ARC Residency
ARC x Asian Heritage Month
Left of Main (Historic Chinatown, MST Territories/Vancouver)
May 17-19, 2026
Electric Company Theatre's Advancing Research Capacity (ARC) Residency will take place for the third time at Left of Main from May 17–19, 2026.
This iteration is part of Left of Main’s 2026 Asian Heritage Month programming. In alignment with this focus, we sought submissions from Asian artists and artistic teams.
The ARC Residency is an unpaid, research-focused opportunity that offers dedicated studio time, access to select technical equipment, hands-on technical support from Electric Company Theatre technologists, and the option of dramaturgical feedback from ECT Core Artists.
The selection committee was pleased to select three artistic teams, soon to be announced.
Special thank you to Action at a Distance for providing studio time for the May 2026 residency.
About the Program
The ARC Residency is designed for artists who are actively in process and grappling with a specific technical or technological question in their work.
Examples might include:
- exploring projection or projection mapping on moving bodies or objects
- developing sound designs that interact with lighting, sensors, or live inputs
- testing new tools, software, or systems without yet knowing the best technical pathway
This residency is intended as a space for experimentation, problem-solving, and inquiry, rather than for polished or presentation-ready work.
Below is a general list of activities we can support during the residency:
- Video Projection
- Live Cameras
- Live Streaming
- Show Control
- Basic Lighting
- Technical Programming Support
Please contact TD@electriccompanytheatre.com with questions about whether your proposal would be feasible, including compatibility of any specialized equipment you plan to provide.
How to Apply
To apply, please fill out the application form here. In addition to basic information about you, the form includes the following short-form questions and a link to upload your support materials.
- Briefly describe your artistic background. This may include education/training, project history, and/or information about your practice. (up to 200 words)
- Briefly describe your history of working artistically with digital technologies (up to 200 words)
- Briefly describe the project or process you are currently engaged in. (up to 200 words)
- What challenge or question about technology are you hoping to address? Please include dramaturgical as well as technological considerations (up to 200 words)
- Please estimate how many hours in the studio you anticipate needing.
- Please outline your technical/equipment needs as best you know them
Support Materials:
- a headshot or other promotional image of you
- your artistic resume/CV
- Short work samples related to the project/practice you are seeking support for. This can be video, images, audio, text, or whatever format makes sense for you and your practice. It can be documentation of process or product, creation or production.
Timeline
Submission Deadline: March 6, 2026
Notification of Results: week of March 16, 2026
For more information contact Communications and Outreach Coordinator Julian Legere
Past ARC Residencies
The second ARC residency invited four artists into the studio at Left of Main April 27-May 3, 2025. Kevin Nguyen, David C. Jones, Mind of A Snail, and Joshua Ongcol. Read about their work here.
Our pilot initiative ran December 14-21, 2024 at Left of Main with resident artists Alexandra Caprara and SQx Dance Company. See more on our blog.
Photo credit: Alexandra Caprara, from her ARC Residency