Call to Artists

Guelph Dance is always eager to get to know the dance community better – local, national and international, and to be kept abreast of what artists are up to. We encourage you to fill out this form if you have a project (new or pre-existing) or skill set that you would be interested in sharing for our 2025, and beyond, events and programs.

The Guelph Dance Festival takes place the first weekend of June each year with events including In the Park -short outdoor works, On the Stage -mixed programs or full-length works, In the Studio -informal or in process works, and Youth Moves -professional choreographers working with dancers 19 years and younger. We also host workshops, panel discussions, talks, etc.

Throughout the year Guelph Dance supports the local and national community through our Artistic Residencies, Community Projects, Emerging Artist Intensive, and Co-presentations and our Arts Explosion March Break and Summer Camps.

We are therefore always looking out for artists who are interested in:

  • Engaging in our Artistic Residencies and creating new work
  • Proposing community projects
  • Teaching workshops at schools,  the festival, camps, intensives
  • Speaking at our panels and intensives
  • Presenting work in one of our festival or co-presentation events

Guelph Dance selects artists using our three Pillars to guide decisions:

GD remains committed to showcasing Canadian contemporary dance, while emphasizing opportunities for people of all ages and stages of development to experience dance in ways that extend beyond being audience members. Over the next 3 year, the artistic and community engagement programming will be informed by these three pillars:

  1. To increase community engagement in contemporary dance year-round.  We wish to provide opportunities where everyone can dance, engage in the creative process and be exposed to artists in the dance field. We are interested in bringing community members and dance artists together in collaborations that enable all parties to build stronger relationships around dance.
  2. To continue support for regional dance artists, who often feel isolated and alone, by investing funds to strengthen our local initiatives which include: opportunities for artists to create new work, receive professional development and network & collaborate. 
  3. To continue working at removing barriers to access to our programming, for example, sliding scale ticket models, mixed programming, venue and community partnerships that provide expertise in the areas of accessibility.

History

Established in 1998, Guelph Dance was founded by Co-Artistic Directors Catrina von Radecki and Janet Johnson. With the firm belief that dance artists should be able to live and work outside major metropolitan areas, the two began to teach, choreograph, and perform in the City of Guelph. Today, we offer many different dance events and programs including the annual Guelph Dance Festival, March Break and Summer Arts Explosion CampsWorkshops in Schools and Local Initiatives.

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