Description

Call for Proposals: Archival Residency Project (ARP) 2026

Archives & Special Collections invites a current University of Calgary undergraduate or graduate student to participate in the 2026 Archival Residency Project as an artist and researcher within the University of Calgary Archives and Special Collections (ASC).

The successful applicant will explore, interpret, and respond to materials from the Melvin Crump fonds, held by the University of Calgary Archives and Special Collections. The resident will be supported by University of Calgary's Music Archivist, and Director, Access Services from Archives & Special Collections throughout the project. The resident will produce original research and/or creative work in a format of their choosing.

Formats can include but are not limited to:

- Written scholarship or creative writing

- Visual art

- Documentary or digital storytelling

- Audio projects

- Educational resources

- Community-engaged research

- Multimedia or web-based projects

- Exhibitions or public programming

Project Timeline The residency will commence in mid-to-late September 2026 and conclude by the end of April 2027. Schedules will be arranged in consultation with the successful applicant and supervisors.

The Melvin Crump fonds The Melvin Crump fonds documents the life and experiences of Melvin Crump (1916-2009), an Alberta musician, railway porter, community leader, and longtime employee of the Glenbow Museum. Born in Edmonton to Robert and Ester Crump, who were among the Black settlers who came to Alberta from Oklahoma in the early 1900s, Crump's life reflects broader histories of migration, resilience, community-building, labour, and cultural life in Alberta and Western Canada. Between 1908 and 1911,



approximately 1,000 African Americans migrated from Oklahoma and surrounding states to Alberta and other prairie provinces, seeking escape from Jim Crow laws, voter disenfranchisement, and racial violence.

Upon arrival in Canada, they encountered significant racism and opposition from government officials, the media, and white residents. Despite this, Black Albertans established thriving communities, sustained families and cultural traditions, and made lasting contributions to the economic, social, and cultural development of the province. Crump worked for the Canadian Pacific Railway from 1936 to 1960 and was an accomplished jazz drummer active across Western Canada for decades.

The fonds offers opportunities to explore themes including:

- Black history in Alberta and Western Canada
- The Oklahoma migration and settlement of Black communities in Alberta

- Community leadership and activism

- Public history and community storytelling

- Labour history

- Jazz and music cultures in Western Canada

Student Support and Learning Workplace The student will be supported throughout the placement by the Music Archivist and the Director, Access Services, Archives & Special Collections. Working closely with staff, the student will receive mentorship, training, and regular feedback while gaining hands-on experience in archival research.



The student will have access to the Melvin Crump fonds, as well as other Archives and Special Collections holdings and collections within Library and Cultural Resources (LCR), to support their research and creative exploration.

Through this experience, the student will develop archival research skills and create an original creative response inspired by their engagement with the fonds and related collections.

For more information please see:

Melvin Crump fonds finding aid: https://searcharchives.ucalgary.ca/melvin-crump-fonds

Mevlin Crump fonds digital materials: https://digitalcollections.ucalgary.ca/asset-management/2R3BF1S39K8R7&WS;=PackagePres&Flat;=Y

Parks Canada Backgrounder on Black Pioneer immigration to Alberta and Saskatchewan: https://www.canada.ca/en/parks-canada/news/2017/05/black_pioneer_immigrationtoalbertaandsaskatchewan.html

Compensation

$26.00 per hour

Up to 230 hours

Funding is also provided for supplies and other supports for the resident in realizing their proposed project.

Eligibility

- Currently enrolled undergraduate or graduate students at the University of Calgary

- Interested in archival research, creative practice, public history, community history, arts-based research, education, media production, cultural studies, or related fields

Students from equity-deserving and historically underrepresented communities are especially encouraged to apply.

Application Requirements

Submit a single PDF that includes:

- Short Biography and/or Artist Statement

- Resume or CV

- Sample of Work

- Archival Residency Project Proposal (approximately 500 words)

Application Deadline: Friday, August 28, 2026

📌 Archival Student Resident, Libraries and Cultural Resources (Calgary)
🏢 University of Calgary
📍 Calgary