COMMUNITY ARTS PROJECT grants for organizations and collectives

Art practiced at a community level creates a powerful sense of inclusion, understanding and the possibility of self-expression among participants. It can involve one or more art practices, such as music, dance, theatre, visual arts, and storytelling, but the collaborative involvement of professional artists with community members is a necessary component.

General Eligibility Requirements

• Applicants must be incorporated non-profit organizations or unincorporated collectives that operate on a not-for-profit basis.
• A collective is defined as a group of two or more artists working together under a group name, either on a single project or on an ongoing basis. This funding cannot be used to support an organization’s ongoing staff or faculty salaries. This program does not support schools, tuition-funded training programs, or curriculum-based programs.
• The project for which funding is requested must include the collaborative involvement of professional artists with community members.
• Applicants must be located within the City of Toronto and the activity for which the grant is requested must occur within the City of Toronto.
• Applicants may receive only one grant per calendar year through Toronto Arts Council.

Applicants for PROJECT grants may apply in one of four categories:

1. Community Arts Residency:

This category provides support to community groups wishing to host a professional artist over a significant period of time. In a community arts residency, the artist brings her/his art form to the community, working with a variety of community members in a way that encourages maximum participation in every aspect of the artmaking. The process of collaboration is as important as the resulting artistic product.

a) Short-term residency:

• Takes place over a period of one to three months.
• Requests may not exceed 50% of project budget.
• Maximum grant in this category is $6,000

b) Long-term residency:

• Takes place over a period of four to twelve months.
• Requests may not exceed 50% of project budget.
• Maximum grant in this category is $15,000

Applicants to this category are advised to develop a Letter of Agreement between the host organization and the resident artist. For assistance in developing a Letter of Agreement, click here.

2. Arts Access

This category provides support for arts programs in underserved neighbourhoods and communities. Applicants may include community service organizations, professional arts organizations and artists’ collectives. Grants in this category are intended to help overcome barriers to participation in the arts. Examples of possible barriers are age, physical ability, geography, or socio-cultural and economic barriers. Maximum grant in this category is $10,000.

3. Community arts festivals:

This category supports fees and salaries for professional, Toronto-based artists actively collaborating with community members participating in community-based arts events. Eligible events can include festivals, pageants, and multi-disciplinary events that celebrate a particular neighbourhood or community. The arts must be the central focus of the celebration and the collaborative involvement of professional artists with community members is a necessary component. Please note that the funding priority for this category is the cost of the professional artistic fees and salaries. Requests may not exceed 30% of the project budget. Maximum grant in this category is $10,000.

4. Artistic Development:

This category provides assistance to amateur arts organizations for special projects that will increase their artistic skills, knowledge and range of creative expression. For example, an amateur theatre company may wish to hire a professional director or acting coach, a visual arts guild may wish to bring in a workshop leader with special expertise, etc. The grant is for the fees of the professional artist(s) leading the Artistic Development project. Requests may not exceed 50% of the project budget. Maximum grant in this category is $4,000.