Read the full announcement here.

Program Guidelines and Application Form

Find the application form HERE.

The Electric City Culture Council (EC3) is pleased to offer a bursary program for Peterborough high school students completing Grade 12 in 2022 who plan to undertake post-secondary studies in the visual arts during the 2022-23 academic year. This program is made possible with support from the Bierk Art Fund at the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough, and in partnership with the Art Gallery of Peterborough.

The Bierk Art Fund Bursary Program provides two bursaries of $1,000.00 each to graduating high school students in the City or County of Peterborough (including Curve Lake and Hiawatha First Nations) whose work demonstrates great promise (artistic merit) and who have a serious commitment to pursuing further studies at the post-secondary level in the visual arts. Students will have the opportunity to present their work (including but not limited to portfolios) to a virtual jury panel comprised of local arts professionals. The two successful candidates will be announced immediately in the media and celebrated at the next Mayor’s Luncheon for the Arts.

Eligible students are encouraged to fill out and submit a Bierk Art Fund Bursary Application Form by Thursday, May 26 at 11:59pm EDT. Students will then receive a confirmation email from EC3 Program Coordinator Gabe Pollock, with an appointment time and Zoom link to meet with the jury panel for a Portfolio Review during the week of May 30 to June 5. Appointments are 30 minutes in length. The jury panel will choose two winners after meeting with all of the applicants. All applicants will be assessed on the same criteria (see below). Winners will be announced on Tuesday, June 7.

Eligibility Criteria for a Bierk Art Fund Bursary:

To be eligible for the bursary, the student must:

• Be completing their graduating year of high school in 2022
• Live and attend school in the City of Peterborough or Peterborough County, including Hiawatha and Curve Lake First Nations
• Be registered to pursue post-secondary education in the visual arts at a recognized college or university in 2022-23 (proof of acceptance is required)
• Demonstrate great promise, interest, ambition, and ability in the visual arts.

Application Instructions:

In order to successfully apply for the bursary, students must do the following:

• Complete and submit a Bierk Art Fund Bursary application form by Thursday, May 26 at 11:59pm to bierkartfundbursaries@gmail.com
• Attend a virtual Portfolio Review with our jury panel during the week of May 30 to June 5

What is the Portfolio Review?

The Portfolio Review is a conversation between you and the jury panel. The artwork in your portfolio will give the jurors a sense of who you are as an artist. The goal of the review is to learn about your strengths, experiences, and interests, as well as your motivation for pursuing an arts education. The jurors are in your corner! They want to hear about your artistic process, vision, and goals. For more information, you can attend the free Virtual Portfolio Workshop that EC3 will be offering for this program.

How can I prepare for my Portfolio Review?

The jury panel will be accessing your work based on its artistic merit. As such, you should present documentation of the works that best represent your abilities and potential. They might reflect your current curiosities, show evidence of creativity, research, or point of view, and may vary in size, subject, and materials. Painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, sculpture, textiles, mixed media, book and paper arts, performance art, and film or electronic media are all acceptable submissions for review. Artworks that illustrate what is important to you and allow you to speak about your inspirations and ambitions are great choices! Please let us know if you need special accommodation due to the virtual platform of this year’s Portfolio Review.

Portfolio Review Preparation Check List:

• Complete the Bierk Art Fund Bursary application form (see below)
• Compile documentation of 3 to 10 examples of your best work
• Prepare to talk about the following subjects: your interests and experiences in the visual arts, your commitment to your development as an artist, your short-term and long-term goals, your past achievements, why you have chosen to pursue an education in the visual arts, and why you believe you should be awarded a Bierk Art Fund Bursary

Portfolio Workshops

In advance of the Bierk Art Fund Bursary deadline, EC3 will be running an informal virtual Portfolio Workshop on Thursday, May 19 at 7:00 to 8:30pm. This workshop will discuss portfolio creation and portfolio review prep, and answer any of your questions about the application process. See the Bierk Art Bursary 2022 Virtual Portfolio Workshop page for details and the Zoom link. Additional portfolio workshops can be scheduled on demand.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

EC3 is committed to establishing fair and equitable practices for all of our programs and services in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). Persons with disabilities are encouraged to come forward at any stage of the application process to request accommodations, if needed. Members of our team will consult and can adapt processes wherever possible to provide individuals with disabilities with equal opportunity to apply.

EC3 advocates for equal opportunity for all applicants from our diverse community in the application and selection process. EC3 is committed to supporting and promoting diverse artists, artistic practices, and arts communities that represent a wide cross-section of Peterborough and the surrounding area, including artists who are Indigenous, Black, or people of colour, as well as artists with disabilities, Deaf artists and those who are members of marginalized religious, sexual orientation, and gender identity groups. EC3 strives to make our juries, selection, and assessment committees equitable and inclusive by ensuring broad representation from the communities outlined above.

If you have a disability and require assistance with the process, please don’t hesitate to contact Gabe Pollock at bierkartfundbursaries@gmail.com.

Schedule

• Applications open: May 9, 2022
• Virtual portfolio workshop: May 19, 2022 at 7:00pm
• Applications due: May 26, 2022 at 11:59pm
• Announcement: June 7, 2022

Find the application form HERE.