CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS AND EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

NUIT ROSE is now accepting submissions from artists, performers, writers, curators, cultural organizations, and community businesses interested in presenting work and projects for the seventh edition of the festival, which will take place on XXXX, XXXX XX, 2026. The DEADLINE for submissions is January XXth, 2026.

SUBMIT YOUR PROPOSAL ONLINE: HERE

Applicants will be notified of selection results by April XX, 2026.

ABOUT NUIT ROSE

Nuit Rose: The Festival of Queer Art and Performance returns to Toronto in June 2026—ready to REWILD the Church–Wellesley Village with art installations, live performances, community activations, and parties.

First conceived as part of WorldPride 2014, Nuit Rose has grown into one of Canada’s most celebrated queer art festivals, showcasing over 300 projects across six editions (2014–2019). Organized by the Throbbing Rose Collective, Nuit Rose brings together artists, curators, performers, and community builders to ignite collaboration and celebrate queer creativity in all its forms.

After a six-year hiatus, Nuit Rose REWILDING reclaims the Village as a site of cultural renewal. The theme REWILDING invites artists to explore regeneration, resistance, and joy—to plant seeds of change in a rapidly transformed landscape. Through light, sound, performance, and installation, Nuit Rose will celebrate resilience and reimagine queer futures.

Nuit Rose returns for its spectacular 7th edition June 19–21, 2026, with the main event taking place on Saturday, June 20, 7PM–12AM in Toronto’s Church–Wellesley Village.

2026 THEME: REWILDING

Rewild, Reignite, Remember, Revisit, Reinstall, Remind, Reanimate, Realize, Reunite, Reimagine, Recall, Reclaim, Rewind.

Artists are invited to creatively interpret, explore, and respond to this year’s theme, REWILDING, in their proposed projects. Examples could include:

• Projects that reclaim or reimagine urban spaces as queer ecologies

• Projects that utilize multi-media or adopt multi-disciplinary approaches

• Projects that engage audiences through participatory or site-responsive experiences

• Projects that reflect queer histories, futures, and intergenerational storytelling

• Projects that embrace play, transformation, and renewal as acts of resistance

ELIGIBLE WORKS / PROJECTS

Applicants may submit work in any medium: two-dimensional works, sculpture, installation, screen-based works, new media, performance, multi-media, and site-specific works. Works and projects intended for either indoor or outdoor presentation are welcome.

We strongly encourage artists and organizations to apply who reflect diversity and intersectionality in sexuality, gender, culture, race, ethnicity, creed, religion, age, ability, and other dimensions of diversity.

PROJECT CATEGORIES

Applicants should apply to one of the categories below, choosing the term which most closely describes their work and interest. Please choose one of these categories in the application.

1. Performance and Tableau

2. Installation and Sculpture

3. New Media and Screen-Based Work

4. Two-Dimensional Work

5. Community Activation or Social Practice

6. Other

FEATURED FESTIVAL ELEMENTS

Walk on the Wild Side: Village Art Crawl

A glowing night tour beginning at The 519 or The ArQuives, with stops at participating venues throughout the Church–Wellesley Village. Audiences are encouraged to wear illuminated attire and join in creating a collective light installation at the final destination.

Queer Canadiana Spotlight

A live, one-night-only series of tableau performances that re-enact iconic moments in queer Canadian pop culture—from The Polka-Dot Door to Schitt’s Creek, from Carole Pope to General Idea.

SELECTION PROCESS

A jury of artists and curators will evaluate the proposals and make recommendations for selection of works to be included in the festival. The jury will evaluate proposals using the following criteria:

• Artistic merit

• Project viability and feasibility

• Capacity for the work to engage communities and/or be interactive or relational

• Representation of diversity and intersectionality (sexuality, gender, culture, race, ethnicity, creed, religion, age, ability, and other dimensions of diversity)

• Representation of queer, 2-Spirit, or trans culture, history, theory, or perspective

• Representation of local and/or global social and cultural issues (including critical issues in art-making)

• Alignment with the Nuit Rose 2026 theme: REWILDING

Projects may be selected as Featured Projects, Contributing Projects, or Partner Projects.

Featured Projects will receive remuneration based on current Canadian Artists’ Representation (CARFAC) rates, in addition to exhibition or performance space in key venues. Contributing Projects will receive exhibition space and promotional support only. Partner Projects are those organized and presented independently (e.g. a curated exhibition by a gallery) and will receive promotional support as part of the festival.

Nuit Rose strives to award featured project status to as many projects as possible, dependent on available funding resources. The jury may also use its discretion to award commissions to specific projects. The festival’s curators will allocate selected works in key partner venues.

DEADLINE: FEBRUARY XX, 2026

SUBMIT YOUR PROPOSAL ONLINE: HERE

APPLICANTS WILL BE NOTIFIED OF SELECTION RESULTS BY APRIL XX, 2026.

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Email: info@throbbingrose.ca