Toronto Arts Council Open Call: Dance Projects in Canada

Deadline: 15-Feb-23

The Toronto Arts Council (TAC) is accepting applications for its Dance Projects to provide funding to professional dance artists, organizations and collectives for the creation, production and presentation of dance works, and other projects that support the development of professional dance in Toronto.

The program recognizes a diversity of dance practices. The City of Toronto supports this program through a funding allocation approved annually by Toronto City Council.

Categories

You may apply in one of four categories described below. Grants awarded may be less than the full amount requested. In all categories except Creation, TAC will not fund 100% of a project: applicants must indicate a range of revenue sources, which may include donated goods and services.

• Creation: supports choreographic creation, including research and development, and commissions. Some form of presentation (e.g., in-studio, with invited peers or public) must be included as part of the process. If you create your work in stages, you may apply for funding for different stages of creation, but note that you can only receive one grant in a calendar year from this program. The maximum grant in this category is $8,000. TAC may fund 100% of a project in the Creation category.
• Production and Presentation: supports the rehearsal, production and presentation of live dance. The maximum grant in this category is $15,000.
• Dance Series and Festivals: supports dance series and festivals that present Toronto choreographers, dance artists and dance companies. The maximum grant in this category is $10,000.
• Dance Field Development: supports projects that develop and advance the practice of professional dance in Toronto. Development projects must benefit a group of dance professionals; individual professional development projects are not eligible. Individuals are not eligible applicants in this category; the applicant must be an organization or collective. The maximum grant in this category is $8,000.

Eligibility Criteria

• If you are a first-time applicant, or if you have any questions about your eligibility or the eligibility of your project, please contact the Dance Program Manager.
  • To apply to Dance Projects, applicants can be individual professional dance artists, or professional not- for-profit dance organizations or collectives. The payment of artists’ fees is a requirement in this program
  • Artists must be professional. A professional artist is someone who has developed their skills through training and/or practice; is recognized as such by artists working in the same artistic tradition; actively practices her/his/their art; seeks payment for her/his/their work; and has a history of public presentation.
  • TAC recognizes that due to systemic barriers within the broader arts community (e.g. limited mainstream presentation opportunities for artists from equity-seeking communities) that some flexibility may be required in interpreting eligibility criteria to take into account equivalent professional experience and contexts. Potential applicants from equity-seeking communities are encouraged to discuss their eligibility with the Program Manager in advance of submitting an application.
  • You may not apply as an individual and an organization or collective for the same project in the same competition. If you are one of the members of an applicant collective, you may also apply as an individual for an unrelated project in the same competition.
  • The project for which the funding is requested must take place in the City of Toronto.
  • Applicants may receive only one grant per calendar year through the Dance program and may not apply to other TAC discipline programs. However, TAC offers other types of granting opportunities through its Strategic Initiatives envelope, and you may be eligible to apply to one of these programs. Please consult TAC’s website for other granting opportunities.
• For Individuals:
  • Individuals must be Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents or have an application pending for Permanent Resident status or be a Protected Person (approved refugee claimant) and, if requested, be able to provide documentation to verify this.
  • Individuals must have been a resident of the City of Toronto for at least one year prior to the deadline, and live and work in Toronto for at least 8 months a year. A Post Office Box address cannot be used to meet the residency requirement. Note: Temporary absences of up to one year may be considered, subject to written explanation and special permission. Please contact TAC’s Dance Program Manager.
  • The project’s choreographer must have completed at least one year of independent dance practice and a minimum of three publicly presented pieces, excluding student presentations.
  • Professional artists who are pursuing a graduate degree may not apply for work related to their thesis.
• For Organizations and Collectives:
  • Organizations and collectives must be incorporated non-profit organizations or unincorporated collectives which operate on a non-profit basis. A collective is defined as two or more artists working together under a group name, either on a single project (ad hoc) or on an ongoing basis.
  • The majority of the members of an organization or collective must have completed at least one year of independent dance practice.
  • Organizations and collectives must be located in the City of Toronto. A Post Office Box address cannot be used to meet this requirement.
  • For collectives of two artists, both must be City of Toronto residents. For collectives of more than two artists, the majority of members must be City of Toronto residents.

For more information, visit Toronto Arts Council.