Book Publishing Support: Author Promotion Tours 2008
Deadline
Next deadline is 15 December 2007
If this date falls on a weekend or statutory holiday, the deadline moves to the next business day. Your completed application and all support material must be postmarked on or before the deadline date.
Program Description
For Eligible Titles
The Canada Council for the Arts provides support to book publishers participating in the Book Publishing Support program for a portion of the costs of promotion tours that give greater public and media exposure to their current publication programs.
Support is available for tours by Canadian authors, illustrators, or translators of titles eligible for Canada Council for the Arts Book Publishing Support. Support is not available for writers who own or are employed by the publishing house making the application. (Please consult the Book Publishing Support information sheet to determine title eligibility.)
Eligible promotional activities include launches, book signings, interviews with the media and public readings that do not receive support for the same costs as those funded through Council’s Literary Readings and Festivals program or promotional assistance for translated titles, or a national association receiving Council public readings support. Tours must be carried out within 12 months of the title’s publication. The tour must include at least two promotional activities per city of the tour, and authors must travel at least 100 km from their normal place of residence. Funding is intended for tours within Canada only.
How to Apply
To apply for author promotion tour support in 2008 (1 December 2007 to 30 November 2008), the Author Promotion Tours 2008 form must be completed and returned by 15 December 2007. Publishers must also have applied to the Book Publishing Support program, and must report on the use of any Author Promotion Tour funds received for 2007 when they apply for 2008 Promotion Tours funding. If the deadline date falls on a weekend or statutory holiday, it moves to the next business day.
For 2008 tours, book publishers may indicate tentative tours if plans are still evolving. Substitutions of eligible books and eligible authors may be made by publishers throughout the year. Grant recipients will be required to report on the use of this promotion tour advance with their next annual request for Author Promotion Tours. Publishers are responsible for keeping good records of promotion tour expenses and must be able to clearly demonstrate expenses if required to do so by the Council.
Assessment of Applications
Applications are assessed annually by the Writing and Publishing Section on the basis of the eligibility of the books being promoted, the average of recent promotion tour support, a report on the previous year’s activities, and proposed future promotion tours.
The Promotion Tour Grant may also be reviewed and adjusted by the Book Publishing Support assessment committee.
If funds awarded the previous year have not been used by a publisher, that amount will be deducted from the current year’s assessment or Book Publishing Support grants. Promotion Tour Grants are paid out as an advance usually in May.
Grant Amount
The funding level depends on the total number of eligible requests we receive divided into the available budget factored by the applicants average touring grant received in recent years, where applicable. Publishers can only claim costs up to the eligible maximum below, even if tour costs are higher. The maximum also applies to a tour by co-authors of a single title.
The maximum eligible costs are either:
- direct travel costs of touring authors, illustrators, or translators, up to $1,500 per book;
or
- living expenses (meals and accommodation) up to $125 a day for a maximum of 12 days per book.
A maximum of $1,500 is allowed per author per year, or per title per year in the case of co-authored books. The maximum amount available per book publisher for a single year is $20,000.
Notification of Results and Conditions
Book publishers are usually informed about their annual grant for promotion tours in May, by letter. Payment are usually made in May.
When feasible, publishers must prepare a press release for all tours for which they are claiming support, and these press releases must include a clear acknowledgement of support from the Canada Council for the Arts. Copies of press releases and/or other promotional materials must be submitted to the Council when reporting on the use of funds.
Request Form and Report Form
Author Promotion Tours 2008 - Request Form (pdf, 26KB)
This form can only be printed and cannot be filled out on-line.
Author Promotion Tours 2007 - Report (pdf)
This form can only be printed and cannot be filled out on-line.
Further Information
For further information, please contact Marcel Hull, Writing and Publishing Section Officer.
Telephone: 1-800-263-5588 (toll-free) or 613-566-4414, ext. 4571
TTY (TDD) machine for hearing-impaired callers: 613-565-5194
Fax: 613-566-4410
Writing and Publishing Section
Canada Council for the Arts
350 Albert Street, P.O. Box 1047
Ottawa ON K1P 5V8
September 2007