• New Works: maximum $15,000

• Presentation: maximum $15,000

• Skills/Career Development: maximum $15,000

• Working with Community: maximum $15,000

Recent changes

• Grant notification is now available approximately four and a half months after each deadline. Refer to the “Activity timing” section on this page to understand how this may affect the timing of eligible activities.

Eligible applicants

• professional artists who have a permanent physical address in northern Ontario, for at least one year prior to submitting an application, and continue to live for at least eight months each year in northern Ontario
• not-for-profit organizations who have a permanent physical address in northern Ontario; non-arts organizations must demonstrate appropriate arts expertise and directly involve arts professionals as paid artists or advisory committee members
• Canadian-controlled professional arts and literary book and magazine publishers that have a permanent physical address in northern Ontario, including Canadian-owned for-profit publishers (see Program-Specific Definitions below)
• ad hoc groups and collectives that have a permanent physical address in northern Ontario, and are made up of at least 50 per cent professional artists and/or arts professionals who have a permanent physical address in northern Ontario and continue to live for at least eight months each year in northern Ontario
• northern Ontario-based First Nations and schools run by First Nations or Indigenous Education Authorities
• co-applicant individuals, ad hoc groups, collectives and organizations are eligible. If awarded, the grant is split equally between the two applicants

Read the Guide to OAC Project Programs for more eligibility information.

Ineligible applicants

• colleges, universities and municipalities
• for-profit organizations (with the exception of eligible publishers – see Program-Specific Definitions below)
• organizations receiving OAC operating funding; they may be a participant in a group project, but cannot be the applicant or co-applicant

This program funds

• creation and production of new works in all artistic disciplines
• exhibitions, single and series presentations, concerts, literary readings, book fairs, festivals and publications
• skills/career development:
  • for individuals to participate at conferences, workshops, seminars, short-term courses, mentorships, festivals or other similar opportunities, provincially, nationally or internationally
  • for organizations, collectives and ad-hoc groups/collectives to present conferences, workshops, seminars or projects that will benefit northern artists in their artistic and/or career development
• community-engaged arts projects in communities and schools, collaborations, residencies and initiatives that engage community members in a creative process
• editorial, production, circulation, marketing and promotion costs of publishing eligible arts or literary books or magazines; and sales, distribution, and administrative costs if directly related to an eligible publication

This program also supports:

• child care and other dependant care fees (this does not include regular, ongoing expenses)
• expenses related to making the project accessible to audiences and project participants (other than the applicant) who are Deaf or have a disability
  • Note: Applicants to this program who identify as Deaf or as having a disability may apply for supplementary funds for their own accessibility expenses through Accessibility Fund: Project Support.

This program does not fund

• fundraising activities, competitions and contests
• major capital expenditures, including buying, leasing or renovating buildings and purchase of major equipment
• portfolios or promotional packages
• self-publishing (with the exception of artists’ books)
• music videos (with the exception of professional live documentation of a performance)
• touring projects

Activity timing

The activities for which you are requesting funding:

• cannot start before the deadline
• cannot finish before you receive your grant results
• must be completed no more than two years after you receive the grant results

Final report requirements

If you receive a grant you must submit a final report upon completion of the project. See Terms and Conditions — receipt of OAC project grant funds for more information on reporting obligations. Complete and submit the report in Nova.

Final reports for this program require grant recipients to provide:

• description of the project undertaken and its outcomes, including details on any minor or approved changes to what had been outlined in the application
• final budget
  • If the budget you submit shows a surplus of more than $250 (revenues as compared to expenses), you may be required to repay the surplus amount to OAC.
• documentation and/or an explanation of how you acknowledged or will acknowledge OAC support for your project
  • This should include samples of OAC logo recognition on any promotional or other materials produced in conjunction with the project, such as publications, brochures, posters, invitations, websites, or videos/films. This could also include a description of verbal acknowledgement at public events or the intention to include OAC acknowledgement in associated future activities/materials

Apply here: https://www.arts.on.ca/grants/northern-arts-projects