Spoken Word and Storytelling Program
Deadline
15 April 2006
Program Description
The Spoken Word and Storytelling Program has two components.
The Creation and Production component supports literary projects that are not based on conventional book or printed magazine formats. Grants are for the creation, production, performance, broadcast or promotion of spoken word and storytelling.
Production costs associated with recording and promoting CDs, DVDs, audio cassettes or video formats (such as video poems) are eligible. Dissemination activities, other than festivals and performance series, are also eligible under this component. The program does not support Web sites.
The Festivals and Performance Series component increases knowledge and appreciation of Canadian spoken word and storytelling activities by providing opportunities for spoken word artists and storytellers to perform their works. The component has two categories: Festivals and Performance Series.
All Canada Council for the Arts programs are accessible to Aboriginal artists or arts organizations and artists or arts organizations from diverse cultural and regional communities of Canada.
Creation and Production
Eligibility
Applicant Eligibility
Applicants, as well as the majority of participants in the grant-supported activities, must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada. Applicants can include:
- professional spoken word artists or storytellers who have been paid in the past for their public literary performances or are recognized, in writing, by two established spoken word artists or storytellers;
- professional writers who wish to transform their work to the spoken word or storytelling genre;
- collectives, producers, publishers, or spoken word and storytelling hosts that have proven experience in producing spoken word or storytelling art.
Applicants to this component can apply for only one project per competition. Also, applicants cannot apply to another Canada Council program for support of the same project.
Eligible Projects
This component of the program supports spoken word or storytelling projects that involve creation, production or dissemination (other than festivals or performance series that are eligible for the second component). Projects can involve live performances or use of media such as CDs, DVDs, audio or audiovisual cassettes, radio or television. Production costs associated with recording and promoting CDs, DVDs, audio cassettes or video formats (such as video poems) are eligible.
Spoken word projects should be based primarily on literature and the spoken word – where body and voice are central – rather than on dramatic, theatrical or musical presentations or readings of texts.
Projects featuring artistic collaboration that enhances the development of the spoken word and storytelling communities are encouraged.
Retroactive funding is not available.
Ineligible Projects
The following are not eligible: upgrading in arts administration, academic work or work towards a graduate degree; written material intended for a book or magazine format; readings and other presentations based primarily on read text; theatrical or musical presentations; archival material; artists’ residencies; creation of commissioned works for which the artist does not receive compensation for the use of his or her intellectual property; the cost of printed materials unless they are part of the essential packaging of a recording project; audio versions of books; exclusively educational projects; and all promotional Web sites.
Grant Amount
Grants range from $1,000 to $20,000, depending on the nature of the project. Requests for the higher amounts are very competitive: for amounts higher than $15,000, priority is given to projects involving artists with a significant profile.
Eligible costs include creation, production and dissemination costs, and performance travel costs and fees. Where applicable, the performer’s fees should also be included. Spoken Word and Storytelling Program grants may also be used to offset subsistence costs of the applicant (to a maximum of $2,000 per month) to allow an artist to concentrate on his or her project. Grant recipients will be expected to devote the majority of their time to the project for which they receive funding.
Other programs of project assistance
For support to festivals and performance series, see the Festivals and Performance Series component of the Spoken Word and Storyteller Program.
Certain audio media projects are eligible for support via publishers admitted to the Canada Council for the Arts Book Publishing Support program and Grants to Literary and Art Magazines program. Works created by Aboriginal people are also eligible under the Grants to Aboriginal Writers, Storytellers and Publishers program. (Web site: www.canadacouncil.ca/writing/)
Innovative dramatic production is eligible for support under the Theatre Section’s Theatre Production Project Grants (Web site address: www.canadacouncil.ca/theatre/).
Electronic literary projects may be eligible for support from the Media Arts Section’s Grants to Film and Video Artists: Research/Creation Grants program or Grants to New Media and Audio Artists: Research Grants program (Web site address: www.canadacouncil.ca/grants/mediaarts/).
Application Form
Creation and Production (pdf, 128 KB)
This form can only be printed and cannot be filled out on-line.
