Opportunities

PQ’27 Student Exhibition – Invitation to participate

We hope you’ll join us!

The Associated Designers of Canada calls for expressions of interest from those who wish to contribute to the Student Exhibition at the 2027 Prague Quadrennial. The ADC is committed to co-creating a new producing framework that acknowledges current shifts in arts funding and emphasizes the need for distinct structures and robust support. We seek service oriented, visionary collaborators with capacity for producing, curatorial, and/or technical responsibilities to join us in this endeavor.

The Associated Designers of Canada is committed to nurturing a collaborative, inclusive, and innovative environment that supports the professional development and artistic excellence of Canadian designers. We hold dear the principles of Diversity and Inclusion, Collaboration and Innovation, Professional Integrity, Advocacy and Support.

We invite passionate individuals and teams to join forces with us in shaping the Canadian Student and Emerging Designer exhibit’s vision, design, and execution.

Exhibition Overview

“The Student Exhibition presents creative interventions that take inspiration from local knowledge, local culture and identity – in the belief that local ideas, materials, artistic approaches connected to communities, and genius loci of your place can bring inspiration to new and visionary works of performance design/scenography. With that intention, the participating schools and emerging designers create an exhibition (or an immersive experience space) based on or inspired by, the cultural knowledge of a place.” – PQ

At this time we are looking for partners who may be…

Service Oriented Individuals

The time and creative labor you contribute as an individual artist involved in the producing, curatorial, and/or production activities of this exhibition will offer definitive rewards and outcomes not only for your own career but for our community as a whole. Compensation for labour contributed to the Canadian Student Exhibition is likely, but your commitment to this endeavor should be made with an understanding that a portion of your labour may be volunteered as an act of service to our national and international design community.

Academic Practitioners

There is no better platform than PQ27 to share your research and find potential international collaborators. As a member of the core producing, curatorial, and/or production team responsible for the Canadian Student Exhibition you will be part of a dedicated community of practitioner-academics bringing the work of their nations to the international stage. For your students and faculty peers within your department this is an opportunity for global creative exposure that’s unmatched. As our partner you may see funding pathways or opportunities for leveraging existing resources within your department or local community to realize this project.

Cultural Leaders

The PQ committee recognizes the value of our colleagues operating in roles beyond design, as well as our country’s creatives who operate outside of our industry’s typical definitions. Whether you’re an artistic leader of an organization, a technical department head or touring expert, or a practicing fundraiser or administrator, we welcome expressions of interest from all those who feel a conviction that their abilities, positionality, and perspective may support our ambitions. You can ensure this exhibit shows off the skills and values of our national community by helping us bring this exhibit to the international stage.

We look forward to collaborating with you.

How will it work?

The PQ Committee will receive informal submissions and reach out to those who express their interest to develop a dialogue about the possibilities. Once a cast of partners has been identified and brought into a collaborative relationship we will formulate a producing pathway together that maximizes the personnel and practical resources available. This collaboration will include determining how each partner contributes: in creative leadership and curatorial roles, as production and technical leaders, and who will aid in fundraising to help us present our national community of designers in the best possible exhibition.

We are seeking individuals, institutions and organizations who want to contribute to the support of this exhibition as producing partners to help us create this experience for our peers across Canada.

Express your interest

We invite you to express your interest in participating as a partner in this project by November 1, 2024. Please send us an email that outlines in brief:

  • what piques your interest about being a part of the PQ’27 Student Exhibition,
  • your approach to collaboration and the capacity in which you prefer to serve,
  • details of your professional background and experience.

Please use the subject line “PQ27 Student Exhibition – Expression of Interest” for your email. Responses will be read by the ADC PQ committee, and we will reach out to set a time to meet with interested individuals and teams over the coming months to build a relationship with you.

Questions about this invitation or the submission process?

Please email T. Erin Gruber (PQ Committee Member) at erin@designers.ca
OR Michelle Ramsay (Associated Designers of Canada Chair) at michelle@designers.ca
For access support related to this invitation, please contact Denyse Karn (Executive Director) denyse@designers.ca