Artist-run. Artist-centred.
Research. Create. Experiment. Collaborate.
Studio H Canada International Artist Residency offers artists four weeks of dedicated time, space and a supportive environment in rural Metchosin, British Columbia. Studio H welcomes artists from Canada and around the world, across cultures, identities, backgrounds, disciplines and stages of practice.
We value the different perspectives, experiences and ways of working that artists bring, and aim to create a respectful and inclusive environment for everyone who undertakes a residency here.
Studio H creates the conditions for exploration rather than requiring predetermined outcomes.
Artists direct their own residencies and can pivot or change direction as their work develops.
Conversation, mentorship, feedback, technical problem-solving
and practical support are available when useful.
At Studio H, time is protected for your practice. Space includes your accommodation and studio, as well as the gardens, forest and outdoors — room to think, talk, walk, work differently, reflect and rest.
Environment is more than this amazing landscape and rural setting. The Environment is what surrounds and supports your time and space: a positive, safe and supportive setting, creative exchange, conversation, resources and the possibilities that emerge.
Your residency
A small-scale residency
Studio H typically hosts two resident artists at a time, although small groups have also been hosted. Residents have private accommodation with some shared amenities, and share the studio and property with other artists. This creates room for independent practice as well as informal conversation, exchange and collaboration.
For more about Studio H, the place and how the residency developed, visit About Studio H.
Your residency
A residency might involve concentrated making, research, writing, experimentation, learning a process, changing direction, developing a project, collaborating, reflecting or taking time to think. Some artists arrive with a defined body of work in mind; others arrive with questions, an inquiry or an area they want to explore.
Arrive with intention, not a fixed outcome.
Studio H provides time, place, resources and possibilities. You bring your practice, your questions and your agency.
Once you arrive, it becomes your residency.
Artist-run support and connection
Artist-run support and connection
Studio H is hosted by artist and founder Heidi Bergstrom. Artists arrive with their own knowledge, intentions and ways of working; Heidi is available as a fellow practitioner for conversation, mentorship, feedback, technical problem-solving, introductions and practical support when useful. Support is responsive rather than imposed and can look different from one residency to another.
Artists may also find opportunities for exchange with another resident or with people in the surrounding arts community. Artist talks, workshops, exhibitions and other public activities can sometimes be developed when they make sense for the artist and the residency, but they are possibilities rather than requirements and are not guaranteed.
For more about Heidi’s practice and approach to hosting, visit Heidi Bergstrom — Artist, Founder & Host.
Creating here
The shared studio supports artists working across disciplines and media. Artists have worked here through visual art, textiles and fibre, photography, video, sound, installation, writing, research, conceptual and interdisciplinary practices. Studio H has work surfaces, tools and equipment, textile and fibre resources, and outdoor working possibilities. There are even some musical instruments.
Artists bring or source the materials specific to their own practice and discuss specific equipment, space, working conditions or technical requirements with us in advance.
Explore Creating Here – Studio & Equipment for detailed information about the studio, tools and creative possibilities.
Studio Interior — Multimedia studio space 
Studio interior — multimedia studio space 
Studio Interior — Multimedia studio space 
Studio exterior — outside work area 
Studio Exterior — outside work area 
Studio interior — main entrance and textile area (loom not pictured) 
Studio interior — main entrance and textile area (loom not pictured) 
Studio Interior — Multimedia studio space and lounge 
in the studio 
Happy Hour at the Studio 
Studio Interior — Artist Laura Kunciūtė lounging in the multimedia space 
Studio Equipment — hand pan drum 
Studio Equipment — detail of various hand instruments 
Studio Equipment — detail of marimba and lute 
Laura Kunciūtė’s work on loom 
Accommodations & Amenities
Two private resident accommodation options are available at Studio H.
The Studio Suite is a self-contained living suite with its own exterior locking door, bedroom, lounge, bathroom and small dining area, plus a bar fridge, microwave, coffee maker and kettle. It does not have a full kitchen.
The View Suite has a private bedroom and bathroom with shared kitchen and common areas. Residents use the shared main kitchen in the View Suite for the stove, dishwasher, full-size refrigerator and pantry.
Residents also have access to shared laundry, the gardens and outdoor areas of the property, and the hot tub. Accommodation is part of the residency environment: a place to live comfortably, prepare meals, rest and have space away from the studio.
Residents are responsible for their own meals, groceries, laundry and ordinary day-to-day living. More detailed information about transportation, rural living, seasons and preparing for your stay is available in Plan Your Residency.
