[Skip to Content]
Ontario Arts Council (OAC)
Grants Advanced Search
Grants Advanced Search

Multi and Inter-Arts Projects

Until this program opens in Nova, the Ontario Arts Council’s online granting system, program information may change. This includes deadline dates and specific information on eligibility. Be sure to visit this page after the program opens in Nova, but before starting your application.

 

Purpose

The program supports the creation, production and presentation of multi- and inter-arts activities 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.

Multi- and inter-arts activities: are practices, initiatives and events that have two or more artistic forms present in equal balance in the creation, production and presentation of work. Artistic forms may remain separate or can be combined to create new, unified forms. Multi and inter-arts activities involve bringing art forms together in ways that make the activity unique and therefore not eligible for funding in OAC's discipline-based programs in Theatre, Dance, Music, Literature, Visual Arts or Media Arts.


The program has four categories:

  • Creation: supports the initial artistic costs of creating new multi- and inter-arts work, for research, exploration and experimentation
  • Production and Presentation: helps support the artistic production and presentation costs of multi- and inter-arts work
  • Series/Festivals: helps support the presentation and promotion costs of arts activities/events presented either at regular intervals or within a defined and concentrated period of time of one or more days
  • Development Initiatives: helps support the costs of activities and initiatives that significantly benefit Ontario’s multi and inter-arts sector. This includes professional development workshop series, training initiatives, conferences and other activities with a community impact. Projects cannot be related to creation, production or presentation activities of a single production. Professional development workshop series and training initiatives must include registration fees

Deadline dates

March 20 and September 19, 2024, 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)

  • Creation: maximum $10,000
  • Production and Presentation: maximum $20,000
  • Series/Festivals: maximum $15,000
  • Development Initiatives: maximum $8,000

Recent changes

  • The application questions and evaluation rubric have been reworked to better align with OAC’s current strategic plan.

Eligible applicants

  • professional artists who are Ontario residents
  • ad hoc groups and collectives with 50 per cent of their members residing in Ontario
  • incorporated not-for-profit Ontario-based arts organizations with a head office in Ontario
  • non-arts organizations, ad hoc groups and collectives. They must have professional artists, arts professionals or curators (for example, an advisory committee) directly involved in making programming decisions for the project.

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

Ineligible applicants

  • municipalities, colleges and universities
  • students for whom the proposed activity is directly related to their graduate degree or thesis
  • organizations that receive a grant in the Multi and Inter-Arts Organizations – Operating program
  • organizations that receive an operating grant in other OAC programs, with the exception of organizations mandated to serve one or more of the OAC priority groups
  • series or festivals not involving professional artists/arts professionals and/or directly in programming decisions (see the Ontario Arts Presenters Projects program)

Important: Organizations applying as new applicants in the Multi and Inter-Arts Organizations – Operating program may apply only for projects taking place in their current fiscal year.

What this program funds

  • artists’ fees
  • production costs (for example, staging, technical equipment, costumes)
  • purchase of small-scale equipment, software, electronics and similar materials required to carry out the project
  • venue or studio rental
  • marketing, promotion and administration costs
  • childcare and other dependant care fees enabling individuals to take part in the project (this does not include regular, ongoing expenses)
  • 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.

What this program does not fund

  • events or activities that take place outside of Ontario
  • projects eligible for funding in other OAC programs
  • amateur, pre-professional, student or faculty projects
  • events for which the presentation of artistic programming is not the primary purpose
  • fundraising activities
  • tours (see Touring and Circulation Projects)
  • major capital expenditures, including buying, leasing or renovating buildings and purchase of major equipment

Activity timing

The activities 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.

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 approved or minor 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 and/or an explanation of how you followed or will follow OAC’s Recognition Requirements for Project Grant Recipients
    • This should include samples of any promotional or other materials produced for the project that show the OAC and Government of Ontario logos. Read logo guidelines
    • This could also include social media screenshots or a description of how you recognized OAC or plan to do so in future activities or materials tied to the project.

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, be sure to:

Your application will include:

Complete instructions and requirements are in the application in Nova.


For information on how assessors rate applications see the Guide to OAC Assessment and the Evaluation Rubric – Activity Projects.


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