in 1860, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA) has been built on the generosity of multiple generations of Montrealers. Its mission is to acquire, conserve, study, interpret and present significant works of art from around the world and from every era, in the hope that members of its community and all Museum visitors may benefit from the transformative powers of art. The MMFA’s collection showcases Quebec and Canadian heritage, Indigenous art and international art from a progressive and innovative perspective. It comprises some 47,000 paintings, sculptures, graphic artworks, photographs, multimedia installations and decorative art objects dating from antiquity to the present. The MMFA’s exhibitions and cultural programming aim to inspire new ways of looking at art and the history of art. As a hub of art, community and exchange and a pioneer in the provision of art therapy, the Museum collaborates with partners in the fields of community organization, education, health and technology to offer all audiences an enriching and transformative experience of art. Thus, through each of its projects, the MMFA continues to strive towards a more inclusive, accessible and just world.

About the Conseil des arts de Montréal

Offering a wide range of assistance, the Conseil des arts de Montréal identifies, supports and recognizes artistic innovation and creative expression in all their forms with a view to promoting Montréal artists and the organizations that create, produce and present art. Since 1956, the Conseil has been a unique catalyst for this artistic ecosystem, helping make Montréal a vibrant cultural metropolis.

¹ For an explanation of these terms, as defined by the Conseil des arts de Montréal, go to Cultural Diversity in the Arts