Call to Artists

Application deadline: Sunday November 1, 2026

Applicants selected for residencies will be notified in early December 2026.

Gladstone House, built in 1889, is Toronto’s oldest operating hotel. For more than two decades, it has been a hub for art and creativity, with art by local artists in public and spaces and guest rooms.

The Art Studio at Gladstone House is a space for creativity and interaction. Located on the Studio Level of the hotel, the Art Studio is a bright, open, 480 square foot room with 3 spaces for resident artists. Since the program launched in 2021, we have hosted more than 50 artists in the studio.

The opportunity:

Gladstone House invites applications for short-term (3 month) visual art or craft residencies. Residencies are self-directed: the artists work on projects of their own choosing. Work may be tied to a project, including preparation for an exhibition or show/sale, or may be for portfolio/practice development.

There is no fee to use the space; see The Artist Commitment section for more information.

The artists have access to the Art Studio 7 days a week, from 7:00am to 11:00pm.

Term:

Applications are accepted for 3 month blocks, beginning January 4, 2027 through to the end of 2027. Blocks are:

• January 4 – March 31
• April 1 – June 30
• July 2 – September 30
• October 1 – December 31

The artist commitment:

In exchange for free use of the space, the artist is expected to:

• work in the studio at least 2 full days or 4 half days per week (Monday – Sunday, mornings, afternoons or evenings). The studio schedule is flexible, however the artist must commit to one regular half day for the duration of the residency (eg. Wednesday afternoon) so that the program can be promoted.
• work in the studio with the door open and engage with hotel guests who visit the space
• contribute to the arts programming of the hotel, by exhibiting work in one of the hotel’s public spaces or rooms, offering a workshop, or some other program or activation agreed upon with the curator, at a reduced fee or no fee. Exhibiting work does not necessarily immediately follow the residency, and if more than one work is exhibited, not all of it needs to have been produced during the residency.

The space:

Each artist space is approximately 11×6 feet, delineated by 2 tables (60×30 in and 72×30 in, arranged in a L-shape). A rolling, upholstered task chair is provided for each artist. The space is open – walls do not separate the artist spaces. Three raised worktables for common use are in the middle of the room. The Art Studio is well lit by overhead fluorescent and track lights. It has 3 windows on the west side, which receive light through window wells. The Art Studio is on the Studio Level, one floor below the main floor. It is accessible by stairs only.

Types of media suitable for the space:

The studio is an open space: practices that make regular use of dust-producing, noisy equipment are not a fit. Drills and other small power tools may be used from time to time but should not be a primary part of the artist’s practice. The studio does not have an industrial ventilation system – oil-based paints, turpentine, and varnishes are not permitted. Torches and burners are not permitted. Suitable visual art and craft media include:

• 2D work including drawing, painting (acrylic, tempera or watercolour only), collage, mixed media, illustration, block printing (water-based inks only)
• small scale sculpture (certain materials may not be a fit)
• textiles and fashion (sewing machines and irons are permitted)
• jewellery (wirework, beadwork)
• digital work

Gladstone House provides:

• 2 work tables (30×60 inches each)
• task chair
• cabinet
• 2 raised work tables in the centre of the room for all artists to use
• free WiFi. No access to computers and printers.

The artist provides:

• all materials and equipment
• this residency offers space only – accommodation and stipend are not provided

Criteria:

This opportunity is open to:

• Professional artists* at any career stage (must be at least 19 years old).
• Local artists – Gladstone House focuses on local and regional artists and we do not provide accommodation or transportation.
• Artists who do not have studio space outside their own homes.
• Artists who have not previously been Resident Artists at Gladstone House.

Gladstone House is committed to equity and diversity. Qualified applicants with diverse identities and lived experiences are encouraged to apply.

Artists who have previously participated in the Gladstone House Artist Residency Program are not eligible to apply. Artists who have other residencies scheduled are eligible to apply, as long as the timing does not conflict with the Gladstone House residency.

Artists are assessed on their work, statement, work plan, the fit of the work / materials / techniques to the space and hotel environment, the artist contribution, and the timeslots available.

* The Canada Council defines a professional artist as an artist who:

• has specialized training in the artistic field (not necessarily in academic institutions)
• is recognized as a professional by his or her peers (artists working in the same artistic tradition)
• is committed to devoting more time to artistic activity, if possible financially
• has [some] history of public presentation or publication [including exhibitions as part of post-secondary coursework or thesis]

Application materials:

Please include all the materials below in one (1) PDF (no more than 6MB in size). Do not attach photos separately or include responses in the body of your email. Email your PDF application with the subject 2027 Artist Residency Application to Lee Petrie, Curator at lpetrie@archivehospitality.com

• Artist bio. Tell us about yourself (max 100 words). Gladstone House encourages applications from artists with diverse identities and lived experiences. You may choose to share how you identify here. This information will be viewed by the Curator and will not be shared elsewhere without your consent.
• Artist statement. Tell us about your practice. What do you make? What is your work about? (max 100 words)
• Work plan. What do you plan to work on? What’s the outcome – an exhibition? Sale? Developing new ideas? A specific outcome isn’t required – we just want an idea of what you’ll be working on. (max 75 words)
• Artist contribution: would you be interested in showing your work at the hotel? Leading a workshop? Doing some other kind of activation? If you’re not sure, indicate “open to discussion.”
• Dates. When would you like to work here? Please provide a first choice and 2^nd choice of 3 month blocks of time (see the Term section for block options).
• 5 images of your work, or a link to your website. Include the title, media and dimensions of each work.
• Your website and/or Instagram for your art practice.
• How you heard about the call: Gladstone House Instagram or Facebook, Akimbo, word or mouth, other (let us know how).

We receive a large number of applications. Applications not submitted as a single PDF may not be considered.

For questions, or to request an alternate application format, please contact:
Lee Petrie, Curator, Archive Hospitality at lpetrie@archivehospitality.com
Applications are due by 11:00PM (EST) on Sunday November 1, 2026

Gladstone House
1214 Queen Street West
Toronto OA
M6J 1J6