Civic Engagement Artist Residency – Information and Submission Form

Pacific Opera Victoria is looking for two portfolio singers for an 8 week artistic residency (two virtual and six in person in Victoria BC) in the 2023.2024 seasons. This unique program evolved out of the Civic Artist Engagement Residency, an evolving program piloted over the last three years. You can learn more about past cohorts and the programs in person and digital works here.

The vision of the Artistic Residency at Pacific Opera Victoria

To connect with vocal artists who are developing or currently engaged in a portfolio practice. This practice may include traditional performances alongside with civic engagement work, arts administration activities, artistic producing and beyond.  Pacific Opera is committed to supporting artists in creating a practice that embraces all elements of who they are, that develops skills to increase the impact art making can have on society and that builds confidence and craftsmanship in the art of singing and opera performance.

A note from the program director:

Today’s singer is entering a very different professional world than singers at any other time.  Singers are now encouraged and valued not only for the craft they bring to performance on traditional stages, but also for the breadth of their personal practice that lives off the stage.  At Pacific Opera, we are excited and inspired by this development and are keen to invest in developing an artist residency that supports and celebrates a diverse artistic practice in the operatic field so that our stages of the future look like, sound like, and carry the stories of the communities we are from.

Rebecca Hass, Director of Engagement Programs and Partnerships

The focus of the residency this season is to offer our two resident artists a supported creative space to explore and learn through:

1. Training and delivering programs with Victoria’s diverse community with a focus on meaningful relationships with our community/place and partners
2. Working with and for local Indigenous community members to connect to this place and your personal reconciliation journey.
3. Creating a theatrical recital work through dynamic collaboration and visioning with skilled mentors.
4. Participating in Workshops and receiving mentorship in personal storytelling through text and song
5. Performing in traditional and non-traditional venues
6. Mentorship in digital reel creation for personal online storytelling
7. Exploring artistic administration opportunities and production skills. This will be structured in consultation with the artist. May include:

• Marketing your work
• Budgeting a project
• Project management
• Fundraising and grant writing
• Relationship development for self- directed work
• Mentorship directed towards building confidence and capacity for autonomy for an artist in traditional and non-traditional career paths in music

This is the residency for you if:

• You are civic minded, with a passion for, or a history of engagement in community spaces.
• You are exploring, or interested in exploring the operatic voice as a vessel for social comment and engagement.
• You are looking to stretch out of your comfort zone creatively.
• You are interested in connecting in a meaningful way with communities through art.
• You want to develop your creative and performance practice.
• You are looking for a space to create and work collaboratively with others.
• You are a Canadian citizen or you have landed immigrant status.
• You are between the ages of 22 and 40. Please indicate if you have recently completed a Master’s program in voice/opera.

Virtual Residency – November 27 to December 10,  2023.

What will you do during the virtual residency?

The program kicks off with a virtual residency. You will spend two weeks visioning the theatrical recital which will be programmed during your in person residency in May/June 2024.  Exploring who you are as an artist, and experimenting with all parts of yourself, you will be working with music mentors, musical and dramatic coaches. Other work in this time period will include mentoring in creating digital reels, creative living coaching and training in civic engagement, including working with Indigenous knowledge keepers.

In Person Residency –  April 22 to June 16, 2024.

What will you do during the in person residency?

Your in person residency is built to support a wide variety of creative opportunities for your personal and professional growth as a portfolio artist. It includes traditional stand and sing performance with more unique events that will connect art and our community.  Pacific Opera is invested in being of benefit to our local community and partners, and giving you the skills and confidence to take civic engagement work forward as part of your portfolio.

Events and performances anticipated during the residency

• Visiting local high schools in a mentorship capacity.
• Pop up opera in the parks and streets of Victoria.
• Theatrical recital featuring IBPOC compositions.
• Traditional recital programming for seniors centres.
• Storytelling reel creation for online sharing.

Coaching/ Mentorship

• Local community leaders will mentor you in creating a strong civic practice as an artist.
• Indigenous knowledge keepers and Elders will mentor you in respectful relationship building.
• Receiving guidance in both traditional music preparation/coaching and theatrical coaching.
• Mentorship from Pacific Opera Victoria staff in arts administration and production as agreed upon with the artist.

Applications will be reviewed with an emphasis on:

• Materials provided that reflect the artist’s portfolio practice.
• Preference given to those who identify as Indigenous, Black, People of Colour or from other marginalized communities.
• Previous experience as a singing artist, including traditional engagements, self-directed projects, and community centered work.
• Vocal ability.

To apply please provide the following:

• Current CV
• Headshot
• 150 word biography
• Video recording made in the last 12 months with 2 song selections. Please provide links. Do not upload videos
• Artist Statement: Tell us the story of your practice as a portfolio artist (focusing on work outside the traditional performance stream) The material is of your choosing that best represents your portfolio practice

This element can be structured in familiar ways:

• A link (five links maximum)  to an event you were part of or produced in community;
• Video storytelling, 4 minutes maximum
• Written description or essay- 2 page limit

Or in less familiar ways:

• Through visuals (collage etc.) movement or a sound piece. Should not exceed 4 minutes in time.

Pacific Opera Victoria is committed to upholding the values of equity, diversity, inclusion, reconciliation and environmental stewardship in our performing, learning and working environment. We recognize that we all share responsibility for creating an equitable, diverse and inclusive community.

Applications are due October 1, 2023, before midnight Pacific Time

Equity and non-Equity artists are eligible for this program.

This is a paid residency, and you will be engaged under an Actor’s Equity Contract

Please apply here:

The still on this page is from DADIMA, a Civic Engagement Video Recital by Simran Claire. To view it, please click the link below.

Return to the Civic Engagement Artist Residency

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