Until this program opens in Nova, the Ontario Arts Council’s online granting system, program information may change. This includes deadline dates and specific information on eligibility. Be sure to visit this page after the program opens in Nova, but before starting your application.
Purpose
The program supports Ontario-based artists and arts professionals who are Deaf and/or have a disability, and ad hoc groups, collectives and arts organizations mandated to serve and led by artists or arts professionals who are Deaf and/or have a disability. It funds all contemporary and traditional art practices that are supported at OAC. There are three categories:
- Creation: to help cover the costs of research and development, exploration and experimentation, and creation of new work
- Production: to help cover the costs of production and/or the creation of art works
- Professional development: to help cover the costs of study or training; mentorship; internship or apprenticeship; and/or documentation of artwork
Deadline dates
October 14, 2021, 1 p.m. ET
- Applications are available in Nova approximately three months before the deadline.
- Grant notification will be available approximately four and a half months after the deadline.
- If you require application support to complete your application, please make your request at least six weeks before the program deadline.
Grant amount(s)
- Creation: maximum $10,000
- Production: maximum $10,000
- Professional development: maximum $10,000
Important:
- You may only apply to one category per deadline.
- Professional development activity can include study, training, mentorship, internship, apprenticeship and/or documentation of artwork in one application.
- Due to the number of applications received and the limited funds available, grants awarded may be smaller than the amount requested.
Recent changes
- Grant notification is now available approximately four and a half months after the deadline. Refer to the “Activity timing” section on this page to understand how this may affect the timing of eligible activities.
Eligible applicants
- professional artists and arts professionals who are Deaf and/or have a disability. They must be Ontario residents and have a permanent physical address in Ontario
- ad hoc groups and collectives or not-for-profit disability arts organizations that are led by Deaf artists and/or artists with disabilities. They must demonstrate that the artistic process is led by artists and/or arts professionals who are Deaf and/or have a disability. They must have a permanent physical address in Ontario.
Read the Guide to OAC Project Programs for more eligibility information.
Ineligible applicants
- You are not eligible to apply for the professional development category in this program if you have applied to any of the following programs and have not received notification this application was unsuccessful:
- Skills and Career Development: Indigenous Arts Professionals and Arts Professionals of Colour (formerly Access and Career Development)
- Chalmers Professional Development Projects
- Craft Projects – development component of the Research/Creation and Development category
- Northern Arts Projects – Skills/Career Development category
This program funds
- Creation: research and development, exploration and experimentation, and creation of new work
- eligible expenses include: workspace and equipment rental, research materials, artist’s fees, transportation and travel, accommodation, meal allowances; a contribution towards the purchase of small-scale equipment, software, electronics and similar materials required to carry out the project
- production expenses are ineligible unless the production element(s) is essential to the development of the work being created
- Production: the creation and/or production of artworks (for example, music composition, visual art, craft, media art, theatre, dance, multi and inter-arts piece)
- eligible expenses include: artistic, production, venue and administrative costs; a contribution towards marketing or promotional costs specific to the project, including the hiring of an Ontario-based marketing manager or publicist; work space and equipment rental; research materials; artist fees; transportation and travel; accommodation and meal allowances, a contribution towards the purchase of small-scale equipment, software, electronics and similar materials required to carry out the project
- productions must take place in Ontario
- Professional development: study, training, mentorship, internship, documentation of artwork
- study and training: to cover the cost of arts professionals’ attendance at conferences, master classes and workshops or training courses
- mentorship: to cover the cost of developmental relationships between arts professionals and mentors
- internship and apprenticeship: to cover the cost of arts professionals working in temporary positions that emphasize on-the-job training. The applicant must initiate the internship or apprenticeship, and it cannot replace a current position at the group or arts organization
- documentation of artwork: to cover the costs of professional preparation of materials that document an arts professionals’ skills, training and abilities
Important:
- Artist fees – payment to yourself or other artists engaged in the project. Artist fees should be calculated based on time or contribution to the project and/or relevant industry standards. The program does not fund living and personal expenses – do not include these as the rationale for the calculation of artist fees.
- In the professional development category, you can apply for more than one activity - for example, applying to take a workshop and to work with a mentor.
This program also supports:
- child care and other dependant care fees (this does not include regular, ongoing expenses)
- expenses related to making the project accessible to audiences and project participants (other than the applicant) who are Deaf or have a disability
- Note: Applicants to this program who identify as Deaf or as having a disability may apply for supplementary funds for their own accessibility expenses through Accessibility Fund: Project Support.
This program does not fund
- fundraising activities
- student projects at all education levels
- materials and supplies for workshop activities
- major capital expenditures, including buying, leasing or renovating buildings and purchase of major equipment
- studio renovation, repair or relocation
- accredited college or university programs
- tuition for full-time study
- business, promotional and marketing expenses (except for production grants)
Activity timing
The activities for which you are requesting funding:
- cannot start before the deadline
- cannot finish before you receive your grant results
- must be completed no more than two years after you receive the grant results
Final report requirements
If you receive a grant you must submit a final report upon completion of the project. See Terms and Conditions — receipt of OAC project grant funds for more information on reporting obligations. Complete and submit the report in Nova.
Final reports for this program require grant recipients to provide:
- description of the project undertaken and its outcomes, including details on any minor or approved changes to what had been outlined in the application
- final budget
- If the budget you submit shows a surplus of more than $250 (revenues as compared to expenses), you may be required to repay the surplus amount to OAC.
- documentation and/or an explanation of how you acknowledged or will acknowledge OAC support for your project
- This should include samples of OAC logo recognition on any promotional or other materials produced in conjunction with the project, such as publications, brochures, posters, invitations, websites, videos and films. This could also include a description of verbal acknowledgement at public events or the intention to include OAC acknowledgement in associated future activities and materials.
To apply
Complete and submit an application in Nova, OAC’s online grant application system. You will be able to do this approximately three months before the deadline.
Before applying, you must:
- read the Guide to OAC Project Programs
- read the Guide to OAC Assessment
- create or update your profile in Nova
Your application includes:
- basic information about the project
- your answers to application questions
- project budget
- artistic examples. These videos will help:
- Preparing Effective Support Material for Visual Arts and Craft Grant Applications
- Preparing Effective Support Material for Theatre, Dance and Performance-Based Multi and Inter-Arts
- support documents: résumés, bios, letter of support (if applicable)
Complete instructions and requirements are in the application in Nova.
For information on how assessors rate applications see the Evaluation Rubric – Activity Projects.
For help creating a profile or submitting an application in Nova, see the Nova User Guide.
Program-specific definitions
The OAC identifies artists with disabilities as people who have physical, mental or learning conditions with long-term, temporary or varying effects that may be apparent or not.
The OAC identifies Deaf artists as distinct from artists with disabilities based on the Canadian Hearing Society’s definition of “Culturally Deaf,” a term that refers to individuals who identify with and participate in the language, culture, and community of Deaf people.
Funding and grant information via OAC. Please visit the link for full details and information.