Internet & Entertainment: High-speed internet with an HD television with a guest Netflix account or access to YouTube etc. is provided.
Studio Suite Gallery
The Studio Suite front entrance 
The Studio Suite — main bedroom and private entrance 
The Studio Suite — main bedroom and breakfast nook 
The Studio Suite — breakfast nook 
The Studio Suite main bedroom 
The Studio Suite — main bedroom and private bathroom from lounge area 
The Studio Suite — private bathroom 
The Studio Suite — private bathroom 
The Studio Suite — Private lounge area with TV, microwave, coffee maker, and small fridge 
The Studio Suite — Private lounge area with TV, microwave, coffee maker, and small fridge 
The Studio Suite — pull-out sofa in the private lounge area 
Property amenities — hot tub, pizza oven, barbeque, and vegetable garden 
Property amenities — hot tub, pizza oven, barbeque, and vegetable garden 
Property amenities — east facing view of the Salish Sea and the greater Victoria area at sunset
View Suite Gallery
The View Suite — shared outside entrance to common areas and suite 
The View Suite — shared common area including lounge with entertainment centre, dining area, and kitchen 
The View Suite — shared common area including lounge with entertainment centre, dining area, and kitchen 
The View Suite — shared common area including lounge with entertainment centre, dining area, and kitchen 
The View Suite — shared common area including lounge with entertainment centre, dining area, and kitchen 
The View Suite — shared common area including lounge with entertainment centre, dining area, and kitchen 
The View Suite — main private bedroom 
The View Suite — main private bedroom 
The View Suite — main private bedroom storage area 
The View Suite — main private bedroom 
The View Suite — private bathroom 
The View Suite — private bathroom 
The View Suite — panoramic east facing windows in the shared lounge area 
Property amenities — hot tub, pizza oven, barbeque, and vegetable garden 
Property amenities — east facing view of the Salish Sea and the greater Victoria area at sunset 
Hot Tub
*Please note: the residency is for artists or collaborative artistic groups — other visitors may be accommodated for a daily fee, please enquire ahead of time. This residency program is designed for solo artists and is best experienced independently without distraction.
**Some amenities are subject to suite availability — Studio H Canada will endeavor to make your stay as comfortable as possible.
2027 Registration and Fees
Registration
Once you complete the application form we will arrange an online meeting via Google Meet or Whats App to find out more about your residency goals, timing, and interests to make sure this is the right residency for you.
When we determine this is the right fit and the plan is established, Studio H Canada will draft an artist agreement for the term of the residency outlining your responsibilities and how we can support you (in-kind financial support, achieving residency goals etc.), and finalize dates and payments. You will also receive an official offer/acceptance letter that can be used for funding applications or sponsors.
SHC must receive confirmation from artists that they will accept the offer, sign off on the residency agreement, and submit their deposit, within four working days. The residency is confirmed when all steps are completed within four days.
Fees
The Basic Fee schedule below does not include local taxes, non refundable deposit of $100, or additional services. The deposit is non refundable but never expires; so if plans change, you can apply the deposit to a future residency.
Use the Plan Your Residency Calendar to see which dates have been booked already. All residencies start on Sunday at noon, and check out on Saturday, noon.
All fees are based on single artist occupancy. Please enquire about artist groups of 2 or more. Only artists may attend the residency.
All fees are in Canadian Dollars (CAD). PayPal or WISE transfers are accepted for international payments.
Fees
- Residency with Studio Suite accommodations: $2200.00 CAD / 4 weeks
- Residency with View Suite accommodations: $2200.00 CAD / 4 weeks
- Maintenance & Sustainability: $150.00 CAD
- Non refundable deposit: $100.00 CAD
- GST/HST as applicable
Cancellations & Deposit
Non-refundable deposit: $100
Booking period: 3 month in advance minimum and based on availability.
Refund and Payment Schedule: subject to change and dependent on document exchange timing. If booking <90 days ahead then full fees will be due at the time of acceptance.
| Amount | Condition | Timing |
| $100.00 CAD deposit | non-refundable | Within 24 hours of receiving offer letter and agreement |
| 50% of fee | half fees payable | 30 days after signing agreement |
| 100% of fee | balance of fees payable | 90 days before residency begins |
| 25% of fees paid | refundable | 90 days prior to arrival |
| 10% of fees paid | refundable | 60 days prior to arrival |
Bookings and Payment
Payments can be made by e-Transfer, WISE or PayPal to: create@studiohcanadaresidency.ca.
Thank you! We look forward to hearing from you soon.
