Cultural Capitals of Canada 2009 Guidelines

Our objective, your results

Our objective is to promote the arts* and culture in Canadian municipalities, through recognition of excellence and support for special activities that celebrate the arts and culture and integrate them into overall community planning. Designation as a Cultural Capital of Canada will enable your community to invest more in arts and culture, increase and improve your cultural services, and strengthen connections with other communities through shared cultural experiences.

Who can apply?

Canadian municipalities can apply for an award, either individually or as partners in a joint project. For the purposes of this program a municipality is defined as a town, city, regional municipality or district with a duly constituted government, including First Nations, Métis, and Inuit equivalent governments (such as Band Councils). (Aboriginal associations, such as Friendship Centres, are not eligible to apply.)

What is it?

Cultural Capitals of Canada Awards

Each year, Canadian municipalities compete to receive a designation under the Cultural Capitals of Canada Program.  Up to five communities can receive this designation annually, which includes a contribution to support special activities that celebrate the arts and culture and build a cultural legacy for the community. The designated municipalities will also receive street banners, and a commemorative sign for outdoor display.

The annual Cultural Capital of Canada designations are awarded to single municipalities or groups of municipalities that submit a proposal to celebrate and build a legacy for the arts and culture. 

These are divided into three categories based on population.

The Cultural Capital of Canada designation will be awarded to the municipality in each category with a good track record of past achievements, coupled with the best and most ambitious (while still realistic) program of proposed activities for a community its size.  

Recognition for Innovative Cultural Bridges

The Innovative Cultural Bridges Prize is given to a group of municipalities who, together, have developed a program of innovative reciprocal cultural exchanges and partnerships.  These exchanges both celebrate the community identity of each partner, and help build a legacy for the arts and culture in each community.  Each year, one prize can be given, in the form of a contribution, to a joint application from a group of two or more municipalities (in at least two provinces or territories) submitting a joint application. The contribution maximum is $500,000 or 75% of total eligible costs, whichever is less.

For both the Cultural Capitals of Canada Awards and the Innovative Cultural Bridges, municipalities must demonstrate their commitment to arts and culture through their past achievements and propose a series of activities to take place during the year for which the award or recognition is given.  

* See the Glossary for definitions of words in italics.

Deadline

For the 2009 awards, complete applications with all support material must be postmarked no later than October 15, 2006.

Contents

To apply for an Award

Application forms are included with these guidelines. They can also be obtained by:

• downloading from the Canadian Heritage web site (www.canadianheritage.gc.ca/ccc);
  
  
• calling 1-866-661-0662 (toll-free);
  
  
• faxing a request to 819‑994‑6249; or
  
  
• writing to:
  
  Cultural Capitals of Canada (15-3-K)
  Arts Policy Branch
  Department of Canadian Heritage
  15 Eddy, 3^rd floor
  Gatineau, QC  K1A 0M5

Please note: All submitted applications are subject to information requests under the Access to Information Act and the provisions of the Privacy Act, which are laws giving Canadians the right to access information held by the federal government.

Assessment Process

First the Department of Canadian Heritage will screen for eligibility. To be eligible, the applicant must comply with the five points noted in the Eligibility Criteria section.

An independent advisory committee will then evaluate the applications and make a recommendation to the Minister of Canadian Heritage for the final selection of winners. Applications will be assessed against (1) the applicant's ongoing commitment to culture and cultural development (Application parts E and G: 30%) and (2) the quality, scope, and artistic merit of the proposed activities for which funding is sought, and the municipality's capacity to carry out the project (Application parts F, H, and I: 70%).

You are advised to fill out the application form carefully, provide complete and detailed responses to the questions in sections G and H, and provide a detailed and balanced budget (Part I). If any question is not answered, your application may be declared ineligible. If you have difficulty answering any question, or to discuss your application in general, please contact the Program by calling 1-866-661-0662.

For the Cultural Capitals of Canada awards the advisory committee will be instructed to take into consideration the relative achievement and capacity of municipalities of various sizes within each population category, in combination with the depth and ambition demonstrated in the proposed activities, to determine the award finalists.

