The Esse x Art Volt Writing Residency

We are happy to announce the third edition of the Esse x Art Volt Writing Residency! This partnership and program aims to support two recent alumni of Concordia University’s Faculty of Fine Arts by providing them the opportunity to research and write an essay that will be published on Esse’s online platform. 

Esse arts + opinions is a contemporary art magazine covering a wide range of practices, including visual arts, performance, digital arts, and all forms of socially engaged, site-specific, and performative intervention. It favours analyses that address art in relation to its context. 

This year's edition of the residency also includes research through Érudit, a digital platform dedicated to open-access publishing and the dissemination of research in the arts, humanities, and social sciences.

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

Up to two residents will be selected to research and write a new text inspired by three to four existing essays from the Esse and Érudit archives. Each resident must include at least one text from Esse’s archive (issue 112 and older, available on esse.ca) and at least one from other magazines accessible on erudit.org.

Residents will have a few months to conduct their research and develop their essays, which will be published and promoted on esse.ca.

Selected residents will receive full access to all of Esse’s online content for research purposes, support from the editorial board for proofreading and editing of the essay, as well as a publishing fee of $500 and a $1000 award from Art Volt. If desired, residents can also request to work from Esse’s physical office space located in Montreal.  

The essay produced during this residency should be between 1500 to 2000 words. Residents may also choose to write in French or English, as the final text will be translated and published in both languages.

Two residency periods are available and applicants should identify which of these they prefer in their submission package:  
 

Residency #1 - July to January 2026

• July 2025 - Start of research 
• September 2025 - Public announcement of the resident  
• October 2025 - Deadline to submit text for review 
• January 2026 - Publication of the article on Esse’s website
   

Residency #2 - December 2025 to April 2026

• Dec. 2025 - Start of research
• Jan. 2026 - Public announcement of the resident 
• March. 2026 - Deadline to submit text for review 
• June 2026 - Publication of the article on Esse’s website

Applicants must be registered for graduation or have graduated from Concordia University’s Faculty of Fine Arts, within the last five years.

Alumni interested in applying, are invited to join an information session on Tuesday, May 6th 2025 at 12PM. Applicants will be able to ask questions, as well as discuss their submission package with Art Volt. To join the information session please request a zoom link with artvolt@concordia.ca. 

Residents will be selected based on the clarity and quality of their written sample, and pitch. The committee will also strive for balanced representations of diverse communities and practices. The selection committee will jury the submissions and aim to notify applicants two weeks prior to the first residency start date.

Please send your application in ONE PDF to artvolt@concordia.ca before Tuesday, May 20th 2024 at 5PM.

Please provide the following information:

1. Personal information: 

• Full name

• Preferred pronoun (optional) 

• Telephone number

• Email address

• Please specify which residency period you would prefer: July start or December start.

2. Supporting documents:

• A bio (max 250 words)

• A written pitch (max 500 words): describe the research questions you are interested in exploring during the residency and outline how this residency will benefit your overall practice/career.

• A curriculum vitae (2 pages max)

• A writing sample (approx 1000 words max. If longer, please indicate the start and end point the jury should read.)

• Proof of graduation: screen capture of your graduation status on your Student Hub, your unofficial transcript or your diploma.

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