Funding & grants

Purpose 

The program supports not-for-profit arts organizations, ad hoc groups, collectives, and independent curators to research, present or document the work of professional Ontario visual artists and connect them with Ontario audiences, or to undertake other initiatives that benefit the visual arts community. Projects may include exhibitions, festivals, catalogues/publications, curatorial research, residency programs.

The program has four categories:

Purpose 

The program supports professional Ontario-based visual artists to create new work. The program aims to reflect the range of artistic practices in the visual arts, and to support excellence, regional activity, diverse artists and communities.

There are three categories, based on years of professional practice and public presentation of work:

• Emerging artists
• Mid-career artists
• Established artists

Deadline dates

May 13 and November 3, 2026, 1 p.m. ET

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:

Purpose

The program supports Ontario writers in the creation of new work and creates and strengthens connections between Ontario writers, publishers, and literary organizations.

This is a third-party recommender program. Using Nova, OAC’s online grant application system, writers apply to the publishers and organizations designated as recommenders for the program (a maximum of ten applications per year). These recommenders assess applications and submit grant recommendations to OAC.

Purpose

The program aims to develop audiences for the arts in Ontario regions outside of Toronto. It supports Ontario-based presenter organizations, ad hoc groups and collectives led by volunteer community members, as well as municipalities, colleges and universities to present professional artists in all OAC-funded disciplines and to offer associated audience engagement activities. The program supports activities in communities with limited professional arts activity.

Purpose

The program supports the creation, production and presentation of artwork; professional development; and community-engaged arts initiatives that benefit communities in northern Ontario (see OAC’s geographic regions map as a PDF or on Google Maps).The program has four categories:

Purpose

The program supports the recording of music by Ontario-based musicians including composers, songwriters and beat producers. The program has two categories:

Purpose

This program supports the development and presentation of all genres of live and virtual music by Ontario-based professional musicians, ad hoc groups, collectives and organizations. The program has six categories:

Purpose

The program supports Ontario-based professional artists in creating original musical works. This program supports music creators at all career stages, working in all music genres/styles. The program has two categories:

Purpose

The program supports the creation, production and presentation of multi- and inter-arts activities by professional Ontario artists, ad hoc groups, collectives and organizations working in all art forms and initiatives that benefit the professional multi- and inter-arts community.