Professional Development Grant in Canada

Deadline: 1-Apr-22

The Access Copyright Foundation is inviting eligible applicants for its Professional Development Grants program with the aim to promote excellence in Canadian content by supporting artistic and professional skills development for individuals and organizations engaged in the creation, production and publication of text and images.

The Access Copyright Foundation Professional Development Grants provide access to specialized training and continuing education for writers and visual artists and for arts professionals employed or contracted by Canadian publishers, writing and visual arts organizations.

Artistic Discipline: Professional Development grants are available in the literary and visual arts.

Grant Category

Creators
- For individual creators (writers and visual artists) seeking to develop their craft, learn new skills, train with an established professional peer or pursue career development opportunities.
Arts Professionals and Publishers
- For employees of, or freelance professionals contracted by publishers or publishing, writing and visual arts organizations seeking to enhance their expertise and knowledge through professional exchange, continuing education, skills development or attendance at creative industry events.

Funding Information

Applicants may request any amount up to the maximum of $3,000.

Eligible Activities

Professional development may be undertaken through formal or informal means such as:

Workshops, courses, conferences or seminars
Online or correspondence courses
Internships or professional exchanges
Mentorship or apprenticeships
Residencies, colonies or studio programs for professional artists
Career development events or consultation

Eligibility Criteria

Access Copyright Foundation programs support the following types of creators, organizations and arts professionals working in publishing and the literary and visual arts:

Creators
- Professional writers and visual artists who have completed formal or informal training in their discipline, maintain an artistic practice, and publish or present their work in a manner recognized by their professional peers. Applicants must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents, and meet at least one of the following criteria:
  - One professionally published book (excluding self published books and chapbooks)
  - One exhibition catalogue
  - Eight publications in periodicals or journals.
Arts Professionals
- Self-employed professionals working freelance in the writing, publishing and visual arts sector, including but not limited to:
- Editors, book coaches, translators, illustrators, designers
  - Publicists, independent literary agents, marketing and promotion specialists
  - Program, editorial, administrative, marketing and production staff of eligible organizations and publishers
  - Publishing consultants.
- Arts professionals must be self-employed, have formal or informal training and a resume demonstrating their contribution to the creation, production, presentation or promotion of publishable Canadian content. Arts professionals currently serving as contract or term employees of eligible publishers or arts organizations may not apply independently.
Artist Groups
- Informal collectives or small groups of professional writers or visual artists that:
  - Have a mandate to provide mutual support, critique, discourse, professional or skills development
  - Have a minimum of five active members
  - Have met or have convened online at least monthly for one year prior to the date of application.
Organizations and Publishers
- Publishers or publishing, writing and visual arts organizations located in Canada that:
  - Are legally registered in Canada as non-profit organizations, or are independent professional book or periodical publishers at least 75% Canadian-owned and controlled
  - Have a program mandate that supports the interests of Canadian writers or visual artists
  - Provide advocacy, research, promotion, public education, professional development and other support services to Canadian publishers, writers or visual artists or
  - Are literary or visual arts institutions in Canada operated by municipalities or government bodies but maintaining artistic control and separate financial records.
Eligible organizations and publishers must apply on behalf of program, editorial, administrative, marketing and production staff, including term or contract employees.
To be eligible for Access Copyright Foundation grants, organizations must:
- Pay artist fees or royalties to artists they engage
- Have been in continuous operation for at least one year prior to the date of application and have published or presented programs, events, festivals or readings series to the public featuring Canadian literary or visual artists and content throughout that time.