Purpose
The program supports Ontario-based volunteer-led presenters (ad hoc groups, collectives and organizations), municipalities, colleges and universities to present performances, exhibitions, screenings and readings by professional artists, and associated audience engagement activities. The aim of this program is to develop audiences for the arts in Ontario regions outside of Toronto. There are two categories:
- Volunteer-led organizations, ad hoc groups and collectives
- Municipalities, colleges and universities
Priorities
Program priorities include:
- activities that include the presentation of Ontario artists and their work
- activity taking place in isolated or fly-in communities in Ontario
Deadline dates
October 14, 2021, 1 p.m. ET
- Applications are available in Nova approximately two months before the deadline.
- Grant notification will be available approximately four and a half months after the deadline.
Grant amount(s)
- Volunteer-led organizations, ad hoc groups and collectives: maximum $7,500
- Municipalities, colleges and universities: maximum $5,000
Important: Due to the number of applications we receive and the limited funds that are available, grants awarded may be smaller than the amount requested. Projects should include a range of revenue sources.
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.
- Ad hoc groups/collectives composed of professional artists / arts professionals are no longer eligible
- Toronto organizations and ad hoc groups/collectives are no longer eligible
- The program no longer supports the presentation of artists that are volunteers or members of the applicant organization or ad hoc group/collective (i.e. self-presentation)
Note: Many other OAC project program support self-presentation. See specific discipline programs for eligibility.
Eligible applicants
Ad hoc groups/collective that are volunteer-led with no paid management and/or programming/curation staff. They must have a permanent physical address in Ontario and be located outside of Toronto. These must be comprised of two or more community members with permanent physical addresses in Ontario and may not have professional artists / arts professionals as members.
Not-for-profit arts organizations that are volunteer-led with no paid management and/or programming/curation staff. They must have a permanent physical address in Ontario and located outside of Toronto.
Ontario-based municipalities, colleges or universities located in regions outside Toronto. Note that these applicants may have paid programming/curation staff.
Read the Guide to OAC Project Programs for more eligibility information.
Ineligible applicants
- individuals
- organizations that receive an OAC operating grant
- ad hoc groups/collectives composed mainly of students
- ad hoc groups/collectives composed of professional artists / arts professionals (see discipline programs)
- ad hoc groups/collectives and organizations with a permanent physical address in Toronto (see discipline programs)
This program funds
- presentation of performances, exhibitions, screenings, readings of professional artists and associated audience engagement activities that take place in Ontario and outside of Toronto
- programming must be selected based on an artistic vision and presented to a public audience
Note:
A presenter may show artistic work as part of a festival or series (including youth and family series).
A presenter may be part of a touring circuit or presenter network that block books artists or arts groups.
Eligible presenters must:
- pay guaranteed presentation fees to professional artists or arts groups paid in accordance with union rates or recommended industry standards
- provide the venue and supply technical and promotional support
- demonstrate a thorough knowledge of audiences in their communities
- include a range of revenue sources (e.g. box office, merchandise sales, fundraising, other grants, etc.)
Eligible expenses include:
- artists’ presentation fees. This may include expenses related to non-Ontario artists that are being presented for the benefit of Ontario audiences
- artists’ travel, transportation, per diems and accommodation
- production costs, including rentals
- purchase of small-scale equipment, software, electronics and similar materials required to carry out the project
- marketing and promotional costs specific to the festival, event or series
- 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
- projects led by organizations or ad hoc groups/collectives that have paid programming/curation staff (full-time, part-time or contract staff) or artistic leadership (municipal, college and university presenters excepted)
- festivals, events or series that take place outside of Ontario or in Toronto
- the presentation of artists who are volunteers or members of the applicant organization or ad hoc group/collective (i.e. self-presentation)
- creating, commissioning, co-producing and rehearsing a work
- competitions
- programming supported by OAC’s Ontario Dances, Theatre Connects, Connexions théâtres or Diffusion – projets francophones programs
- projects in which the primary activity is skill development, creative workshops, arts education workshops or hands-on activities in schools or communities (see OAC’s Artists in Communities and Schools Projects program)
- fundraising
- major capital expenditures, including buying, leasing or renovating buildings and purchase of major equipment
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
Important:
Any major changes to the programming schedule or budget must be approved by the program officer.
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, or videos/films. This could also include a description of verbal acknowledgement at public events or the intention to include OAC acknowledgement in associated future activities/materials
To apply
Before applying, you must:
- read the Guide to OAC Project Programs
- read the Guide to OAC Assessment
- create or update your profile in Nova
For information on how assessors rate applications see the Evaluation Rubric – Activity Projects.
Complete and submit an application in Nova, OAC’s online grant application system. You will be able to apply online in Nova approximately two months before the deadline.
Your completed application includes:
- basic information about the project
- your answers to application questions
- a project budget and budget notes
- artistic examples: It is mandatory to include at least one, maximum two, examples of the work of artists or arts groups that will be presented. Each of the following file types is considered one example:
- video (maximum 3 minutes)
- audio (maximum 3 minutes)
- images (maximum 5 images)
- manuscript (maximum 3 pages)
- images of your presentation venue or past event (optional, 2 maximum)
- support documents:
- programming schedule (mandatory)
- applicant history (mandatory)
- biographies of key artists or histories of arts groups being presented (mandatory)
- website and/or examples of promotional materials, such as brochures, flyers or posters (optional)
For help creating a profile or submitting an application in Nova, see the Nova User Guide.
Program-specific definitions
Presenter: An organization/collective that selects tour-ready work for presentation and pays a presentation fee to the professional artist or arts group. A presenter provides the venue, supplies technical support, promotes the event, and presents the work in a professional manner to a public audience. A presenter may show artistic work as part of a series or a festival.
Isolated or fly-in communities: Northern Ontario communities that have infrequent flights, have no roads leading in or out or have restricted road access, and that have a higher cost of living.
Ontario regions outside of Toronto: This includes all Ontario-based addresses with the exception of ones with a postal code beginning with ‘M’.
Grant information via OAC. Please visit the link for full details and information.