Toronto Island Spring May 6 - 21, 2024

Alchemy is an artist-led residency devoted to exploring the synergy between artistic practice and the growing, cooking and sharing of locally cultivated food in a community setting. Artists focus on their artistic practices while sharing ideas, expertise and conversation in salon-style communal dinners. 

Readings and discussions probe the creative intersection of food and art, and guest artists contribute to the inspiration created by making and sharing art, ideas and food. 

Since our first summer on Toronto Island in 2015, we have been grateful to have lived, worked, and shared meals with more than 100 artists from Canada, the US, Europe, and Asia.

May 6 - 21, 2024 

Gibraltar Point Centre for the Arts (formerly known as Artscape) is a peaceful artist retreat nestled against the magnificent natural backdrop of Toronto Island. It offers a distraction-free environment to focus on art creation amidst the natural surroundings of Lake Ontario, forests and seasonal gardens filled with flowers, fruit and vegetables. The island has tiny quaint homes, a historic lighthouse, a hobby farm and antique carnival grounds. Cozy up in a furnished studio and bedroom and enjoy amenities such as a fully equipped common kitchen, shared bathrooms, laundry facilities and WIFI. The Toronto city core is just a 15-minute ferry ride away. 

On arrival, you will attend a mandatory informative orientation, and receive your keys and room assignments.  

A combination of studio time, guest artist talks, as well as down time for yourself to both work and explore the Island. Our programming schedule is shared with residents during orientation.  Dinners are part of the programming – so your attendance and participation is expected!

Toronto Island is the largest car free community in North America.  It is accessible from downtown Toronto by ferry.  For the ferry schedule visit this page.  When you arrive for Alchemy, you will be travelling to Hanlan’s Point-- a 10-minute bike ride or a 20 minute walk from the Hanlan’s dock.

Downtown Toronto is easily accessible from Union Station, Billy Bishop and Pearson Airports. 

You can either bring a bike (if you live in Toronto) or potentially rent one on the Island for our Residency.

Part of Alchemy’s themed programming revolves around the preparing and sharing of food in a communal setting. Please don’t worry about your culinary skills — this is about sharing good simple food and not creating a French impressionist painting on a plate. We have, over the years, learned what it takes to share our evening meals together and minimize the work to make it happen. We want to maximize the studio time people have to create and collaborate. 

Yes, dinner is provided for the first night of our residency. Then we help you and the rest of the group coordinate shared dinners for most other nights. Dinners and the discussions that go with them are the focal point of our shared time together. Saying they are mandatory sounds harsh but if you aren’t into sharing food, then you would be better suited to another residency.

There are also nights when you are on your own to eat in town or stay in your studio or have dinner with a smaller group. 

Rather than a formal show, we facilitate an Open Studio Day and work sharing between participants and a wider community. A short and informal artist talk to the residency group by each participant is programmed early in the week. 

You will get the low down on how all this works closer to our opening date. 

Cost in Canadian dollars plus applicable taxes: $1150.00 plus for a private room, studio space and basic food costs for some shared meals. If you are considering applying from the United States, please check out the exchange rate – it is in your favour! 

Whenever possible we offer grants to participating artists to lower their costs, but we're not quite there for Alchemy Island 2024. We do write letters of support. And,And we encourage Canadian artists to apply for funding from other granting sources as appropriate.

Renting a bike is optional. Your travel expenses to and from the residency are not arranged or covered. For food, we supply the basic ingredients for the first day’s breakfast and lunch. Most participants choose to make, share or contribute ingredients for a special meal and pay for their own snacks and wine. 

We ask participating artists to be sure they can be present for the entire residency.

No. Alchemy strives to maintain a very relaxed atmosphere-- one in which creative people can both work hard and relax. 

Yes. We provide sheets and towels. Please bring your own beach towels. 

No. There is a coin operated laundry at Gibraltar Point. 

Alchemy is strictly a bring-your-own affair. There is no local art supply shop. Be prepared and bring your own supplies. We provide the space and a well-sized worktable. 

Food allergies and restrictions will be accommodated as best as we can – which has become pretty good over the years. We cannot guarantee nut-free facilities. There are no pets. Be prepared for a waterside setting.

There is Wi-Fi. 

We want you to focus on your work and the programming designed especially for participants. Overnight guests are not part of the program. You may invite a day guest as long as the planned program is not disrupted. Programmed dinners usually cannot accommodate day guests. 

Artscape – the former operator of our site, has recently completed the receivership process.  Gibraltar Point is now managed by ArtHubs.Inc and funding and a commitment to open the door are firmly in place. If you want to follow this story, please visit Friends of Gibraltar Point on Instagram. 

Gibraltar Point Centre for the Arts will celebrate its 25th birthday in the fall of 2024.  Alchemy is part of a proud tradition of offering magical artist residencies at Gibraltar Point.  If you haven’t attended a residency on the Island, or even if you have – a recent story by Artist Jamie Ross will have you dreaming about applying to one 

https://cmagazine.com/articles/gibraltar-point-a-transition. 

Alchemy is being offered twice in 2024 – on the Island in May and the County in late July or early August.  We will be posting that call shortly. 

Yes. 

A separate set of questions about our 2024 programming in PEC is coming soon. In the meantime, visit our Meet the Alchemists page to look at some of the artists and stories who have participated in our County initiatives