Ontario Arts Council announces Visual Artists Creation Projects (Canada)

Deadline: 3-Nov-22

The Ontario Arts Council is pleased to announce the Visual Artists Creation Projects to support professional Ontario-based visual artists to create new work.

The program aims to reflect the range of artistic practices in the visual arts, and to support excellence, regional activity, diverse artists and communities.

Categories

The program has three categories, based on years of professional practice and public presentation of work:

• Emerging artists
• Mid-career artists
• Established artists

Funding Information

• Emerging: $5,000
• Mid-Career: $7,500
• Established: $15,000
• Important: Partial grants are not awarded.

Eligibility Criteria

• Eligible applicants include Ontario-based:
  • Individual professional artists and arts professionals
  • Ad hoc groups and collectives
  • Organizations
• In some project programs, municipalities, colleges, universities, school boards, First Nations and schools administered by a First Nations or Indigenous Education Authority are eligible. 
• Applicants must meet program and OAC eligibility criteria at the time of application submission.
• An individual must:
  • Be a professional artist or arts professional
  • The OAC defines a professional artist or arts professional as someone who has developed skills through training or practice, is recognized by artists working in the same artistic tradition, has a history of public presentation or publication, seeks payment for their work and actively practices their art. Short breaks in artistic work history are acceptable.
  • Be 18 years of age or older
  • Be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada, or have an application pending for permanent resident status and, if requested, be able to provide documentation to verify this.
  • Be a resident of Ontario
• To establish residency in Ontario, you must have lived in Ontario for at least 12 consecutive months before submitting an application. This applies to new Ontario residents and former Ontario residents returning after frequent or long-term absences.
•  As an Ontario resident, you may be absent from the province only under the following circumstances to maintain your eligibility:
  • If you are absent from Ontario on a recurring basis, such absences must not exceed four months (cumulatively) of the 12 months before the submission of your application. This applies even if you kept an address in Ontario during your absence.
  • If you are absent from Ontario on a temporary, one-time basis (for a residency or contract, for example), such an absence must not exceed 12 months of the 12 months before the submission of your application. You must also have been in Ontario for at least 8 months of the year preceding an absence of this length. During this absence, you must not have applied to public funding agencies or ministries in the jurisdiction of your temporary residence.
• If requested by OAC, you can, at any time, provide documentation to verify your residency information.
• An ad hoc group or collective must:
  • Have 50 per cent of its members residing in Ontario
  • Be comprised of at least two members who meet the eligibility requirements for individuals listed above and who will be responsible for the administration of the grant on behalf of the ad hoc group or collective.
  • Not be a corporation
  • Be able to deposit a grant cheque in the name of the ad hoc group or collective
• Note: Ad hoc groups are formed for a one-time project, while collectives have ongoing activity.
• An incorporated not-for-profit organization must:
  • Be incorporated in Ontario or federally
  • Have a head office in Ontario
  • Be governed by a volunteer board of directors or an advisory board
• A for-profit organization must:
  • Be an Ontario-based, Canadian-owned book or magazine publisher eligible for funding in OAC’s publishing programs
  • Be incorporated in Ontario or federally
  • Have a head office in Ontario
• A college or university must:
  • Be Ontario-based
  • Present or produce professional Ontario artists, arts professionals, arts groups, arts collectives or arts organizations
  • Be registered through the Government of Ontario’s Ministry of Colleges and Universities
  • Have a staff member responsible for arts programming
• A municipality, school board, First Nation, or school administered by a First Nation or an Indigenous administered authority must:
  • Be Ontario-based
  • Engage professional Ontario artists, or present, produce or publish the work of professional Ontario artists, arts groups, arts collectives or arts organizations
  • Have a staff member responsible for arts programming
• Important: The OAC may request documentation to confirm an applicant's eligibility at any time. If they are unable to provide documentation, their application will be withdrawn or any funds granted must be repaid.

Ineligible Applicants

• Undergraduate or graduate students enrolled full-time at an educational institution.
• You may apply to only one OAC Visual Arts, Craft or Media Arts program per year, regardless of whether your application is successful.
• If you receive a Visual Artists Creation Project grant you must skip a year before you can apply again. For example, if you receive a grant at the April 2021 deadline, you may not apply again until 2023. You may receive support from the Exhibition Assistance program in addition to one other Visual Arts, Craft or Media Arts grants.

For more information, visit Ontario Arts Council.

For more information, visit https://www.arts.on.ca/grants/visual-artists-creation-projects