TD Curatorial Fellowship

We are thrilled to announce that Abisola Oni has been selected as the 2025 TD Emerging Curatorial Fellow. Abisola will join our team to help shape the curatorial framework for this landmark exhibition and publication, which celebrates the life and work of one of Canada’s most important artists.

Here’s a little about our TD Fellow: Abisola Oni is a curator, writer, and performance artist living and working in Tkaronto and along the Haldimand Tract. Her research and creation practice is grounded by postcolonial and feminist methods; Abisola’s recent exhibitions and essays contemplate body politics, human geography, and Black and African visual culture.

Her writing on contemporary art exhibitions has been published by Public Journal (Toronto), Dancemakers Centre for Creation (Toronto), and the Canadian Clay & Glass Gallery (Kitchener). abisola holds a Bachelor of Arts in Visual Culture and Studio Art from the University of Waterloo and a Master of Visual Studies in Curatorial Studies from the University of Toronto.

Their research, mentorship, and curatorial contributions will help bring new perspectives to June Clark’s enduring legacy and deepen the conversation around cultural identity in Canadian art.

The Magenta Foundation, in proud partnership with Daniel Faria Gallery and Nia Centre for the Arts, with support from TD Bank Group through its corporate citizenship platform The Ready Commitment, is pleased to launch the inaugural TD Curatorial Fellowship, a transformative two-year opportunity designed to support and uplift an emerging BIPOC curator from an equity deserving community.

Rooted in mentorship, collaboration, and hands-on practice, this fellowship offers the rare chance to work closely with the Magenta team, Daniel Faria Gallery, Nia Centre for the Arts and legendary Canadian artist June Clark to digitize, co-curate, and activate her powerful archive through a landmark exhibition, publication, and public programming.

This is more than a job. It’s an invitation to co-author a new chapter in Canadian art history, one that recognizes and celebrates overlooked voices and histories.

PRESENTED BY

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

TD CURATORIAL FELLOWSHIP SPONSORED BY

Deadline to Apply: July 30, 2025
Start Date: Fall 2025
Location: Toronto, ON (Hybrid / In-person)
Duration: 2 Years
Compensation: $35/hr | Approx. 60 hrs/month (flexible)

This immersive, hands-on experience is designed to blend curatorial practice, digital archiving, and leadership development in a collaborative environment. Key responsibilities include:

• Leading the digitization and cataloguing of June Clark’s extensive black-and-white photographic archive
• Collaborating on the design of a comprehensive, accessible online database
• Assisting in the curation of two major exhibitions in partnership with Daniel Faria Gallery and Nia Centre for the Arts
• Contributing to the production of a monograph with The Magenta Foundation
• Supporting educational programming such as artist talks, workshops, and guided tours
• Participating in national and international touring strategies and grant writing
• Attending artist meetings, studio visits, and event planning
• Bringing your own vision, voice, and curatorial instincts to this once-in-a-lifetime initiative

• A meaningful, paid fellowship rooted in real-world curatorial and archival experience
• Mentorship from leading curators, artists, and arts professionals
• Professional development in digital tools, exhibition-making, publishing, and cultural organizing
• A stronger network across Canada’s arts and culture ecosystem
• A platform to amplify BIPOC voices and shift representation in Canadian arts
• A working experience that leads to better employment opportunities

We’re looking for a community-minded emerging curator who is:

• Passionate about art, archives, and storytelling
• Deeply interested in equity, inclusion, and cultural heritage
• Organized, proactive, collaborative and eager to learn
• Tech-savvy or open to learning digital tools (e.g. digital archiving software, Excel, Google Drive, Adobe Suite)
• Skilled in writing, communication, and creative problem-solving
• An out of the box thinker who is also excited about touring possibilities and will work to assist in this

The ideal candidate will bring a combination of academic training, lived experience, and practical skills that reflect their passion for curatorial work, contemporary art, and equity in the arts. We are seeking someone who is:

• A self-identified member of an equity-deserving group (Indigenous, Black, Person of Colour, or other underrepresented community)
• Educated in Art History, Museum Studies, Cultural Studies, or a related field (M.A. preferred), or with equivalent lived and/or professional experience
• Knowledgeable about contemporary art in Canada and internationally
• Committed to equity, inclusion, and the diversification of Canadian arts institutions
• A skilled communicator, both written and oral, with strong copy-editing, proofreading, and research abilities
• Highly organized and able to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and details, including budgeting
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, collaborative environment with an energetic, self-directed work ethic
• Legally eligible to work in Canada for the full duration of the fellowship (non-Canadian applicants must provide valid work authorization documentation)
• Upon completion of each year of the Fellowship, provide a presentation to Magenta and DFG on the outcomes of each year.

Please submit the following materials as a single PDF to: info@magentafoundation.org
Subject line: TD Curatorial Fellowship – [Your Name]

Your application should include:

1. A short statement (max. 500 words) introducing yourself and your interest in the fellowship
2. A current CV (max. 2 pages)
3. (Optional) One short writing sample that reflects your curatorial or creative thinking
4. (Optional) Names and contact info for one or two references

Application Deadline: July 30, 2025
Only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.

Equity Statement
The Magenta Foundation is committed to employment equity and actively encourages applications from equity-deserving communities. We recognize that lived experience holds equal value to formal education and welcome applicants from all backgrounds.

For over 20 years, The Magenta Foundation has championed emerging and underrepresented artists across Canada and around the world. With this new fellowship, we’re taking a bold next step, investing in future curatorial leadership that will shape what, and who, gets seen.