Assistance to Contemporary Fine Craft Artists and Curators: Project Grants
Deadline
1 March 2007
Program Description
Project Grants provide support for research, professional development, production, networking and career development activities for professional artists and curators (for research only) making a contribution to contemporary fine craft. The project must be significant and advance the long-term artistic and/or career development of the applicant at a key moment in their career. There are three types of project grants, as follows:
- research/professional development: This type of grant allows for a period of independent research at a key moment in the artistic practice of the fine craft artist. The project must demonstrate the capacity to advance the artistic practice of the artist The grant also support critics and curators in the research of editorial or curatorial work leading to the production of articles, books and exhibitions in the field of contemporary Canadian craft.
- production: This grant supports production costs of one or more works where there is at least one confirmed public presentation of the work(s) in a professional context. Production support is also available to assist fine craft artists in the development and fabrication of one or several production-line prototypes. The project must demonstrate the capacity to advance the career of the artist
- career development: This grant supports the advancement of an artist’s career through development of specific tools such as websites and portfolios; career development activities; and/or the growth of a professional network with partners such as critics, curators, art dealers or publishers. The applicant must demonstrate that the project occurs in a key period with regard to its impact on the progression of his or her career.
Applicants may apply to only ONE of the above project grant types per deadline.
Eligibility
General Eligibility Criteria
To apply to the Canada Council for the Arts, you must be a Canadian citizen or have Permanent Resident status, as defined by Citizenship and Immigration Canada. You must also meet the Canada Council’s definition of a professional artist, which is an artist who:
- has completed his or her basic training (university or college graduation or the equivalent in specialized training, such as two or three years of self-directed study or apprenticeships)
- is recognized as such by his or her peers
- is committed to devoting more time to artistic activity, if financially feasible.
To meet the above definition of a professional fine craft artist or curator, you must have:
- produced an independent body of work
- made at least three public presentations of work in a professional context
- maintained an independent professional practice for at least three years
- critics must have at least three publications to their credit; curators must have produced at least three exhibitions or publications.
Students are not eligible.
All Canada Council programs are accessible to Aboriginal artists and artists of diverse cultural and regional communities of Canada.
Specific Eligibility Criteria
Production
In addition to the general eligibility criteria described above, you must have one confirmed public presentation in a professional context.
Career Development
In addition to the general eligibility criteria described above, you must provide a detailed work plan and confirmed activities, such as a professional meeting, an exhibition, public presentation or a publication.
Ineligible Expenses
Grants cannot be used for:
- projects that have been completed already
- studio and/or business set-up
- ongoing studio and/or business maintenance
- manufacturing a line of production items
- commissioned projects
- industrial projects
- student projects
- educational projects
- publications such as catalogues, anthologies or “how-to” books, and
- costs incurred for the production, presentation and circulation of an exhibition.
Other Restrictions
Capital and large equipment costs, are not eligible.
You may apply for only one Canada Council Grant to Professional Artists program (or to one deadline of that program) in any fiscal year (1 April to 31 March). The Canada Council will also accept from you one request for a Travel Grant per fiscal year.
You can receive a maximum of two Grants to Professional Artists from the Canada Council in any 48-month period.
Note: If you are an established professional artist who works in more than one discipline, such as Fine Craft and Music for example, and meet the eligibility criteria as an established artist in both disciplines, you may apply to two different Grants to Professional Artists programs per fiscal year. You must, however, accept or refuse the first grant offered by the Canada Council within two weeks of the date of the grant notification. If you accept the first grant offered, your other application will be withdrawn from any subsequent competition in that fiscal year.
Each disciplinary section defines its own criteria for determining who is considered to be an established artist. For the Visual Arts Section, established artists are those at a mature stage in their careers who have created an extensive independent body of work and have made a nationally and/or internationally recognized contribution to their discipline through public presentation of their work. Established artists must have at least 15 years of exhibitions history, in a professional context.
Note that meeting the eligibility criteria allows you to apply to the program. It does not, however, guarantee that you will receive a grant.
Grant Amount
The maximum grant amount that you can receive from this component of the program is $20,000.
You are expected to determine the amount of your grant request based on your needs, the period of time required for the project and the budget guidelines provided under each project grant type described below. You may not be awarded the full grant amount requested.
Project Grants cannot be used for projects that have already been completed.
Research/Professional Development
This grant can be used for studio time and travel costs, and for a period of independent research and creation. This may include participation in residencies and specialized professional development activities (such as workshops, conferences or specialized training).
Eligible costs include:
- subsistence, to a maximum of $2,000 per month
- research-related costs
- studio, material and small equipment costs
- travel costs related to activities in the project, and
- workshop and conference costs.
The majority of costs must be allocated to subsistence and research.
Production
This grant is for the production of work for a confirmed public presentation or exhibition, as well as for the development and fabrication of one or several production line proto-types. It is not for costs normally assumed by the exhibiting organization.
Eligible costs include:
- production, studio and technical costs
- material and small equipment costs
- shipping costs for exhibitions outside Canada or to Canadian venues that do not receive operating support from the Canada Council for the Arts
- travel costs related to production of works, and
- artist’s stipend.
The majority of costs must be allocated to the production of work.
Career Development
This grant is for activities that advance an artist’s career, such as travel to expand a professional network with partners such as critics, curators, art dealers or publishers; or the development of promotional tools such as websites, portfolios, documentation or small monographs.
Eligible costs include:
- subsistence, to a maximum of $2,000 per month
- small equipment costs
- technician and career development services
- shipping of works or materials related to the project
- travel costs related to the project
- salaries and fees to professionals.
Application Form
Assistance to Contemporary Fine Craft Artists and Curators: Project Grants (pdf, 230 KB)
This form can only be printed and cannot be filled out on-line.
Further Information
Michel Gaboury
Visual Arts Section
Canada Council for the Arts
350 Albert Street, P.O. Box 1047
Ottawa ON K1P 5V8
Telephone: 1-800-263-5588 (toll-free) or (613) 566-4414, ext. 5265
TTY (TDD) machine, for hearing-impaired callers: (613) 565-5194
January 2006