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Ontario Arts Council (OAC)
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Creating and Presenting

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The creation, production and presentation of artistic work are the foundation of OAC’s funding model.  We fund these activities through discipline-specific programs, and programs created to serve specific priority groups. We believe that works of artistic merit are created by artists from all communities, regions and cultural backgrounds and that access to the arts makes all of our lives richer.
OAC’s key funding objectives for Creating and Presenting are to:  
 
  • Support artists in creating, producing and presenting innovative and diverse work.
  • Foster healthy and resilient arts organizations and communities.
  • Support new ways of creating and working, as well as new organizational models.
  • Showcase high-quality, relevant artistic work that inspires and engages audiences.
  • Empower new and emerging voices, approaches and perspectives.
  • Ensure access to the arts in regions and communities across Ontario.   
     

Grant Programs

Arts médiatiques – projets francophones Toggle Expand
What We Fund
This program is available in French only.
Arts visuels et métiers d'art – projets francophones Toggle Expand
What We Fund
This program is available in French only.
Arts visuels, arts médiatiques et métiers d'art : organismes et centres d’artistes autogérés francophones – fonctionnement Toggle Expand
What We Fund
This program is available in French only.
Craft Projects Toggle Expand
What We Fund
The program supports craft-based practices through grants to Ontario-based artists, curators, ad hoc groups, collectives and organizations.
Curatorial Projects: Indigenous and Culturally Diverse Toggle Expand
What We Fund
The program supports the development of the work of Ontario-based Indigenous curators and curators who are people of colour, and the exhibition infrastructure in Ontario. It aims to increase the ability of Ontario public galleries, artist-run centres and other organizations to present projects by Indigenous curators and curators who are people of colour in contexts determined by the participants.
Dance Organizations: Operating Toggle Expand
What We Fund
The program supports the ongoing operations of not-for-profit, professional dance organizations in Ontario.
Dance Projects Toggle Expand
What We Fund
The program supports the development, production and presentation of dance by Ontario’s professional dance artists.
Deaf and Disability Arts Projects Toggle Expand
What We Fund
The program supports Ontario-based artists and arts professionals who are Deaf and/or have a disability, or ad hoc groups/collectives and arts organizations mandated to serve and led by artists and/or arts professionals who are Deaf and/or have a disability. It funds all contemporary and traditional art practices that are supported at OAC.
Édition francophone – fonctionnement Toggle Expand
What We Fund
This program is available in French only.
Exhibition Assistance Toggle Expand
What We Fund
The program supports Ontario-based artists and artist collectives working in visual arts, craft and media art practices in the presentation of their art work in a confirmed public exhibition.This is a third-party recommender program. Artists apply to galleries and organizations designated as recommenders for the program. These recommenders assess applications and submit grant recommendations to OAC.
Indigenous Arts Projects Toggle Expand
What We Fund
The program supports Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, Inuit) artists to research, develop and create new work and engage with their communities, as well as opportunities for Indigenous organizations and communities to strengthen their relationships with the arts.
Indigenous Visual Artists' Materials Toggle Expand
What We Fund
The program supports Ontario-based First Nations, Inuit, and Métis artists working in the visual arts, crafts or traditional/customary Indigenous art forms to create artwork. Grants of $500 help cover the cost of buying art materials and supplies.This is a third-party recommender program. Artists apply to the Indigenous organizations designated as recommenders for the program. Recommenders assess applications and submit grant recommendations to OAC.
Literary Creation Projects (Works for Performance) Toggle Expand
What We Fund
The program supports Ontario-based literary artists to complete new works for book-length publication or for public performance, and literary performers who wish to record their own repertoire.
Literary Creation Projects (Works for Publication) Toggle Expand
What We Fund
The program supports Ontario-based literary artists to complete new works for book-length publication or for public performance, and literary performers who wish to record their own repertoire.
Literary Organizations Projects Toggle Expand
What We Fund
The program supports the presentation, promotion, and publication of written and oral Canadian literatures through literary festivals, performance series, trade book publishers, literary magazines, and sector development initiatives.
Literary Organizations: Operating Toggle Expand
What We Fund
The program supports the ongoing operations of not-for-profit, professional literary organizations in Ontario, except for book and magazine publishers.
Littérature – projets francophones Toggle Expand
What We Fund
This program is available in French only.
Major Organizations: Operating Toggle Expand
What We Fund
