Explore and Create: Artist-Driven Organizations
no fixed amount
Grant
Description:
The Artist-Driven Organizations component of Explore and Create supports the development of artistic activities, from research, creation, and production through to dissemination, by Canadian arts organizations that are driven by the vision of artistic leaders. Grants fund the activities of organizations mandated to support the creative process of artists, stimulating the emergence of new artistic voices and offering a range of artistic experiences to the public.
Most core grant applications must be translated into French or English. Please see guidelines for details and the translation deadline date.
Comments on Funding:
Funding is up to 60% of your total annual revenues, averaged over the last 3 years
April 2, 2025 April 16, 2025
Eligibility:
Applicants must be:
1. artistic organizations
Your eligibility to apply to this component is determined by the validated profile created in the portal.
To be eligible, your organization must create, produce, present or exhibit the work of artists and be driven by the vision and voice of an artistic leader or group of artists. Your organization must support the development and dissemination of works by Canadian artists and meet the following basic administrative, programming and financial criteria:
2. presently receive core support from this component.
An Artist-Driven Organization that has undergone a change in key artistic leadership, and that is currently receiving core support from this component, may be treated as a new applicant with no commitment to maintaining the organization’s current level of funding.
OR:
1. have received 1 composite grant or 2 Canada Council project grants in the last 5 years. This excludes grants from the following components: Travel, Representation and Promotion, Translation, Small-Scale Activities, Creation Accelerator, Frankfurt initiatives, Digital Originals, Digital Now, Digital Generator, the COVID-19 Emergency Support Fund, Grow Stage 1 and the Canada-Korea Connections Fund.
2. be an incorporated not-for-profit arts organization
3. work with a professional staff
4. have at least 5 years of continuous professional artistic activities that are accessible to the public. In light of the global pandemic, the completed years of activity do not need to be consecutive.
5. have had total revenues exceeding $75 000 in each of the last 3 years (some exceptions may be considered)
Application Steps:
Applicants must create an account and submit one or more profile(s) for validation at least 30 days before applying
Documentation Needed:
Applicants must submit:
1. A completed Appendices document.*
2. If you have an accumulated deficit for your most recently completed fiscal year of more than 10%, or an unrestricted net asset deficiency of more than 25% of total revenue, upload a deficit reduction plan.
3. A copy of your organization’s most recent Respectful Workplace/Anti-Harassment Policy.
Support Material
4. At least 1 item of support material.*
Support material should be current work/activities with a relationship or relevance to your grant application; it may include the work/activities of other key artists or partners. You may choose to include earlier work/ activities to provide a context for your application.
Assessment committee members are instructed to view as much material as they need in order to make an informed decision; generally, this is up to 10 minutes.
Other Things to Note:
About the author
Maurice