Artist-Presenter Collaboration Projects

Purpose

This is a temporary program that supports relationship-building between artists and presenters during the continued suspension of OAC’s Touring and Market Development programs. The program aims to develop the resiliency and sustainability of presentation in the arts sector by supporting collaborative partnerships between presenters, Ontario-based professional artists and arts organizations in all OAC-funded disciplines. Projects should build or maintain sustainable ways of sharing artistic works with audiences and communities within Ontario, nationally and internationally. Touring and many kinds of market development activities are eligible in this program.

The program aims to:

• help artists and presenters to connect and work more closely together
• support networking and knowledge, skills and resource-sharing, and strengthen artists’ abilities to grow audiences and reach new markets
• encourage new models of presentation, exhibition, dissemination and touring of artistic work, and new audience experiences for the pandemic context and beyond
• deepen public appreciation for the work of Ontario artists through meaningful audience development and engagement activities (in-person or virtually) (see definition)

Presentation activity in this program must carried out in partnership, and be supported by other activities that develop and engage audiences, or help artists reach new markets.

Deadline dates

April 27 and October 27, 2022 1 p.m. ET

• The application form will be available in Nova about two months before the deadline.
• You will find out whether you got a grant about four and a half months after each deadline.

Grant amount(s)

These grant amount categories are defined as follows:

• Focused impact: Projects that benefit or promote an individual Ontario-based professional artist or a specific group of artists, whether they have individual practices or are part of an ad hoc group, collective or organization. Touring projects are usually focused impact projects.
• Sector impact: Projects that benefit or promote the sector, or a part of the sector, of Ontario-based professional artists and/or arts organizations more broadly. This could be a community of artistic practice (for example, craft artists or urban dance artists) or community of identity (for example, Indigenous artists or artists in northern Ontario).

Important:

• Due to the number of applications received and the limited funds available, grants awarded may be smaller than the amount requested.
• Applicants may apply for up to 100 per cent of the project costs but are encouraged to seek revenue from a variety of sources, if possible.

Eligible applicants

Projects in this program must be carried out through a collaborative partnership that includes at least two entities; partners must be confirmed at the time of application. An eligible partnership includes:

• the applicant (who submits the application and is responsible for the grant)
• one or more eligible partners
  • Note: As partners are a key factor in granting decisions in the assessment of this program, you cannot make significant changes to partners if you are awarded a grant. If you are cannot complete the activity with the proposed partner(s), you may be required to return the grant.

The partnership must include:

• one or more presenters (with a history of acting as a presenter as defined below)
• one or more Ontario-based professional artists, ad hoc groups, collectives or arts organizations other than the presenter(s)

Presenters introduce artists (Ontario-based professional artists, ad hoc groups, collective or arts organizations) and their artistic work to their audiences and communities. They select work for presentation and pay a presentation fee to the professional artist or arts group. For the purpose of this program, the presenter cannot be an artist or group that will be presented or promoted by the proposed project. A presenter provides venue and technical support (for live or virtual presentation), promotes the event, and presents the work in a professional manner to a public (or to a student audience in the case of school presentation).

• Examples of arts presenters: arts festivals, cultural centres, theatres, galleries, media arts distributors, book fairs, independent curators and programmers
• Examples of non-arts presenters: municipalities, community centres, libraries, colleges and universities, for-profit businesses

The following are eligible as either the applicant or a partner:

• Ontario-based professional artists
• Ontario-based independent curators and programmers
• Ontario-based ad hoc groups and collectives of professional artists or arts professionals (including arts presenters)
• Ontario-based not-for-profit arts organizations (including arts presenters)
• Ontario-based, Canadian-owned for-profit book or periodical publishers eligible for funding in OAC’s publishing programs
• Ontario-based not-for-profit Indigenous organizations, centres and councils (including presenters)

Note: Applicants must have a history of working in or presenting a discipline supported by OAC: craft, dance, literature, media arts, multi and inter-arts, music, theatre or visual arts.

For eligible partners that are not eligible as applicants, see the Ineligible applicants section below.

Read the Guide to OAC Project Programs for more eligibility information.

Ineligible applicants

The following are ineligible as applicants but are eligible as partners (see Eligible applicants section above for partnership requirements):

• municipalities, colleges, and universities
• individuals, collectives, ad hoc groups, and organizations based outside Ontario
• non-arts organizations, ad hoc groups, and collectives
• non-arts presenters (see definition of presenters), with the exception of Ontario-based not-for-profit Indigenous organizations, centres, and councils
• for-profit arts presenters

The following are ineligible as partners and as applicants:

• for-profit artist agents, managers, promoters and commercial dealers

• amateur, pre-professional and student artists, ad hoc groups, collectives, and arts organizations
• community and youth/training orchestras (see definition)
• community and training choirs/choral organizations (see definition)
• curators and programmers who have a full-time curatorial or programming position in an organization (the organization should be the applicant or partner)

What this program funds

Eligible projects must:

• have at least one confirmed partner (see Eligible applicants section above)
• take into account the safety, health and well-being of artists, audiences, partners, presenting venue staff, and communities in a pandemic context
• impact or promote Ontario-based artists working in disciplines supported by OAC: craft, dance, literature, media arts, multi and inter-arts, music, theatre or visual arts.

Eligible activity includes:

• production of events such as networking forums, pitch sessions, showcases, and other industry platforms that connect artists with presenters
• development of skills and tools to promote artists and artistic works to presenters
• research and development of new and hybrid models of presentation, exhibition or other dissemination of artistic work
• presentation of artistic work (in-person, virtual or both)
• adaptation of artistic work for digital production and presentation with a commitment from presenters to program the work
• commissions and artist residencies with a commitment from presenters to program the work
• touring that is adapted to travel and public gathering restrictions
• audience development and engagement activities (see definition)
• other activities that build relationships between Ontario artists and presenters

Presentation activity must be carried out in partnership, and supported by other activities that develop and engage audiences, or help artists reach new markets. Touring activity must include a pandemic-related contingency plan that has been developed by the artist and presenter.

