Call for Applications
Application period: May 4–June 14, 2026
Residency period: September 2026–April 2027
Darkroom location: Hart House, 7 Hart House Cir, Toronto, ON M5S 3H3
Websites:
https://harthouse.ca/art-residencies
www.harthousecameraclub.ca
About the Hart House Camera Club
Founded in 1919, the Hart House Camera Club (HHCC) is one of North America’s oldest student photography clubs. HHCC embraces accessible and equal opportunities for learning by opening membership to all. No prior experience or portfolio is needed. HHCC’s mission is to help people understand photography as a powerful communication tool and help our members improve and deepen their photography skills by providing various programs including Photo Walks, Critical Salons, Open Studio, artist talks, presentations and more hands-on opportunities for exploring photography. We also offer workshops on darkroom processes, from beginner to advanced.
Our Darkroom offers chemicals and tools for members to develop black-and-white film and create prints from negatives. Our Digital Suite is used for scanning negatives and photo editing. The Suite has a scanner which can accommodate most negative types and access to Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop for image editing.
About the Darkroom Art Residency
The HHCC Darkroom Art Residency is an opportunity for an emerging photographer or artist, including students, based in the Greater Toronto Area to develop a new body of work from September 2026 to April 2027. The work developed during the residency should introduce innovative and explorative darkroom techniques. Previous HHCC Darkroom Artists-in-Residence include Masoud Riyazati, Dainesha Nugent-Palache, Teresa Hulinska and Michael Chambers.
The successful applicant will receive:
- Full HHCC membership with access to:
- the HHCC darkroom, equipment and supplies (except when booked for workshops, curator hours, etc.
- HHCC digital suite (except when booked for curator hours)
- HHCC workshops and events
- Stipend for expense reimbursement up to the value of $1,000 for the use of special chemicals, paper and equipment for film processing and printing in the darkroom
- Honorarium in the value of $2,000
- Solo exhibition and artist talk at the end of the residency, as part of the Talking Walls Exhibition Space
- Promotion through the Hart House website, mailing list and social media coordinated by the Hart House Marketing and Communications team, with additional promotion on the HHCC channels
Darkroom Artist-in-Residence’s responsibilities include:
- Completing orientation and health and safety training
- Commitment of up to one hour per week for Darkroom Artist-in-Residence Open Hours, an opportunity for interaction with club members, informal knowledge sharing and community building
- Bi-weekly check-ins with Hart House staff
- Facilitating one, three-hour workshop introducing Artist-in-Residence’s project and photographic and darkroom practice to HHCC members
Out-of-town Artists-in-Residence are responsible for securing transportation to Hart House and accommodation in Toronto if needed. Hart House will assist the selected applicant in securing residency funding through their local art councils by providing an official invitation letter.
Artwork developed during the residency remains the property of Artist-in-Residence. Artist-in-Residence will make available a selection of 5-10 high quality digital copies of the images developed during the residency program for archival and communications purposes.
Application Requirements
Applicants for the HHCC Darkroom Artist-in-Residence must:
- Be an emerging photographer or artist (including students)
- Be familiar with wet darkroom practices
- Be a resident of the Greater Toronto Area, a Canadian citizen, Permanent Resident, temporary resident with a valid residence permit, or international student with a valid permit to study in Canada
- Provide a one to three-page Curriculum Vitae
- Submit 10-15 original photographs
- Submit a 250-500 words proposal for the project they plan to engage with during the residence
- Provide links to online portfolio/website (optional)
- Provide links social media (optional)
Applications will be assessed based on:
- Artistic merit (including quality, subject, and consistency of the work samples and degree to which portfolio supports proposed residency work)
- Feasibility and originality of the project (including proposed innovative and explorative darkroom techniques)
- Potential to engage students and the full resources of the Camera Club and Hart House
- Benefit to the candidate and how the proposed work advances the candidate’s artistic growth/development
- Potential to be realized within the budget and time allotments
All interested candidates can submit required materials via this Microsoft Form by June 14, 2026 (11:59 PM). Any questions can be addressed to Panni Ajtony, Program Associate, Integrated Arts Education at panni.ajtony@utoronto.ca. Submissions will be reviewed by HHCC Executive Team and Hart House Integrated Arts Education Staff. Interviews with shortlisted applicants will be conducted in June and July 2026. The selected applicant for the HHCC Darkroom Art Residency 2026–27 will be notified by early August 2026 .