The assessment process takes 4–6 months to complete.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must:

• affirm that they are a legally constituted Canadian municipality or equivalent: see definition - (Application part A);
  
  
• demonstrate an ongoing commitment to arts and culture (Application parts E and G);
  
  
• Cultural Capitals of Canada
  propose to carry out a program of at least three types of special cultural activities during the year in which they seek designation. This must include at least two celebratory activities and at least one legacy-building activity (Application question 18);
  
  
• Innovative Cultural Bridges
  reciprocal cultural exchanges among communities in at least two provinces or territories must form the main focus of the proposal; the proposal must also include at least one celebratory activity and at least one legacy-building activity (Application question 18);
  
  
• have the support of the municipal council (or equivalent, see definition of municipality), in the form of a motion authorizing the application and committing funding if successful (Application question 27);
  
  
• submit seven (7) copies of the complete application (parts A–I, questions 1–31) and two (2) copies of any additional support materials postmarked by the deadline date.

Please note: Before applying for funding under this program municipalities shall agree to act in compliance with any provincial law regarding the acceptance of funding from the federal government.

Activities Eligible for Funding

The following is a list of the types of special cultural activities that are eligible for funding:

Celebration, to spotlight the arts and culture, for example by:

• using cultural and heritage events to celebrate significant anniversaries or special occasions in the community;
  
  
• developing new or expanding existing cultural and heritage festivals and other activities that highlight the distinct character of the community;
  
  
• holding workshops on arts, culture, and/or traditional knowledge for the benefit of community members and visitors;
  
  
• developing reciprocal cultural exchanges with neighbouring or distant communities (this must be the main focus of applications for the Innovative Cultural Bridges, which must involve partner communities in at least two provinces or territories);
  
  
• highlighting the cultural diversity of the community, including Aboriginal, culturally diverse, and official-language minority professional artists and their works;
  
  
• highlighting the artistic achievements of young people and exposing local children and youth to the arts, culture, and the community’s unique heritage.

Legacy-building, to integrate arts and culture into community planning, for example by:

• creating and/or expanding public art or community art programs
  
  
• articulating a vision for cultural development and the means to achieve it through the development and implementation of cultural policies and action plans;
  
  
• developing strategies for cultural tourism, marketing, and promotion;
  
  
• identifying and implementing strategies for attracting private sector partners to support sustainable cultural development and expression;
  
  
• developing close partnerships between municipal cultural workers and members of the arts and heritage communities;
  
  
• developing linkages among municipal cultural workers in different municipalities;
  
  
• developing and carrying out programs for the preservation of cultural practices and traditional knowledge among Aboriginal populations;
  
  
• developing and implementing strategies to highlight, promote, and strengthen the capacity of Aboriginal, culturally diverse and official-language minority cultural organizations and professional artists.
  
  

Eligible Expenses for Funding

Eligible expenses are those that are incurred by the recipient to undertake eligible activities, which are directly related to the project’s objectives. Expenses must be reasonable with respect to the scope of work undertaken by the project. 

Eligible expenses may include:

• fees for consultants and/or contractors for event management, research, writing, editing, or translation;
  
  
• fees/costs of preparation and production of celebratory events or cultural tourism promotional materials;
  
  
• fees/costs for design and construction of web sites directly related to project activities;
  
  
• fees/costs for feasibility studies and/or market research;
  
  
• reasonable costs of holding meetings, conferences, workshops, or other specialized fora to develop partnerships and linkages;
  
  
• reasonable costs of attending a conference directly related to the project;
  
  
• reasonable travel costs directly related to the project;
  
  
• fees for the creation of public art to recognize the designation;
  
  
• fees/costs for performance of an audit for the purposes of submitting an audited financial statement, as per the requirements of the contribution agreement;
  
  
• fees for a project coordinator;
  
  
• fees for consultants/contractor to perform an evaluation of the project.

Activities Not Eligible for Funding

Activities that are not eligible to receive funding under this program include the following:

• capital projects (such as the construction, transformation, or renovation of permanent spaces, parks, or grounds; the restoration of artifacts, artworks, or cultural venues; and the permanent acquisition, purchase or installation of specialized equipment, such as sound systems, lighting, tents, etc.);
  
  
• the creation or growth of endowment funds or trust funds by the municipality to provide grants for cultural activities over a multi-year period;
  
  
• libraries, amateur sport, and recreational activities;
  
  
• hospitality, fireworks, and Goods and Services Tax.

Expected Results

The long-term goal of the Cultural Capitals of Canada program is that Canadians participate in and benefit from access to activities provided through the long-term sustainability of Canadian arts and heritage organizations in communities that value their existence and support them.

