Professional Choir Program

Deadline

Applications and support material must be postmarked no later than 15 May 2006. if this date falls on a weekend or statutory holiday, the deadline moves to the next business day.

The Canada Council will not accept applications postmarked after the deadline, incomplete applications, or those submitted by fax or email.

Program Description

This Canada Council for the Arts program contributes to the activities of professional Canadian choirs, including community choirs that meet the eligibility criteria, from any cultural background. Applicants must be devoted to the development and presentation of choral music, and this program puts particular emphasis on activities showcasing Canadian artists and on excellence in the presentation of Canadian repertoire.

The program has two components:

• Multi-Year (for two years) and Annual Funding,
• Project Funding.

Applicants may apply to only one component of this program each year.

All Canada Council programs are accessible to Aboriginal artists or arts organizations and artists or arts organizations from diverse cultural and regional communities of Canada.

Multi-year and Annual Funding
(only Annual Funding is offered in 2006; Multi-Year Funding will be offered in 2007)

Eligibility

Eligible choirs are those that:

• are incorporated as a non-profit Canadian professional choir
• have completed at least three seasons of professional performance activities
• have a consistent core or membership of singers
• have a season of activities (concerts) planned that includes a variety of self-produced programs showcasing Canadian choral music works
• have a paid, professional choral Conductor/Artistic Director
• have a strong administrative infrastructure to support the organization’s artistic activities
• have a board of directors
• have experienced financial stability for at least the past two years, and 
• receive significant financial support from other levels of government, the public or the private sector.

Church choirs and university choirs are not eligible for support.

Adult choirs that have received project grants in each of the last two competitions and that meet the basic eligibility criteria can apply for Annual Funding.

Note that although children and youth choirs are not eligible for Annual Funding, they are eligible for Project Funding, if they meet the listed eligibility criteria.

Music organizations whose choir activities complement their core activities and that receive annual or multi-year support from another Canada Council program are not eligible. These organizations should include all their choir activities in their request to the other program.

Grant Amount

The amount of the Canada Council for the Arts’ contribution to the applicant’s proposed activities is established by a peer assessment committee, in relation to the program’s assessment criteria and the availability of funds.

Retroactive funding is not available.

Assessment of Applications

Applicants are evaluated in a national comparative context, by a peer assessment committee. The concert assessments undertaken by independent assessors are included in the evaluation, if applicable.

The committee is composed of representative specialists in the field, with various kinds of expertise. Committee members are also chosen to ensure fair representation of gender, regional and cultural diversity, Aboriginal peoples and Canada’s two official languages.

The committee assesses submissions on the basis of the assessment criteria listed below. These criteria are defined in a national comparative context and within the context of each organization’s artistic mission, geographic and artistic environment, and available resources.

The committee assess submissions on the basis of the assessment criteria described in the guidelines accompanying the application form.

Applicants will be notified of the results of the competition, in writing, approximately four months after the deadline date. Results are not released by telephone or email.

Project Funding

Project Funding contributes to particular events or special initiatives proposed by applicants. A project is defined as a single activity taking place at a specific time, with a delineated budget. Project Funding contributions are directed towards specific artistic, production and promotional costs and may not be used to support the applicant’s administrative structure or overall activities.

The grants cannot be used for:

• recording projects (assistance may be offered under the Grants for Specialized Music Sound Recording program);
• commissioning projects (assistance may be offered under the Residencies and Commissioning of Canadian Compositions);
• touring projects (assistance may be offered under the Music Touring Program).

These Canada Council programs are also administered by the Music Section.

Eligibility

To be eligible for support, choirs must:

• be an incorporated non-profit Canadian professional choir;
• have completed at least two seasons of performance activities;
• have a consistent core or membership of singers;
• have a season of activities (concerts) planned that includes a variety of self-produced programs showcasing Canadian choral music works;
• have a paid, professional Choral Conductor/Artistic Director;
• have a strong administrative infrastructure to support the choir’s artistic activities;
• have a board of directors;
• have experienced financial stability for at least one year;
• receive significant financial support from other levels of government, the public or the private sector.

Note that children’s and youth choirs that meet the eligibility criteria above are eligible for Project Funding, but are not eligible for Multi-Year or Annual Funding.

Church choirs and university choirs are not eligible for support.

Music organizations whose choir activities complement their core activities and that receive annual or multi-year support from another Canada Council program are not eligible. These organizations should include all their choir activities in their request to the other program.

Grant Amount

Project Funding is available annually and each request is subject to peer assessment. It is not guaranteed, ongoing yearly support, and there are limited funds available.

The grant amount is based on the recommendation of the peer assessment committee.

Retroactive funding is not available.

Assessment of Applications

Applicants are evaluated in a national comparative context, by a peer assessment committee. The committee is composed of representative specialists in the field, with various kinds of expertise. Committee members are also chosen to ensure fair representation of gender, regional and cultural diversity, Aboriginal peoples and Canada’s two official languages.

The committee will assess submissions on the basis of the criteria described in the guidelines accompanying the application form.

Applicants will be notified of the results of the competition, in writing, approximately four months after the deadline date. Results are not released by telephone or email.

Further Information

This information sheet provides a summary of the Professional Choir Program Grants, program. For further details or to obtain an application form, contact André Jutras, Music Section Officer.

Telephone: 1-800-263-5588 (toll-free) or (613) 566-4414, ext. 5071

TTY (TDD) machine, for hearing-impaired callers: (613) 565-5194

Fax: (613) 566-4409

Music Section
Canada Council for the Arts
350 Albert Street, P.O. Box 1047
Ottawa  ON  K1P 5V8

February 2006

Application Forms and Guidelines

	Professional Choir Program: Annual Funding (pdf, 207 KB)
	Annual Funding: Excel Financial Pages (XLS, 33 KB)
	Professional Choir Program: Project Funding (pdf, 165 KB)

Acknowledging the support of the Canada Council for the Arts