Ontario Arts Council Grants: Funding Guide for Business Owners

OAC Mandate

The mandate of the Ontario Arts Council (OAC) is to foster the creation and production of art for the benefit of all Ontarians.

The arts are essential to the quality of life, cultural identity, social well-being and economic prosperity of Ontario. Access to and participation in the arts enhances lives, fosters creativity and innovation, and strengthens communities. OAC is committed to ensuring equitable access for everyone, with particular emphasis on the following six priority groups, and the organizations that serve them and the public:

• Artists of colour,
• Deaf artists and artists with disabilities,
• Francophone artists,
• Indigenous artists,
• New generation artists (18-30 years old),
• Artists living in regions outside Toronto.

OAC envisions an Ontario where:

• People of all ages and communities experience, feel connected to and value the arts.
• The arts sector is resilient and healthy.
• Ontario artists and arts organizations are recognized locally, nationally and internationally for their work.
• The arts reflect the diversity of stories of all of Ontario’s people and communities.