The Curatorial Fellowship Program is a paid, part-time professional opportunity run by the Ottawa Art Gallery, the National Gallery of Canada, and the Ottawa Black Art Kollective. It supports an emerging curator who identifies as being of Black/African descent and is based in the National Capital Region during the fellowship.
The fellow gains hands-on experience in exhibition development at OAG and in collection research, curatorial writing, and public programming at the National Gallery. The 2026–27 cycle began on May 11, 2026 and applications are now closed.
Benefits & funding
- A paid, part-time fellowship lasting one year.
- Hands-on curatorial work across OAG and the National Gallery.
- Mentorship, professional development, institutional visits, and professional networking.
- The accessible 2026 announcements do not state the payment amount.
Eligibility
- Applicants must identify as a person of Black/African descent in Canada and have lived experience shaped by that identity.
- Applicants must reside in the National Capital Region during the fellowship; the work combines virtual and onsite activity, and regional travel may be required.
- Applicants should be emerging professionals with demonstrated interest and some experience in curatorial practice, exhibition development, research, writing, community engagement, arts administration, or programming.
- A post-secondary credential is not the only route: the archived detailed call accepted a degree or diploma and/or relevant professional experience.
- No Canadian citizenship requirement, numeric experience threshold, or age limit is stated in the accessible official material.
Can you apply?
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Application process
- 1Check the OAG careers page for the next official call; the 2026–27 deadline was April 28, 2026.
- 2Review the new cycle’s instructions before preparing materials. The archived detailed call requested a one-page letter of intent, a one-page exhibition-theme proposal, a CV or résumé, and contact details for two references.
- 3Follow the submission channel and accommodation instructions published for the new cycle rather than relying on an archived address.
Program timeline
The 2026–27 call was announced.
Apr 9, 2026
Application deadline.
Apr 28, 2026
Fellowship began.
May 11, 2026