What is a partnership with the Ontario Arts Council (OAC)?
Partnerships are investments of OAC’s financial, human and other resources, made together with other organizations, towards strategic outcomes.
Through partnerships, OAC has increased support to local, regional and rural artists and arts activities, and will continue to build connections between the arts and other sectors, such as education, social services, tourism, business and health.
In a partnership, OAC and one or more organizations collaborate on a project with shared or complementary objectives, where all parties:
- enter into an agreement that sets out terms
- share authority, risk and non-monetary benefit
- jointly invest time and resources, which must include financial resources
- work toward a significant single event or resource, or a series of events or resources, with or without renewal
This definition distinguishes partnerships from other types of projects and relationships involving OAC.
What kinds of organizations does OAC partner with?
The OAC typically partners with non-profit organizations and government agencies, not businesses. Partner organizations’ mandates can be artistic or non-artistic.
There are no formal eligibility requirements for proposing a partnership.
How can my organization propose a partnership to OAC?
The resources OAC can spend on partnerships are very limited. Before even entering discussions, OAC needs some basic information to assess whether a potential partnership aligns with its strategic goals.
First, ensure that the collaboration you have in mind meets OAC’s definition of a partnership. This means that, to the best of your knowledge, each of the following statements is true:
- The collaboration is between OAC and an external organization.
- The collaborators will share authority and responsibility.
- The collaborators will invest time and resources together.
- The collaborators will share any risks and benefits.
- There will be a formal agreement outlining the terms of the collaboration.
- The collaboration will achieve objectives that the collaborators could not achieve on their own.
- No existing OAC grant, award or service could support this collaboration.
- The collaboration aligns with OAC’s Strategic Plan or another corporate objective.
If you believe your collaboration meets all the above criteria, please email
communications@arts.on.ca with a brief proposal.
Include the following information:
- Organization(s) proposing the partnership
- Answers to the eight statements above
- Outline of the project you want to undertake (a few sentences)
- Proposed timing for the project
- With which of OAC’s strategic plan directions or corporate objectives does this partnership align? (select all that apply)
- Strategic direction 1: Further develop our funding approach to build strength and relevance
- Strategic direction 2: Amplify the impact, benefits and value of the arts
- Strategic direction 3: Renew program design and service delivery
- Strategic direction 4: Cultivate connections, collaborations and partnerships
A staff member will respond to you within two business days with acknowledgement of receipt. If interested in the potential partnership, OAC will arrange a call or meeting to discuss the project in more detail.
Selected current and past OAC partnerships
Coming soon.