Festivals and Performance Series
Eligibility
For Festival Host Organizations
The Festivals category is for spoken word and storytelling festival organizations that are hosting a minimum of 10 professional, paid spoken word artists and storytellers over a period of at least two days. Festivals may host as many artists as they wish beyond the minimum requirement. New festivals (that is, those less than two years old) may apply but to a maximum of $10,000. Established festivals may apply to a maximum of $25,000.
Festival hosts applying to this category may also submit an application for a performance series that is separate from the festival, within the same competition.
For Performance Series Host Organizations
Organizations and collectives that present a minimum of 6 professional, paid spoken word artists or storytellers in performance over a 12-month period may apply to the Performance Series category for support. New series (that is, those less than two years old) may apply but to a maximum of $5,000. Established series may apply to a maximum of $25,000.
For Other Types of Host Organizations
Organizations and collectives that host performances by spoken word artists or storytellers but do not meet the minimum criteria of either a festival or series may still apply to this program for support. They must, however, apply to the Creation and Production component.
For Invited Spoken Word Artists and Storytellers
Invited spoken word artists and storytellers must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada, and must have a history of public spoken word and storytelling performance. Festivals and series also featuring artists of other disciplines may apply for support for spoken word artists and storytellers only.
Ineligible Projects
Writers or actors reading from written texts are not eligible. Organizations or collectives inviting a majority of writers should investigate the Literary Readings, Literary Festivals and Author Residencies Program.
Requests for support of spoken word or storytelling workshops, story swaps, open mics, slams or other uncurated events, and spoken word or storytelling prize events are not eligible. Also ineligible are any events or festivals receiving support from another Canada Council program.
Retroactive funding is not available.
Host Organizations' Responsibilities
Host organizations are responsible for providing the honoraria and travel monies to invited professional spoken word artists and storytellers. Successful applicants must pay the rates outlined immediately below. Payment of honoraria must be made at the time of performance. Organizations not meeting these obligations are ineligible for support from the program.
Grant Amount
The maximum grant available through this component is $25,000 for established series and festivals (that is, those that have been in existence at least two years). New series and festivals may apply to a maximum of $10,000 for new festivals and $5,000 for new series. Support is allocated for the following priorities: honoraria for the spoken word artists or storytellers, travel for the spoken word artists or storytellers, and other reasonable costs incurred by the host organization.
Organizations applying to this component must pay the spoken word and storytelling artists at least the minimum scales for honoraria and travel expenses that the Canada Council for the Arts provides for payment to writers: $250 for a full performance, and $125 per artist for a joint performance. A full performance is considered to be one presented by a single spoken word artist or storyteller and that lasts approximately one hour. A joint performance consists of two or more spoken word artists or storytellers performing as part of the same presentation. Funding for travel costs, if requested, should be reasonable.
For all components
Assessment of Applications
A peer assessment committee composed of professionals from the spoken word and storytelling community, appointed by the Canada Council, reviews all applications and makes recommendations for support. Committee members are selected to reflect a broad range of professional experience and to provide as fair a representation of gender, genres, Aboriginal peoples, and regional and cultural diversity as possible. Applications in English are submitted to an English-language committee; applications in French are submitted to a French-language committee.
Applicants will be notified of the results, in writing, approximately four months after the deadline date. The Canada Council does not release results by telephone.
Application Form
Festivals and Performance Series (pdf, 229KB)
This form can only be printed and cannot be filled out on-line.
Further Information
This program summary provides an overview of the Spoken Word and Storytelling Program. For further details or to obtain an application form, contact the appropriate Writing and Publishing Section Officer, as indicated below.
- For English-language projects: Paul Seesequasis
1-800-263-5588 (toll-free) or (613) 566-4414, ext. 5482
- For French-language projects: Carole Boucher
1-800-263-5588 (toll-free) or (613) 566-4414, ext. 5088
TTY (TDD) machine, for hearing-impaired callers: (613) 565-5194
Fax: (613) 566-4410
Writing and Publishing Section
Canada Council for the Arts
P.O. Box 1047, 350 Albert Street
Ottawa ON K1P 5V8
February 2005
Application Form
Click here to download the application form (PDF Acrobat format). This form can only be printed and cannot be filled out on-line.