The JRSP 2026 Exploratory Research Residency
The Jeffrey Rubinoff Sculpture Park
The Jeffrey Rubinoff Sculpture Park is located on Hornby Island BC, Canada. It is most practically accessible via car and ferry from Vancouver Island. Please note that ferries run to and from the Island until 6pm every day except Friday they run until 9pm. This limits the possibility of commuting off island during the residency.
A driver’s license is preferable, as there is no public transport and considerable distances to groceries and other amenities. An experienced cyclist could make it work; however it is not a walkable community.
The park is partially accessible with gender neutral wheelchair friendly washrooms. Wheelchair accessibility is not guaranteed at the accommodations.
The park exhibit covers a 100-acre landscaped space of grassy uneven ground, easily navigable for able bodied individuals.
The park has two WIFI zones, one with fiber optic, and generally good cell reception.
There is a dedicated climate-controlled, 200 sq ft, lockable indoor space which is suitable for clean and dry activities. There are two additional spaces to set up a temporary studio work: The interpretive centre (heated) which has about 1000 sq ft, and the barn which has about 1400 sq ft (unheated).
Up to 1 adult guest can accompany the researcher, however the stipend will not be adjusted and any additional costs will be the responsibility of the awardee.
Deadline and timelines
November 2025 – Call Open. JRSP available for questions.
January 30, 2026 – Deadline to submit (5pm Vancouver Time)
February 12, 2026 – Residency recipient(s) announced
April 26 - May 17, 2026 – Time frame within which one-week residency can occur
June 15-17, 2026– Delegate at the Company of Ideas Forum (upon Invite)
The Jeffrey Rubinoff Sculpture Park (JRSP) is offering up to three Exploratory Research Residencies for the 2026 Season
The park offers accommodation, a local transport and a food stipend for six nights on Hornby Island. If a proposal warrants it, an applicant may optionally request longer stays of either 9 or 13 nights.
We have reserved accommodation in the following time slots:
Sunday April 26 – May 3, 2026
Sunday May 3 – 10, 2026
Sunday May 10 – 17, 2026
The exploratory research residency is intended for emerging or professional visual artists, choreographer-dancers, musician-composers, writers, art or science communicators, art historians, and curators interested in engaging with the sculpture and ideas of Jeffrey Rubinoff. Residents are invited to study the sculptures, explore Rubinoff’s writings and archives, and experiment within their own practice in response to the park. The goal is to encourage independent inquiry that develops new directions in art, academic research or the public communication of ideas inspired by Rubinoff’s work and thought.
The Residency supports a period of concentrated research and experimentation rather than the production of a completed work. Residents may wish to:
• Conduct a focused study of one or more sculpture series or aspects of the landscape design of the park.
• Investigate Rubinoff’s book collection, writings, tour transcriptions, and forum commentaries.
• Experiment with how their own practice responds to Rubinoff’s approach to sculpture or his concept of art as a source of knowledge.
• Continue or initiate research inspired by or departing from any other aspect of Rubinoff’s artwork.
Residents are expected to share their results in a format appropriate to their discipline—through a brief report, photos, or video.
Should the resident be available, they may also be invited to participate, at no cost to them, as a delegate in the Annual Company of Ideas Forum. The event takes place over 3 days mid-June each year – the 2026 Forum is June 15-17th.
Eligibility
This residency is open to both professional and emerging artists. There is no requirement criteria for formal training, education or recognition by any professional body.
Applicants will be judged by:
1) evidence of their dedication to their practice;
2) the merits of their sample portfolio;
3) their research proposal.
Application
Interested applicants should submit the following to [email protected]
A: Either CV, Biography, or simple written statement of their career pathway thus far.
B: Some examples of your work that show it in the best light.
C: An application form.
What we offer
Accommodation for up to 6 nights, a stipend of $1500 to cover food and local transport from Vancouver to Hornby Island (and while on the island). Residents are responsible for arranging travel to and from Hornby Island and for bringing any necessary equipment or materials.
The stipend is not meant to cover costs associated with long distance travel, it is envisaged to only cover the cost of travel and food from the local vicinity. The applicant should indicate if they are covering costs of long-distance travel.