International Artist Residency Program

The Vancouver Biennale’s International Artist Residency Program supports emerging contemporary artists at pivotal moments in their careers, offering a platform and resources to develop ambitious, site-responsive projects that engage deeply with place, community, and public space. Artists arrive without a preconceived project and are encouraged to push their practice beyond gallery contexts to create new work inspired by their time in Vancouver—projects that connect with a broad and diverse public across the region. In addition to these program goals, the Residency Program serves as an incubator for potential future commissions within the Vancouver Biennale’s 0pen-air exhibitions.

The Biennale is committed to helping artists expand their international reach by offering mentorship, production assistance, and strategic support that connects them to resources, institutions, and global networks. Artists benefit from shared studio and living spaces, collaborative exchange, and opportunities for visibility through exhibitions, media coverage, and participation in the Biennale’s thriving alumni network. Each residency includes integration into the BIG IDEAS education program, public events, and access to workshops and master classes.

While prioritizing socially engaged practices, cross-cultural exchanges, and artistic responses to the urban, ecological, and cultural contexts of the region, the program reflects the Biennale’s core mandate: to exhibit great art in public space and use it as a catalyst for learning, community engagement, dialogue, and social action where we live, work, play, and transit.

The 2025 program will take place from April through November.