Deadline: 30-Aug-23
The Calgary Arts Development is seeking applications from registered non-profit arts organizations for its Project Grant Program.
This program is intended to provide one-time project funding to registered non-profit arts organizations in Calgary (known as Mohkinsstsis in Blackfoot).
The Project Grant Program seeks to support projects that align with any of the following priority areas:
- Projects that reflect and contribute to the vibrancy and vitality of Calgary’s arts sector and create opportunities for Calgarians to access artistic experiences.
- Projects that create opportunities to attract, restore and retain jobs for artists and arts professionals.
- Projects that support organizational development or strengthen the organization’s ability to connect with their community.
- Arts-centred projects that encourage everyday creativity, including cross-sector collaboration, creative economy and neighbourhood-level community initiatives.
Program Streams
Applications may be submitted to one of three streams. Applicants should select the stream that best fits the core goal and purpose of their project. The below outlines a general recommendation for stream selection:
- Create & Develop:
- This project is focused on the creation, development, or research of an artistic work.
- This project will not result in something that will be shared with an audience or the general public at this time. It may eventually be shared publicly, but it is not part of the project timeline and goals for this grant application.
- Examples: Research project, creating or developing new work, adapting previous work, preproduction or production processes, etc.
- Program & Present:
- This project is focused on sharing your artistic work with the public, or raising awareness of your work, including marketing and selling. This could involve the creation and production of artistic work all the way through to presenting it to an audience.
- This project will result in something that will be shared with an audience or the general public (online or in-person) as part of the project timeline and goals for this grant application.
- Examples: exhibitions, presentations, performances, releases, touring, publishing, distribution, marketing or selling, etc.
- Grow & Adapt:
- This project is focused on the experimentation or development of new or adapted approaches to how you work, including artistic, operational, administrative or governance practices. Organizations must demonstrate projects of this type or distinct from work typically considered to be part of regular operations or build upon this work in a meaningful or transformative way.
- This project may not have an artistic outcome or clear end result, but there should be clear reasoning with potential for learning and change in how you work.
- Examples: Strategic planning, business adaptations, professional development, projects related to organization’s physical infrastructure and projects related to strategic planning with an Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility (EDIA) focus, internal learnings or trainings around bias, intercultural competency, anti-racism, Treaty education and other related matters.
Funding Information
- Organizations may apply for up to $25,000.
- Total funding available for this program is $600,000.
- Projects funded through this program must be completed by June 30, 2025.
What Can You Apply For?
- Applicants can apply for the research, creation, development, production, presentation or dissemination of artistic work. Projects may include experimentation or development of new or adapted approaches to their operations or the administration of their organization. They may also include cross-sector collaboration, creative economy and neighbourhood level initiatives as well.
- Projects can begin before the application deadline, but projects that will be fully complete before the application deadline of August 30, 2023 are not eligible.
Who Can Apply?
- Registered Non-Profit Arts Organizations: This program is open to registered non-profit arts organizations in Calgary, both those who currently receive operating grants and those who do not currently receive operating grants from them. Organizations must demonstrate that the arts are at the core of their mandate.
- Registered Non-Profit Organizations (that may not have an arts mandate): Applications for projects which are not led by arts organizations, but which collaborate with and/or primarily support artists or arts organizations may be eligible. See the outlined Collaborations with Artists section below.
- Collaborations with Artists: for organizations that do not have an arts mandate
- They will consider applications from organizations that do not meet the definition of a nonprofit arts organization if they can demonstrate the below, and at the discretion of Calgary Arts Development staff:
- Artists are core collaborators or participants in the planning, development and implementation of the project.
- The project and budget provide financial and non-financial support to artists.
- The applicant has a demonstrated history of working with artists and/or the arts sector.
- Applicants not registered as a non-profit society, company or charity must be collaborating with an organization with non-profit status who can receive and manage the grant funds.
- They will consider applications from organizations that do not meet the definition of a nonprofit arts organization if they can demonstrate the below, and at the discretion of Calgary Arts Development staff:
- Collaborations with Artists: for organizations that do not have an arts mandate
- This program cannot support or accept the following:
- Applications from individual artists or non-registered artist collectives.
- Individual applications from registered for-profit corporations or businesses,
- Applications from post-secondary institutions and artistic projects by non-arts organizations
- Applications that include operational or recurring activities that make up part of the organization’s regular running costs such as wages, etc.
Eligibility Requirements
- An applicant may only apply to this program for one project or one distinct phase of a project.
- They will only accept one application per organization, and one application per project.
- You may not receive funding from more than one Calgary Arts Development program for the same project or phase of a project.
- You may not apply to this program if you have final reports past their due date for prior grants.
- As of January 2023, you may not have more than four open grants with Calgary Arts Development, including grants for which a deadline extension has been approved (multi-year Operating Grants do not count towards this). A request for an exception to this eligibility requirement may be submitted in writing and in discussion with the program specialist.
For more information, visit Calgary Arts Development.