As of July 20, 2021, artists can apply to work under the leadership of Jae Sterling and Priya Ramesh (Contra) in a new multidisciplinary artist development program.

Both founding members of THOTNATION/SANSFUCCS collective, Sterling and Contra are multidisciplinary artists themselves. Sterling has made his mark as a hip hop artist, and has expanded his creative reach into painting, digital design, mixed media, and essay writing.

Contra is a musician, director, producer, and creative strategist, most commonly known as a member of Cartel Madras, a hip hop duo now signed under Sub Pop Records.

Sterling and Contra will be working together as fellows in the inaugural Arts Commons Incubator program beginning in the fall of 2021. Incubator is a new Arts Commons initiative through which a select group of artists can receive professional development, mentorship, networking opportunities, as well as opportunities for paid live performances, exhibition, and teaching.

It’s no secret that ‘Calgary’ has not been kind to racialized artists, and while this city has a long way to go to ensure that artists – and more specifically, racialized artists – can thrive, a program like this backed by ‘Western Canada’s’ largest arts centre may be a step in the right direction.

“You don’t usually see people, artists, like ourselves in these spaces. That’s what makes this organic, that’s what made [Arts Commons] think of us,” says Sterling. “What's important to me is to create these spaces yes, but to also make sure it's a safe space, especially for the QTBIPOC community... There’s a delicate way to make an artist better that comes natural to us. If we can show other artists how to deal with certain kinds of criticism and how to avoid certain kinds of criticism, how to learn the language of these spaces, and how to grow in their chosen mediums, that’s the ultimate goal.”

Sterling and Contra hope to create a space that not only allows artists to grow professionally, but that also sets the stage for the growth of ‘Calgary’s’ art scene as a whole.

“It’s an ambitious thing to suggest that maybe we can be one of the big art cities in Canada,” says Contra. “But we have the talent. I think this country needs to ready themselves for it.”

Sterling and Contra will be curating the 2021-22 cohort of Incubator artists. Approximately 25 - 35 artists will be selected through an online application process.

Artists can apply to Incubator from now until August 31, 2021. For more information about Incubator, and to apply, visit artscommons.ca/incubator