⇒ BOURSE DE CRÉATION KESAR 2025

The Musée des beaux-arts de Sherbrooke is seeking proposals from professional artists who describe themselves as a visible minority for the third Bourse de création Kesar, par la famille Rahimaly-Mamode.

A grant of $12,000 is awarded annually (2025, 2026 and 2027) following an annual call for submissions and their evaluation by a jury.

In 2028, a group exhibition bringing together the work of the three recipients will be organized and presented at the Musée des beaux-arts de Sherbrooke. The three grant recipients will also benefit from a creative residency from September 5^th to September 19^th 2027 which will see them working alongside and drawing inspiration from one another to develop a shared narrative of their works, which will serve to define the theme and the unifying thread of the exhibition.

The goal of the Bourse de création Kesar, par la famille Rahimaly-Mamode is to extend a hand to artists with a background similar to that of the Rahimaly-Mamode family. The grant’s intention is to showcase the work of artists who have emerged from Quebec’s cultural diversity. The four donors wish to be in close contact with the artists and to help them thrive. In founding this grant, they want to see more people like them in the arts.

Selection Criteria :

• You correspond to the definition of professional artists according to the four criteria defined in the Act Respecting the Professional Status of Artists in the Visual Arts, Arts and Crafts and Literature, and their Contracts with Promoters (L.R.Q., c.S-32.01):

                         ◦ you declare yourself to be a professional artist;

                         ◦ you produce work on your own behalf;

                         ◦ your work is exhibited, produced, published, presented in public or marketed by a promoter;

                         ◦ you have been recognized by your peers as a professional artist by way of an honourable mention, an award, a prize, a scholarship, an appointment to an adjudication committee or an invitation to participate in a salon or by any other similar means;

• Your ideas are singular, relevant and original;
• You are a visible minority;
• You are at a minimum a permanent resident of Canada;
• You carry out your work primarily in Quebec;
• You are available from September 5^th to September 19^th for the creative residency.

Applicants must submit a proposal which includes the following:

• A recent CV (maximum three pages);
• A biography and artist’s statement. Applicants are invited to describe how their identities and influences have been a part of their creative projects over the years;
• A project descripion (maximum 250 words). Applicants are invited to describe what they would like to develop with the grant and the ideas which inspire them;
• A portfilio of 10 to 15 images or of short videos of good quality;
• A descriptive list of these images (title, date, materials, dimensions and photo credit for each piece) along with a description of the narrative of a few of the works;
• Press clippings (optional).

The proposal must be assembled into one PDF file (any other format will not be considered). Images, however, may be included or sent separately.

Send your proposal by e-mail to conservation@mbas.qc.ca. before 30 November 2026 at 11h59 PM. For large files, we ask you to use a file sharing service such as WeTransfer. Please direct any questions concerning the grant to conservation@mbas.qc.ca.

Thanks to the support of KESAR and the Rahimaly-Mamode family, the Musée des beaux-arts de Sherbrooke offers technical and administrative support to recipients of the grant and will pay artists’ fees for the 2028 group exhibition in line with CARFAC rates.

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About the Rahimaly-Mamode Family

Chemika Mamode and Patrick Rahimaly have been models of integration since their arrival in eastern Sherbrooke in 1994. This couple, from Madagscar, embodies with verve the concept of pluralism at the heart of their community and their philosophy.

Their wide-ranging path began in community health, where for twenty-eight years Chemika has cared for the health of several generations as a pharmacist with her own pharmacy in eastern Sherbrooke. Their activities gradually broadened to include community development and the growth of local small businesses. Lovers of the arts, the couple have also worked with the Festival Cinéma du monde, the Musée des beaux-arts de Sherbrooke and the Festival des traditions du monde, for which Patrick has served as president since 2016. Accompanied by their children Kevan and Sarah, they founded the company Kesar, which focuses on the development of urban projects which promote residential, commercial and cultural diversity in eastern Sherbrooke. Their vision transcends disciplines and social groups and redefines involvement in urban issues. They are the heart of what Sherbrooke is becoming. They are everywhere, they are multifaceted, and they share their inner light with the entire community.

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⇒ PARCOURS PHOTO SHERBROOKE 2026-2027

Traces of Time

In his influential book Camera Lucida (1980), French philosopher Roland Barthes describes photography as an imprint of reality: the image is a trace of time, evidence of what “has been.” Photography thus becomes an index of the past, an imprint deeply rooted in temporality.

Photography captures countless traces and transformations: those found within our natural and urban environments, our social relationships, the people who pass through our lives, and the subtle and significant changes that shape our societies and experiences.

For the next edition of the Sherbrooke Photo Trail (Parcours Photo Sherbrooke), photographers are invited to explore these traces of time revealed through the photographic image. How does photography bear witness to the passage of time? What do these traces tell us about the past and the future? And how do emerging image-manipulation technologies blur these traces, altering our perception of reality and of the stories about time that images convey?

The City of Sherbrooke has commissioned the Musée des beaux-arts de Sherbrooke to curate the next edition of the Sherbrooke Photo Trail, in partnership with the Jacques-Cartier Arts and Culture Committee.

Submission Requirements

Interested applicants must submit a dossier* including:

• A current curriculum vitae (maximum three pages);
• A brief artist statement outlining their artistic practice;
• A visual portfolio of 10 photographs (high-quality images, clearly identified and numbered);
• An image list including the artist’s name, title, date, and medium for each work;
• Press clippings or media coverage (optional).

The submission package must be assembled into a single PDF document. Applications submitted in formats other than PDF will not be considered. Images may be embedded within the document or submitted separately.

Applications must be submitted by email only no later than November 20, 2026. For larger files, applicants are encouraged to use a file-sharing platform such as WeTransfer.

* Please note that incomplete applications will not be reviewed by the selection committee.

** No additional honorarium will be provided to photographers residing outside Sherbrooke to offset travel expenses.

Timeline

Application deadline: November 20, 2026
Exhibition opening: September 2027

Objectives of the 2027-2028 Sherbrooke Photo Trail

• To increase public access to art and culture;
• To enhance the experience of visitors using the promenade;
• To spark curiosity and contribute to Sherbrooke’s cultural tourism appeal;
• To showcase the work of regional photographers and established professional artists;
• To encourage a diversity of artistic approaches and photographic practices;
• To foster critical reflection on contemporary issues through artistic expression.

Selection Criteria

Applications will be assessed according to:

• Relevance and originality of the proposed theme or subject matter, including its connection to contemporary issues;
• Aesthetic quality and artistic merit;
• The artist’s professional standing, recognition, and experience.

Submission

Artists wishing to apply must submit their digital application package no later than November 20, 2026, to: vie.culturelle@sherbrooke.ca

For larger files, applicants are encouraged to use a file-sharing service such as WeTransfer.
Attention: Please note that incomplete files will not be reviewed by the committee.

⇒ REGULAR PROGRAMMING

The call for submissions FOR REGULAR PROGRAMMING is closed for 2026 and 2027.