Important:

• You cannot receive more than one OAC project grant for the same activity.
• You are not eligible to submit more than one project grant application at a time for the same activity. You may re-apply to OAC for the same activity if you have received notification that your first application was not successful.

Eligible expenses include:

• artist fees for Ontario-based artists
• programming, production and presentation costs
• venue rental or virtual platform costs
• equipment rental
• technician fees
• marketing and promotion costs
• administrative costs for applicant and Ontario-based partners
• mentor and professional development fees
• travel, visas, accommodation and per diems (daily meal allowance) and related costs for Ontario-based artists, ad hoc groups and collectives, organizations and presenters
• transportation of works of art and equipment and related costs for Ontario-based artists, ad hoc groups, collectives and arts organizations
• costs related to health and safety measures
• artists' childcare and other dependant care services when necessary during the project
• expenses related to making the project accessible to audience members and project participants (other than the applicant) who are Deaf or have a disability
  • Note: Applicants to this program who identify as Deaf or as having a disability may apply for supplementary funds for their own accessibility expenses through Accessibility Fund: Project Support.
• purchase of small-scale equipment, software, electronics and similar materials required to carry out the project, up to a maximum of $5,000

What this program does not fund

• self-presentation projects (see definition) (see OAC's project programs in your artistic discipline
• salaries of regular staff or operating expenses for applicant or partners
• projects that include artistic creation but with no presentation
• expenses during quarantine
• major capital expenditures, including buying, leasing or renovating buildings and purchase of major equipment
• fundraising activities
• projects by university students or faculty projects associated with their studies or research
• creation or development of websites for the purpose of promoting a single artist, artistic group or organization
• project applications submitted by multiple applicants for the same project at the same deadline

Activity timing

The activity for which you are requesting funding:

• cannot start before the deadline
• cannot finish before you receive your grant results
• must be completed no more than two years after you receive the grant results

Note:

• Only presentations (live and virtual) that take place after grant notification are eligible for support.
• Grant notification will be available approximately four and a half months after each deadline.

Final report requirements

If you receive a grant, you must complete the project and submit a final report in Nova. See Terms and Conditions – receipt of OAC project grant funds for more information on reporting obligations.

In your final report, you will need to provide:

• a description of the project undertaken and its outcomes, including details on any minor or approved changes to what had been outlined in the application.
• a final budget
  • If the budget you submit shows a surplus of more than $250 (revenues as compared to expenses), you may be required to repay the surplus amount to OAC.
  • documentation of work created (when applicable)
  • documentation and/or an explanation of how you acknowledged or will acknowledge OAC support for your project.
    • This should include samples of OAC logo recognition on any promotional or other materials produced in conjunction with the project, such as invitations, print, digital and social media communication, videos/films, etc.
    • This could also include a description of verbal acknowledgement at public events or the intention to include OAC acknowledgement in associated future activities/materials.

To apply

Complete and submit an application in Nova, OAC’s online grant application system. You will be able to do this approximately two months before the deadline.

Before applying, you must:

• read the Guide to OAC Project Programs
• read the Guide to OAC Assessment
• create or update your profile in Nova

Your application includes:

• basic information about the project
• your answers to application questions
• project budget
• artistic examples:
  • It is mandatory to include a minimum one and maximum of two artistic examples. Each of the following is considered one example:
    • video (maximum 3 minutes)
    • audio (maximum 3 minutes)
    • images (maximum 5 images)
    • manuscript (maximum 3 pages)
  • These videos may help you to prepare your support material:
    • Preparing Effective Artistic Examples for Theatre, Dance and Performance-Based Multi and Inter-Arts
    • Preparing Effective Support Material for Visual Arts and Craft Grants
  • Support documents:
    • letters of commitment from the key project partner(s) that outline why they want to be involved in the project and what they will contribute to it (mandatory)
    • CV, résumé or biography of key project participants (mandatory)

Complete instructions and requirements are in the application in Nova.

For information on how assessors rate applications see the Evaluation Rubric – Activity Projects.

For details on creating a profile or submitting an application in Nova, see the Nova User Guide.

Program-specific definitions

Arts organization: an organization led by professional artists or arts professionals; with a mandate and history of developing the work of professional artists; or with a mandate and history of otherwise serving, presenting or promoting professional artists.

Audience development and engagement: activities that create relationships between the artist, the artistic work and the audience.

• Audience development activities build awareness and appreciation of artists and their work, beyond conventional marketing, with the goal to reach new audiences. Examples include free presentations in public spaces or open rehearsals.
• Audience engagement activities go beyond conventional forms of presentation to deepen the relationship between the artist(s) and/or presenter, the art and the audience. Examples include Q&A’s, artist talks, backstage tours, pre- or post-performance workshops for the community.

Network: an organized set of relationships to support connections and professional interaction. Networks can help artists and presenters make connections, exchange knowledge, skills or resources, cultivate audiences, and promote the arts.

Partnership: a mutual relationship between artists, arts organizations, presenters, and/or other people or groups involved in the project to achieve a greater impact than they would alone. A strong partnership includes a shared commitment to the project’s success, and equitably shared responsibilities, resources, workload, and benefits.

Self-presentation: an artist or arts organization presenting their own work to a public audience without the support of a presenter. This typically involves the artist or arts organization renting a venue and relying on box office revenue to pay artist fees. Self-presentation is not eligible in this program.