The expected impact of Cultural Capitals of Canada will be demonstrated through:

• Celebration of the designated municipalities’ cultural accomplishments and commitments, leading to greater involvement of people in that community in the arts and culture;
  
  
• Celebration of cultural diversity, through recognizing and promoting professional artists from Aboriginal, culturally diverse, and official-language minority communities, as well as young artists, leading to their increased participation in the cultural life of the community;
  
  
• Celebration of cultural diversity, through promoting exposure of the general public to cultural activities and artwork arising out of diverse cultures, leading to greater recognition of and investment in cultural diversity;
  
  
• The creation of a legacy for the arts and culture through attention to sustainable cultural planning, leading to better cultural policies and more investment in the arts and culture; and
  
  
• Stronger relationships between local cultural organizations and municipal officials based on a recognition that arts and culture play a vital role in enhancing quality of life, and that they are important factors in fostering economic competitiveness, civic identity, pride, and social cohesion.

Reporting on Results

All award recipients are required to present a final activity/results report with both quantitative and qualitative evaluations. This report must consist of an evaluation of the outcomes (i.e. impacts on the community) of the project, including achieved project activities and results. The report should also clearly indicate the measurement mechanism by which the data was gathered and evaluated.

This report should include both quantitative and qualitative responses to questions such as:

• How the project has fostered sustainable cultural activities within the community?
  
  
• How the project has encouraged the development of strategic partnerships leading to an improved environment for the arts and culture at the local level?
  
  
• How the project has incited greater integration of the arts and culture into community planning?
  
  
• How the project has assisted in an increase of promotion, exposure, and support for Aboriginal, culturally diverse, official-language minority, and youth artists and audiences?

Recipients must additionally provide a financial report which clearly states all the Recipient’s revenues and expenditures with regard to the project funded, including the sources of revenue and expenditure items.  Financial statements must be specifically for the project and outline all project costs; larger municipal budgets will not be accepted.  Financial reports will be signed and certified by a person duly authorized by the Recipient.  Projects receiving contributions of $50,000 or greater must be audited by professional accountants who are independent of the organization and are active members in good standing of one of the following professional associations:  CA, CMA, CGA.

Recipients are encouraged to capitalize on their award by fully promoting their designation as a Cultural Capital of Canada.

Award recipients will be provided with more detailed guidelines regarding the interim and final reports.  Failure to submit all the necessary reporting requirements in a manner satisfactory to the department will result in a redistribution of funding.

Conditions of Funding

If you are selected to receive a Cultural Capital of Canada award or the Innovative Cultural Bridges prize, funding for your project is made under a detailed contribution agreement, signed by the authorized municipal representative(s) and by the Department of Canadian Heritage. 

The contribution agreement specifies reporting requirements and the related payment installments. Installment payments are advances against and/or reimbursements of eligible costs and follow Treasury Board Policy on transfer payments. 

Award winners are required to acknowledge the contribution from the Department of Canadian Heritage in all printed/published materials and signage (where applicable) and to acknowledge the essential role played by public funding of the arts.

Cultural Capitals of Canada provides contributions of up to a maximum of 75% of total eligible costs or the maximum contribution for the applicable award level, whichever is less (see page 1). 

The Award winner through municipal funding, in-kind contributions, or funding received from third parties must cover eligible project costs in excess of the amount funded by Cultural Capitals of Canada.

The Cultural Capitals of Canada program does not provide funding for existing cultural activities. It only provides funding for new activities, or for those expanded (supplementary) portions of existing activities. Budgets submitted by award winners, which include expanded activities, must detail only those expenditures incurred for the expanded portions of those activities.

The Department does not fund projects retroactively. Costs assumed prior to the announcement of Award winners are assumed at your own risk.  Award winners receiving CCC funding of $50,000 or more will be required to provide a certified financial statement.

Instructions for completing the Application Form

Your complete application should consist of: 

• Funding Application General Information, parts A–C, signed and dated at the bottom of part C
  
  
• Detailed form, questions 1–18, completed on the form and supplementary pages with answers to questions 19–30 (maximum of 25 pages).
  
  
• Part I, question 31, summary and project budgets, both of which must be detailed and balanced

When answering questions 19–30, please precede each answer with the question number and repeat the question itself, to make it easier for the advisory committee to assess the answers. 

Note that several of these questions require you to attach various documents as part of the application:

• Question 19 – A copy of the page(s) of the most recent annual report showing spending on cultural activities and the total municipal budget.
  
  
• Question 25 – A one-page chart showing the names and roles of key people involved in the project and the lines of accountability.
  
  
• Question 26 – A two-page summary CV of the project leader
  
  
• Question 27 – A copy of a motion passed by the municipal council authorizing the application and committing funding if successful.
  
  
• Submit seven (7) copies of the application with answers to all questions (parts A–I, questions 1–31) and two (2) copies of any additional support materials you may wish to enclose, such as brochures, pamphlets, letters of support, etc.