Individual artists and collectives working in any artistic discipline pursuing a professional practice in Calgary (known as Mohknsstsisi in Blackfoot) are eligible for one-time project financing under this program. The Project Grant Program strives to fund projects that coincide with one or more of the priority areas listed below:
- Projects that reflect and contribute to the life and creativity of Calgary’s arts sector and provide an opportunity for Calgarians to participate in artistic experiences.
- Creation, professional growth, commercial development, research, and experimentation are examples of projects that encourage individual artistic and career development.
- Cross-sector collaboration, the creative economy, and neighborhood-level community initiatives exemplify arts-centered projects that inspire everyday innovation.
Individual artists are eligible for up to $15,000 in funding, while artist collectives are eligible for $20,000. A total of $1,600,000 is available for this program.
What Are the Benefits of this Program?
Project Grants provide one-time financing to eligible artists and artist collectives to support new work development and presentation. Project Grants can be used for a wide range of project costs, including but not limited to:
- Materials and supplies
- Professional fees (e.g., artist fees, design and fabrication, technical services)
- Honoraria
- Permissions and copyright clearances
- Rental of rehearsal and performance space
- Travel within Canada related to the project
- Marketing and promotion (excluding website development)
Who Is Eligible to Apply?
Individual artists and artist collectives in Calgary are eligible to apply for this initiative. Please note that individual submissions from arts administrators or cultural workers are not accepted for this program. As mentioned in the Collaborations with Artists section below, applications for projects that are not directed by artists but cooperate with and primarily support artists may be eligible. This program does not help non-profit organizations, for-profit firms, or registered businesses.
Individual Artists
- Individual artists must have professional practice to be considered for this program. An artist actively pursuing a career in the arts and has invested in developing their artistic talents, voice, and aspirations are considered a professional artist.
- Artists may have received formal or informal training. We value all forms of artistic knowledge, learning, and development.
- Professional artists have publicly shared their work and been paid for it or are actively attempting to do so.
- Professional artists have a connection to their peers and groups in the arts.
- Artists do not have to work in the arts full-time to be successful.
Artists Collectives
- An artist collective is defined as two or more individual artists who collaborate regularly or ad hoc and have a shared artistic practice separate from their disciplines. Collectives must describe their collaborative practice, vision, goals, and methodology to demonstrate that collective members have equal and shared ownership and accountability for the vision, success, and completion of the proposed project or activities.
- A majority of the collective’s members must be from Calgary (i.e., 50 percent or more).
- For-profit organizations or businesses, groups that are technically registered as a non-profit society, or those who seek to conduct themselves like a non-profit are not included in an artist collective.
Collaborations with Artists (Artist Collaborations)
- Individuals who do not satisfy the criterion of a professional artist or artist collective may apply if they can demonstrate the following criteria, which will be considered at the discretion of Calgary Arts Development staff:
- Artists are vital partners or participants in the project’s planning, development, and execution.
- The project and budget provide artists with both financial and non-financial support.
- The candidate has a track record of collaborating with artists and the arts community.
Other Guidelines
- They will only accept one application per individual or collective and one per project for this program.
- You may not receive financing from more than one Calgary Arts Development program for the same project or part of a project.
- If you have final reports for previous awards past their due date, you are not eligible to apply to this program.
You can only have four open grants with Calgary Arts Development starting in January 2023, including awards for which a deadline extension has been approved. A written request for an exception to this eligibility condition must be made with the program specialist. Applicants are urged to consider this policy when preparing their submissions for 2022.
What Can you Apply for?
Projects can start before the application deadline, but those that will be finished before April 19, 2022, are not eligible. The deadline for projects funded through this initiative is December 31, 2023.
Applicants may submit proposals for creative study, creation, development, production, presentation, or dissemination. Professional, business and artistic career development initiatives are also available to applicants. Experimentation or creating new or adapted approaches to practice may be part of a project. Cross-sector collaboration, the creative economy, and neighborhood-level initiatives may also be included.
How to Make an Application?
The online grant application platform accepts applications. On the first day of the program, an application form will be provided. To apply, applicants must first create a user profile. In the grant interface, artist collectives must create a separate profile from their account and apply using that profile.
Apply Now
Important Dates
- February 7, 2022: Full guidelines published
- February 28, 2022: Applications open
- April 19, 2022: Application deadline (no applications accepted after 4:30 pm MT)
- April – June 2022: Evaluation of grants
- Late June 2022: Notification of results
- June – July 2022: Funds distributed
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