Canada Council Announces 2025 Venice Fellowship for Architecture Students and Graduates

The Canada Council for the Arts has opened applications for the 2025 Venice Fellowship, offering architecture students, graduates, and early career practitioners a month-long research and professional development opportunity in Venice, Italy. The program, open to Canadians with a background in art and architecture, encourages those from underrepresented communities to apply.

The Venice Fellowship provides participants with a unique opportunity to work closely with the Living Room Collective’s exhibition at the Canada Pavilion during the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of the Venice Biennale. The Biennale is a highly prestigious international event, attracting an audience of over 300,000 people, including professionals and students from the fields of architecture, art, and design.

Selected fellows will oversee the operations of the Canada Pavilion, welcoming visitors, providing tours, and ensuring that the exhibition runs smoothly. This hands-on experience will expose participants to the inner workings of an international architectural exhibition while also allowing them to conduct independent research. Fellows will receive a grant of CAD $5,000 to support their travel and living costs in Venice, as well as shared accommodation.

Prioritizing diversity and inclusion, the fellowship targets applicants who self-identify as First Nations, Inuit or Métis, Black, racialized, Deaf, disabled, or from other historically marginalized groups. The program also ensures regional representation across Canada, selecting 14 fellows in total.

The Venice Architecture Biennale, which began in 1980, provides a platform for global dialogue about contemporary architecture, offering young Canadian professionals a unique space to engage with international trends and innovations.

The deadline for applications is October 15, 2024, and the successful cohort will be announced in February 2025.