Compass

Program for: All

Purpose: The objective of the Compass program is to assist arts organizations with organizational development projects, and to assist arts managers with professional development projects, to help build administrative and management capacity in the arts.

Eligibility: Please refer to Eligibility on pages 2 to 4 of the Program Guidelines for the OAC’s residency requirements and definitions of professional artists and organizations.

In addition, in order to apply to the Compass program you must:

• An Ontario-based professional arts manager

OR

• an arts organization specifically engaged in not-for-profit professional arts activity in Ontario and be eligible to apply to OAC granting programs; or
• a book or magazine publisher eligible to apply to OAC’s literature programs; or
• a non-arts organization which presents the arts as a part of a larger engagement with its community that would be eligible to apply to OAC granting programs; or
• a collaborative – a group of two or more organizations working together on a joint initiative.

The OAC does not recommend specialists or mentors to applicants to the Compass program. However, there are a number of resources that you can use to find an appropriate specialist.

• If your organization is a member of an arts service organization, the staff, board or other members of the ASO may know which specialists have been working with organizations like yours.
• Talk to other organizations in your community. They may very well have had good experiences with specialists that know your region or city.
• There are two organizations in Ontario with members who are arts and cultural consultants.

1. Arts Consultants Canada/Consultants Canadiens en arts has members that have met professional membership criteria, and agreed to a Code of Professional Conduct. Their website is: www.artsconsultants.ca.
2. Cultureconsultants.ca/Consultantsculturel.ca is a website and virtual meeting place for consultants with services to offer and cultural organizations looking for consultants. Their website is www.cultureconsultants.ca.

Deadline Dates: March 1, June 1, September 1 and December 1, 2010

Program Guidelines and Application Form

• Project Grant Basics (print version)
• Program Guidelines (print version)
• Application  (form-fillable Word)  (print version)
• Budget - Organizational Development only  (form-fillable Excel)  (print version)
• Budget - Professional Development only  (form-fillable Excel)  (print version)

Final Report Form

• (form-fillable Word) (print version)

For more information

• Pat Bradley, Theatre and Compass Program Officer, 416-969-7433, toll free 1-800-387-0058 extension 7433, pbradley@arts.on.ca
• Colleen Dauncey, Program Assistant, 416-969-7412, toll free in Ontario 1-800-387-0058 extension 7412, cdauncey@arts.on.ca

For Results Announcements for this program, please click here.