Call for Applications: Creative Intensive
Kathy Austin & National accessArts Centre
Deadline to apply: October 2, 2025
Kathy M. Austin in partnership with National accessArts Centre invites all curious creators to apply for Cryptids on the Margin, a two-day creative intensive to explore community resistance through creativity.
Intensive Information
A cryptid is an animal or creature that people believe is real but there is no solid proof or scientific evidence available to prove that it does actually exist
-Cryptidophilia
The scariest thing about Cryptids is that, like those who live in the margins of society, they may actually exist.
Cryptids on the Margin is a blind-led intensive that brings together creatives to investigate the radical power of experimental, collaborative, curiosity-based creativity. Led by Kathy M. Austin, participants will engage in a two-day intensive that centres the experiences of socially marginalized creatives.
Participants will attend two 5-hour sessions where Kathy M. Austin will lead them through a series of collaborative exercises, creative prompts, and experimental processes.
Work created during the intensive will be shown as part of a paid presentation opportunity afterwards.
This intensive welcomes applications from:
- Creators of any medium, including but not limited to dance, writing, art, music, film
- Open-minded people of all abilities, genders, races, sexualities, religions, etc. (18+)
- Creators who are interested in working within a short time-frame
- Creators who are interested in collaboration and skill sharing
Note: Priority will be given to artists working in Calgary and surrounding areas.
Important Dates
- Submissions open August 1, 2025
- Deadline to apply is October 2, 2025
- Applicants will be contacted by November 6, 2025
- Intensive dates: February 21 & 28, 2026
How to Apply
- Submit your application via email to submissions@accessarts.ca with the subject line SUBMISSION: CRYPTIDS ON THE MARGIN.
- Submit written responses in a single PDF document or as an audio file.
- Submit artwork or video files via WeTransfer to submissions@accessarts.ca
- For guidance on how to submit using WeTransfer, please click here.
In your application, please include the following:
- Artist Bio (2 – 4 sentences) briefly describing who you are as an artist.
- Statement of Interest (4 – 8 sentences) 2 paragraph long description of why you are interested in participating in the intensive. This could include what you hope to share or learn, experiences you’ve had that are relevant to the intensive theme, and/or how this intensive will benefit your practice.
- One of the following:
- Writing: Up to 5 pages of a writing sample, including a poem, short story, or creative nonfiction
- Dance: Up to 3 minutes of a performance or dance sample
- Video: Up to 3 minutes of a video sample
- Visual Arts: Up to 10 images of artwork
- Music: Up to 3 minutes of a song sample
If you have questions, please contact submissions@accessarts.ca.
