Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec (CALQ)

Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec approached Acme Studios on the recommendation of Arts Council England to manage their six-monthly residencies in London.

The inaugural residency began in 2009 and provides a work/live studio in Bow, E3, an area at the centre of East London's thriving art scene, in close proximity to Bethnal Green and Hackney Wick.

The accommodation includes an open plan kitchen and large living area with a separate mezzanine bedroom and study area with views overlooking the 2012 Olympic stadium. The Bow area also houses Acme international residencies from Australia, Germany, Sweden and Switzerland, providing the selected artist with the opportunity to make links with other international artists.

Applications and selection are dealt with directly by Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec. For further information and application details see www.calq.gouv.qc.ca

Current Artist: 

Michel de Broin

Born in 1970 in Montreal, Michel de Broin currently lives and works in London as the recipient of the CALQ London Residency.

Through a collection of objects and actions, his works seek to escape the constraining nature of modern utopian aspirations whilst attempting to reenact them in playful, jesting objects that glorify the referent on the one hand while upstaging it on the other. Drawing on his doubt in the capacity and value of ideas, his sculptural projects seek to put them to the test by literally confronting them with the necessities of reality in assemblage that often troubles the ideas it purports to speak for.

During his residency Michel is working towards his a forthcoming project as part of the 2010 Milton Keynes International Festival.

Next Artist: Alexander MacSween

"My six months in the ACME studio will be spent researching music software and composing new music. I am particularly interested in applying software to a process that integrates my practice as a drummer. I also look forward to meeting artists from London and elsewhere."

Montreal-based musician, composer and sound artist, Alexander MacSween has collaborated on many dance, theatre and film projects. He has worked with Marie Brassard (QC), André Gingras (NL), Brigitte Haentjens/Sybillnes (QC), Interlude T/O (FR), Robert Lepage (QC), Montréal Danse (QC), José Navas/Compagnie Flak (QC), and T.r.a.n.s.i.t.s.c.a.p.e (BE). As a drummer, Alexander is active in the worlds of rock, improvisation and electronic music. H has played with Paolo Angeli, Tim Berne, Michel F. Côté, Bionic, Frank Gratkowski, The Nils, and Sam Shalabi. He is a member of Martin Tétreault’s Turntable Quartet and of the group, Foodsoon, with Bernard Falaise and Fabrizio Gilardino. Alexander has also created solo pieces and sound installations. His work has been presented in several festivals, including CitySonics (Mons, BE), Sonorama (Besançon, FR) and Mutek (Montreal, QC.) He also gives workshops in real-time sound processing for the performing arts presented by the CECN (Mons, BE) at various European centers, including Le Fresnoy (Lille), ArtZoyd (Valenciennes) et TechnoCité (Mons.)