LEÑA artist residency is an artist-run, multi-disciplinary, gathering place for practicing artists and creatives in search of focused self-directed work weeks of exploration, research, or process. There is a time and place for every type of residency and there are countless versions of what the word means. Sometimes, it is nice to simply access deep creation and thinking without justification, display, or pressure. LEÑA exists to offer space for creative work without added barriers - getting work funded and getting work heard/programmed/seen requires a different kind of effort and skill and can pull the artist away from the work itself. There is a nominal sliding-scale fee to cover the cost of the accommodation and workspace provided.
LEÑA’s version of stillness and silence lies within the shared, asserted, and unceded traditional territories of the Lamalcha, Penelakut, and Hwlitsum First Nations in addition to others with rights and responsibilities on and around what is now called Galiano Island. The island also lies within the shared, asserted, and ceded territories of the Tsawwassen First Nation. As the closest Southern Gulf Island to Vancouver, LEÑA is a short distance from Vancouver and the Vancouver International Airport (YVR) as it can be reached by an hour-long ferry from the Tsawwassen ferry terminal with or without a car or via a thirty-minute float plane flight from YVR’s south terminal.
|| SPACES ||
The main house has three single- or double-occupancy bedrooms with two bathrooms, a large shared kitchen and dining area on the main floor, a lounging workspace, a visual artist corner, and a reading nook on the lower floor (note, no pets allowed). The barn-style studio building is approximately 400sq ft in size and includes a sprung maple dance floor, a seating loft, in-wall work desks, a quality sound system (blue tooth, 1/8”, 1/4”, and XLR connections), and an inviting front deck. On the front meadow of the property stands a small amphitheatre, The Warbler Stage, for outdoor performances. The final buildings on site are a small 60 sq ft work shed nestled in the forest for solo, isolated work needs and the factory building intended for art that is wet and messy in nature. The cellular network & the wifi connections aren’t perfect, but both are here for basic needs.
|| SURROUNDINGS ||
The eight-acre property backs onto Galiano’s Bluffs Park and makes hikes through the forest to stunning Gulf Island views effortlessly. In addition, the island offers countless opportunities for hikes up to high points or down beaches and shore access and has restaurants and shops to enjoy.
|| PARTICIPATION ||
Open artist calls and applications take place 3-4 times per year. While on-site you will share the house and common areas with at least two other artists. The residencies are one week long, there is currently no option for multi-week residencies. The joy of a long workday in practice can be the conversations with the other artists. Work is self-directed and meals are self-managed (but dinner time is often shared). The distraction-free and nature-inspired time is yours and yours alone. There is no ask to share your work at the end of the week, but if you would like to, please mention it. Follow our social channels (IG & FB), sign up for the announcement email below, or follow along on the Apply page.
There is a sliding-scale fee charged to cover the costs of the workspace and accommodations for the week.
|| HOST ||
LEÑA Artist Research and Residency Centre is run by Dayna Szyndrowski, a dancer and photographer, there to facilitate the arrival & departure of artists-in-residence (she is off the island midweek). When the property is not filled with LEÑA guests, it is used by Gradient Retreat Center, a place for developers, makers, and code writers to take a week away from their regular lives to focus on creative work. Gradient is facilitated by Avi Bryant.
