Call for Submissions

Program overview

For a fourth year, the Art Volt Collection (AVC) is accepting applications for the launch of its annual collection! Graduating students and recent alumni of Concordia’s Faculty of Fine Arts are encouraged to submit their artworks for sale and rental. This year, between 10-15 new artists will be selected.

What is the Art Volt Collection?

• A rental and sales service of artworks created by recent alumni of the Faculty of Fine Arts
• A stepping stone between the university and the professional art market – make your first sales as a professional artist!
• An evolving collection: artworks are consigned to the Collection for 3 years. If they are not purchased during their consignment period, they are returned to the artist
• A professional website featuring your bio and your artist profile and your artwork, for viewing and promotion to collectors, clients and the general public.
• A community of artists, connected through professional training and social events
• An opportunity to network and meet with clients and patrons - from the Concordia community as well as external community (private collectors, galleries, local business offices)
• A platform that supports and represents your work

How the Collection works:

• Applications are reviewed and selected by a jury of professionals
• Selected artists have to attend mandatory training sessions on Fridays March 21st + March 28th
  
• 70% of all revenues (rental or sale) from an artwork are transferred to the artist by the AVC; the remaining 30% is retained by the AVC as a commission, to support the administration and management of the service
• Until artworks are rented or sold, artists are responsible of their storage
  

Eligibility and Evaluation criteria

• Applicants must have applied for graduation in Spring 2025 or have graduated within the last five (5) years either from Concordia University’s Faculty of Fine Arts, or from INDI or HUMA PhD with a primary supervisor in the Faculty of Fine Arts.
  
• Applicants who are already represented by an art gallery are not eligible

• Artworks must be either in 2D or 3D formats and require no or minimal technical equipment to be shown (painting, drawing, print, ceramics, sculpture, photography, installation, fibres & material practices, video, design objects, etc.)

• Applicants must submit a minimum of three (3) and may submit up to twenty (20) artworks in a single application
  
• Applicants are highly encouraged to submit artworks that are already framed/mounted and/or ready to hang

• Artworks may have been created outside of the context of or after graduation from Concordia University’s Faculty of Fine Arts  

• The rights to all artwork(s) submitted must be fully owned by the applying artist  

• Applicants must be fully available on Fridays March 21st + March 28th for onboarding + training sessions
   

The selection will be based on the overall quality of the dossier – relevance, coherence and originality of the artistic practice; clarity of expression; quality of artistic execution/production – as well as the fit with the Collection’s mission. The jury will also strive for balanced representation of diverse practices, media and communities. The jury will review submissions and notify all applicants by mid-March 2025.

How to Apply

Please submit your application before Monday, February 17th, 2025, at 5pm EST.

>> SUBMIT HERE <<

You will be asked to provide the following information as part of your application:

1. Personal information

• Full name

• Preferred pronoun(s) - optional

• Telephone number

• Email address

• Concordia student number
   

2. Supporting documents

• A list of all submitted artworks, with the following details for each work: title, year of production, medium, dimensions, mounting/framing/technical requirements, and if the artwork is part of an edition, include this information (in a single PDF)
  example: Sunset on the beach, 2019, landscape painting, watercolor on canvas, 30" x 40", unframed

• Artist bio (max 250 words, in either English or French)

• Artist statement (max 500 words, in either English or French)

• Up-to-date CV that includes past exhibitions, awards, distinctions and prizes (in a single PDF, 2 pages max)

• Proof of graduation: screen capture of your graduation status from the Student Hub, your student record or your diploma.
   

3. Visual documentation

• At least one (1) photo or digital image per artwork in a single PDF document. Ensure that each image is labeled with the title of the artwork.

   

People interested in applying are invited to join an information session that will be held on January 28th at noon. To join an information session, please request a zoom link with avcollection@concordia.ca

If you have any questions about the application process or need specific accommodations to help you in applying, please get in touch with avcollection@concordia.ca

Visit the online catalogue of the Collection

Refer to this webpage for more information about how the Collection works