The program supports the ongoing operations for Ontario-based, not-for-profit, professional major arts organizations.
Media Artists Creation Projects Toggle Expand
What We Fund
The program supports individual professional Ontario-based media artists/directors working with film, video, audio, digital, new media, video and electronic games, and virtual reality as independent artist-controlled art forms in the production and post-production phases of their projects.
Media Arts Organizations: Operating Toggle Expand
What We Fund
The program supports the ongoing operations of not-for-profit, professional media arts organizations in Ontario.
Media Arts Projects Toggle Expand
What We Fund
The program supports not-for-profit organizations and ad hoc groups/collectives that present, document or disseminate the work of professional Ontario media artists, or that provide media artists with professional development opportunities.
Multi and Inter-Arts Organizations: Operating Toggle Expand
What We Fund
The program supports the ongoing operations of not-for-profit professional multi- and inter-arts organizations in Ontario.
Multi and Inter-Arts Projects Toggle Expand
What We Fund
The program supports the creation, production and presentation of multi- and inter-arts work by professional Ontario artists, ad hoc groups/collectives and organizations working in all art forms and initiatives that benefit the professional multi- and inter-arts community.The program supports the creation, production and presentation of multi- and inter-arts work by professional Ontario artists, ad hoc groups/collectives and organizations working in all art forms and initiatives that benefit the...
Music Creation Projects Toggle Expand
What We Fund
The program supports Ontario-based professional artists creating original musical works.
Music Organizations: Operating Toggle Expand
What We Fund
The program supports the ongoing operations of not-for-profit, opera companies, orchestras, choral organizations and other music-mandated producers and presenters in Ontario.
Music Production and Presentation Projects Toggle Expand
What We Fund
This program supports the development and presentation of all genres of music by Ontario-based professional musicians, ad hoc groups/collectives and organizations.
Music Recording Projects Toggle Expand
What We Fund
The program supports the recording of music by Ontario-based musicians including composers, songwriters and beat producers.The program supports the recording of music by Ontario-based musicians including composers, songwriters and beat producers.
Musique – projets francophones Toggle Expand
What We Fund
This program is available in French only.
Northern Arts Projects Toggle Expand
What We Fund
The program supports the creation, production and presentation of artwork; professional development; and community-engaged arts initiatives that benefit communities in northern Ontario.
Public Art Galleries: Operating Toggle Expand
What We Fund
The program supports the ongoing operations of not-for-profit, professional public art galleries in Ontario.
Publishing Organizations: Operating Toggle Expand
What We Fund
The program supports Ontario-based, Canadian-owned book and magazine publishers that publish works of literary, artistic or cultural importance for the general public.
Recommender Grants for Theatre Creators Toggle Expand
What We Fund
To assist theatre creators to develop new work. This is a third-party recommender program. Applications are made to and funding decisions are made by the theatre companies enrolled in the program.
Recommender Grants for Writers Toggle Expand
What We Fund
The program supports Ontario writers in the creation of new work and creates and strengthens connections between Ontario writers, publishers, and literary organizations. This is a third-party recommender program. Applications are made to and funding recommendations are made by the publishers and organizations designated as recommenders for the program. Grants made from this program are made by OAC. Recommenders may not award grants in lieu of payment or impose conditions on applicants or grant r...
Théâtre – projets francophones Toggle Expand
What We Fund
This program is available in French only.
Théâtre francophone – fonctionnement Toggle Expand
What We Fund
This program is available in French only.
Theatre Organizations: Operating Toggle Expand
What We Fund
The program supports the ongoing operations of not-for-profit, professional theatre organizations in Ontario.
Theatre Projects Toggle Expand
What We Fund
The program supports professional exploration, creation, development, production and presentation, regardless of theatrical tradition, as well as initiatives that benefit the Ontario professional theatre community.
Visual Artists Creation Projects Toggle Expand
What We Fund
The program supports professional Ontario-based visual artists to create new work and to continue work in progress. The program aims to reflect the range of artistic practices in the visual arts, and to support excellence, regional activity, diverse artists and communities.
Visual Arts Artist-Run Centres and Organizations: Operating Toggle Expand
What We Fund
The program supports the ongoing operations of not-for-profit, professional visual arts organizations in Ontario.
Visual Arts Projects Toggle Expand
What We Fund
The program supports organizations, ad hoc groups/collectives and independent curators to present projects that exhibit, document or disseminate the work of professional Ontario visual artists or provide professional development for artists.