Culturescope.ca - Aboriginal Media Arts Program

An important notice to Culturescope.ca users:

Projects & Programs 15 of 48

"This program reduces the historical barriers to media arts production by Aboriginal artists and encourages the use of media arts as a tool for artistic expression.

Decisions on which artists receive grants are made by a peer assessment committee of Aboriginal artists.

Aboriginal peoples include Status, Non-Status, Métis and Inuit people of Canada.

Media artworks are works in film, video, audio or new media. Film and video productions in all styles, including documentary, experimental, drama and animation, are accepted.

"Audio" refers to sound recording to create sound-scapes, sound installations and sound sculptures. Audio also refers to documentary, narrative, conceptual and live works for radio. (Please note that audio works do not include music. Artists interested in music projects should contact the Music Section of the Canada Council for the Arts.)

"New media" refers to works that use multimedia, computers, or communications or information technologies for creative expression.

This program supports only independent productions and projects, which are defined as those over which the artists/directors maintain complete creative and editorial control.

You may apply for funding to cover the costs of:

- research, scriptwriting and concept development for an independent film, video, audio or new media artwork;
experimentation with media arts techniques;
- professional development in the media arts, including training, workshops, residencies, mentorships and internships, etc. production and completion of an independent media artwork.

Eligibility

Who May Apply?

You must be an Aboriginal person of Canada (Status, Non-Status, Métis or Inuit) and be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada. You need not be living in Canada when you apply.

Individuals or groups of up to three artists working collaboratively on a project may apply.

If you are a full-time student at a school, college or university, you are not eligible to apply. If you are not a full-time student, you may apply for funding to take training courses in media arts (but not to get a degree).

You must maintain complete creative and editorial control over the project you are proposing. Other funding sources must not compromise your creative and editorial control.

You must be the director of the production. Producers may not apply.
Please note: Although the Aboriginal Media Arts Program is open only to Aboriginal peoples of Canada, all Canada Council for the Arts programs are accessible to Aboriginal artists, who may apply to any of the Canada Council media arts programs for which they are eligible.

Eligible Activities

Your project may involve only one activity (such as writing a film script or creating a media artwork) or it may involve a combination of activities (such as writing a film script, plus creating a production, plus taking media arts training).

The Canada Council supports work that is driven by a desire to use media as a means of artistic expression. Priority is given to projects that involve personal, cultural or community expression.

The Canada Council favours projects that are innovative in their use of the media arts. Innovation may be found in the content of the project, in the artist’s point of view, or in experimentation with form, technology or style.

Your work need not deal with Aboriginal themes or topics.

You are encouraged to seek distribution, broadcast and sales of your completed works. However, projects that are pursued only for profit or financial gain are not supported.

Ineligible Activities

The following types of activities are not eligible for support:

- projects done on contract for, or produced by, a government agency or private company;
- commissioned projects (except where the commission gives the artist full creative control, such as festival or curatorial commission);
- industrial projects;
- instructional projects;
- promotional projects;
- student projects;
- projects using film/video, new media or audio simply as a tool to record or document existing artworks;
- projects that transfer a film/video, new media or audio project finished in one format to another, without modification of the original;
- artists’ personal promotional Web pages and CD-ROMs;
- "calling card" films;
- pilots for television;
- commercial television projects;
music videos;
- public-service announcements;
development of financing for a project.

Deadline

The application deadline is 1 April. If it falls on a weekend or statutory holiday, the deadline moves to the next business day. (This is the last possible date your application and support material can be postmarked, not the date it needs to arrive at the Canada Council for the Arts."