OAC relaunches touring support and shares market development research
The Ontario Arts Council (OAC) is fully relaunching its support to touring activity with a new component to support tour capacity. In preparation for this, OAC commissioned a market development report from Nordicity, examining the current and future state for touring artists.
The modified program, Touring and Circulation Projects supports tour building activity with two categories – one for small to mid-scale tours and another for large-scale tours – each with two deadlines a year.
The program funds performing arts tours as well as literary presentations and visual and media arts exhibitions. It is focused on building relationships with presenters and offers opportunities to develop the tour when it is at the “idea” stage. The tours must have a minimum of three engagements planned and at least one confirmed.
Market development, artist-presenter networking and audience-building activities are eligible as long as they are connected to a confirmed presentation or exhibition outside the applicant’s home base. This same principle applies to an artistic residency, eligible only if at least one public presentation is part of the residency. Consideration will be given to environmentally sustainable tours.
Categories
The Touring and Circulation Projects program has two categories and two deadlines per year:
- small to mid-scale tour (a maximum of $30,000) – April 5, 2023, and October 19, 2023
- large-scale tour (a maximum of $60,000) – April 5, 2023, and October 19, 2023
Information Sessions
To learn more about the revised program, sign up for the virtual information sessions:
English information sessions
The English sessions will be facilitated by:
- Soraya Peerbaye, Program Officer
- Elizabeth Braoudakis, Program Administrator
Tuesday, February 28, 2023 (11 a.m. – 12 p.m. ET): Sign up
Monday, March 6, 2023 (3 p.m. – 4 p.m. ET): Sign up
French information session
The French session will be facilitated by:
- Geneviève Trilling, Francophone Arts Program Officer
- Elizabeth Braoudakis, Program Administrator
Thursday, March 2, 2023 (1 p.m. – 2 p.m. ET): Sign up
Accessibility
If you have other accessibility or accommodation needs, please contact:
Elizabeth Braoudakis
Program Administrator
lbraoudakis@arts.on.ca
416-969-7412 | toll-free in Ontario: 1-800-387-0058
Market Development Travel program resumes
OAC is reinstating Market Development Travel program in the next few weeks. This program provides travel assistance to artists and arts organizations looking to promote their work at festivals, conferences, trade shows and other events and connect with possible presenters. The program will open in April for applications. While there is no deadline, applications will be accepted until the program budget is spent. Information will be available on OAC’s website by early March.
Market Development Needs Assessment Report
In preparation for the resumption of touring support, OAC's research section commissioned Nordicity to complete a market development needs assessment report that looked at the following:
- current and future trends that affect the market development and touring landscape;
- challenges and needs of artists, arts groups, presenters and arts organizations with respect to market development and touring activities;
- the gaps in the market development and touring support ecosystem; and
- the programs offered by other arts funders across the country.
Read the full report.