Theatre Projects

Deadline: 
Wednesday, August 3, 2022 - 1:00pm
Funding region: 
Ontario
Arts disciplines: 

Purpose

The program supports professional theatrical exploration, creation, development, production and presentation, regardless of theatrical tradition, as well as initiatives that benefit the Ontario professional theatre community. There are five categories:

  • Creation: contribution to the artistic fees of initial exploration and development of a theatrical project or idea, for research, exploration and experimentation
  • Creation in Residence: contribution to the artistic fee for a residence, with a professional not-for-profit Ontario theatre company, in playwriting or other methods of creation
  • Development Workshops: contribution to the costs of a workshop or similar development projects; some form of public presentation is necessary
  • Productions: contribution to the costs of single productions, including shared-production models
  • Festivals/Theatre Initiatives: contribution to the costs of festivals, or the costs of artists or arts professionals participating in activities and initiatives that significantly benefit the professional theatre community at large and are not related to a single production, including presentations, series, conferences and other public forums, community professional development, administrative collaborations, and other activities with a community impact

Priorities

The program gives a higher priority to Canadian work.

Projects can happen in any language except French, although applications must be submitted in English.

Deadline dates

February 9 and August 3, 2022 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 each deadline.

Grant amount(s)

  • Creation: maximum $5,000
  • Creation in Residence: maximum $10,000
  • Development Workshops: maximum $15,000
  • Productions: maximum $20,000
  • Festivals/Theatre Initiatives: maximum $15,000

Important: 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 each deadline. Refer to the “Activity timing” section on this page to understand how this may affect the timing of eligible activities.

Eligible applicants

  • professional theatre artists who are residents of Ontario with a permanent physical address in Ontario
  • ad hoc groups/collectives composed of a majority of Ontario residents
  • not-for-profit organizations based in Ontario that produce or present professional theatre
  • organizations must have a permanent physical address in Ontario

Read the Guide to OAC Project Programs for more eligibility information.

Ineligible applicants

  • non-professional applicants
  • current recipients of an operating grant in the Theatre Organizations program
  • current recipients of an operating grant in other OAC operating programs, with the exception of organizations mandated to serve one or more of OAC’s priority groups.
  • municipalities, colleges and universities

This program funds

  • artistic research, exploration and experimentation
  • playwriting and other methods of creation, either in-residence with a professional not-for-profit Ontario theatre company, or independently
  • workshops and other development projects
  • single productions, including shared-production models
  • festivals, presentations and series
  • community professional development, administrative collaborations, conferences and other public forums

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

  • events or activities that take place outside of Ontario
  • amateur, pre-professional or student productions or projects
  • activities in French (see the Théâtre – projets francophones program)
  • tours (see Touring Projects)
  • 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.

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

Complete and submit an application in Nova, OAC’s online grant application system. You will be able to do this approximately two 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 completed application includes:

  • basic information about the project
  • your answers to application questions
  • project budget
  • artistic examples – minimum one and maximum three items of past or current work:
    • script sample
    • audio or video sample
  • support documents:
    • CVs, résumés or bios (maximum eight pages)
  • support letters, reviews (maximum six pages) (optional)
  • for shared production models – agreement with producing partner (maximum four pages)
  • for Creation in Residence – letter from host theatre company (maximum two pages)

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. 

Visit the link provided to apply. Granting information via OAC, please visit the link for full details and information.