Updates

Initiated by OAC and led by Nordicity, Arts Across Ontario is the first-ever complete economic assessment of the province’s arts sector.

OAC is entering into a contribution agreement funding model for organizations that are currently supported through OAC’s Major Organizations: Operating program.

For the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, the Ontario Arts Council (OAC) commissions work from an Indigenous artist in Ontario to foster communal reflection on the day’s importance and themes. 

Read the latest issue of OAC's newsletter.

It is with great enthusiasm and humility that I step into the role of chair of the Ontario Arts Council (OAC).

Read the latest issue of OAC's newsletter.

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The Arts Forward Framework is an initiative rooted in OAC’s strategic plan for 2022-27, Reset. Renew. Revitalize.

Sign up today and stay updated on our new activities and programs.

With the start of a new year, the Ontario Arts Council (OAC) is excited to be welcoming several new staff members to our team.

The Ontario Arts Council (OAC) will be closed on December 25, 2023, through January 1, 2024. 

The Ontario Arts Council (OAC) will be closed on December 25, 2023, through January 1, 2024. 

The Ontario Arts Council (OAC) is pleased to announce that the application deadlines for 2024 have been published online. Consult the list of program deadlines and important dates to see what funding opportunities are coming up in the year ahead.

For the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, the Ontario Arts Council (OAC) commissions work from an Indigenous artist in Ontario to foster communal reflection on the day’s importance and themes. 

The Ontario Arts Council (OAC) has introduced two-factor authentication to log into Nova

OAC theatre officer Clelia Farrugia will be stepping down from her current role next month to join the Canada Council for the Arts as a program officer for the Arts Across Canada and Arts Abroad section in August.

OAC is honouring the memory of former Indigenous Arts Officer, Sara Roque, who passed away on June 7, 2023.

Loree Lawrence is leaving her position to run a commercial art gallery and pursue her own arts practice.

Interim cross-sectoral associate officers appointed

On April 26, 1963, Bill 162, the Act to establish the Province of Ontario Council for the Arts was passed in the Ontario legislature. 

With the new year, we are sharing updates on positions, people and specific activities.

One of the greatest joys and challenges in a career of creating, producing and presenting art is that it puts you face to face with identity. It’s the joy of being challenged to see yourself as you are, to love and celebrate that.

Our fervent congratulations to Jack Illingworth, Literature Officer, who has decided to return to the publishing community where he will be the new Executive Director of the Association of Canadian Publishers.
 

The Ontario Arts Council's Annual Report 2021-2022 is now available online.

We are excited to invite you to the online launch of Reset. Renew. Revitalize. A Strategic Plan for the Ontario Arts Council 2022–2027.

Congratulations to Kelly Langgard, Director of Granting, who has announced her departure from OAC to become the next Director & CEO of the Toronto Arts Council and Toronto Arts Foundation.

September 30^th will be a day of reflection for Ontario Arts Council’s (OAC) Board of Directors and staff and is an opportunity to learn about the impact colonialism has had and continues to have on Indigenous peoples and how we as individuals and as an organization can do our part in support of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.

This fall, the Francophone Arts team will hold a series of application support sessions in French.

Are you a Northern Ontario-based writer, storyteller or spoken word artist interested in funding to support your practice?

Jessica Deljouravesh has returned to her home position at the Ontario Arts Council (OAC), as one of two Music Officers, alongside classical music specialist David Parsons.

The board of directors of the Ontario Arts Council (OAC) has engaged the services of Boyden Executive Search to hire the organization’s next CEO.

Are you interested in support to develop your arts practice? Participate in a free online information session for Northern artists about OAC professional development grants.

The Francophone Arts Team is here to help you! The Francophone Arts team will hold a series of info sessions to answer questions about Francophone project programs with upcoming April, May and June deadlines.

OAC’s 2020-2021 annual report was recently tabled in the Ontario legislature.

As of the 2022-23 fiscal year, all incorporated not-for-profit organizations that apply for Ontario Arts Council (OAC) grants must include their business number on their profile in Nova, OAC’s online grant application system.

It is with sadness that the Ontario Arts Council (OAC) board and staff learned of the death of former board member and Sudbury resident Josée Forest-Niesing, on November 20 from COVID-19 related causes.

The federal government has named September 30th the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, acknowledging and commemorating the traumatic legacy of residential schools in Canada and its ongoing effects in Indigenous communities.

The Francophone Arts Team will hold virtual office hours to answer questions about Francophone project programs with upcoming September and October deadlines.

In recognition of the hard work that OAC staff have put in over the past 15 months, OAC offices are closed this year on July 2, 2021, in addition to July 1, 2021.

Applying for an arts grant can be confusing or overwhelming. This spring, the Ontario Arts Council (OAC) is offering a series of webinars for Ontario-based artists and arts groups to learn the basics of applying for OAC funding.

A temporary program for artists and presenters working together on projects

OAC is producing several informational videos for potential applicants to the new Arts Response Initiative. The videos feature OAC staff in a Q&A format. They use various scenarios to address the three program categories for Individuals, Groups and Collectives and Organizational Partnerships.

OAC is producing several informational videos for potential applicants to the new Arts Response Initiative. The videos feature OAC staff in a Q&A format. They use various scenarios to address the three program categories for Individuals, Groups and Collectives and Organizational Partnerships.

Given the ongoing evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic and changing public health guidelines for travel and public gatherings, OAC will be revising the Touring Projects program so that it can better serve the Ontario arts sector.

The Ontario Arts Council's (OAC) new $1.6 million Arts Response Initiative (ARI) will help Ontario artists and arts organizations respond to challenges posed by the pandemic.

In April 2020, the Ontario Arts Council (OAC) undertook a survey to gather some high-level indicators of the early impact of COVID-19 on OAC-funded organizations. 

Last updated July 17, 2020 – FAQs to help you navigate our information. Updates will be posted when new information is available. Up-to-date information will also be located on relevant program web pages and in Nova, OAC’s online granting system. Some updates will also be shared on social media.

Last updated July 17, 2020 – FAQs to help you navigate our information. Updates will be posted when new information is available. Up-to-date information will also be located on relevant program web pages and in Nova, OAC’s online granting system. Some updates will also be shared on social media.

OAC has temporarily suspended the intake of applications to the Market Development Travel Assistance program because of COVID-19 related travel advisories. The program will be closed until further notice while we monitor the situation and consider new approaches to supporting market development activity in response to the impacts of COVID-19. Continue to visit OAC’s website for the latest updates on deadline dates and funding opportunities.

In response to current federal and provincial government restrictions, OAC has decided to not award new grants for activities involving travel or in-person gatherings taking place before June 30, 2020. This policy applies to all project programs that support touring, performance events, rehearsals, workshops, conferences, etc. Recent applicants who have proposed such activities scheduled to take place before June 30 will be invited to provide revised project plans. While we don’t yet know how long restrictions will continue to be in place, OAC will monitor provincial and federal advisories and may extend this date if required.

OAC has extended all April and May project program deadlines by two weeks so that artists and arts professionals whose lives and work are impacted by COVID-19 will have extra time to develop their applications. Whether the projects are creation, presenting or producing, we understand that they may need to be reconceptualized or adapted in light of COVID-19 effects. Please check the Grant Program Deadlines and Important Dates 2020 page for updated deadlines and reach out to the program staff if you need assistance. 

OAC’s Research section is gathering information collected through surveys being conducted by Arts Service Organizations (ASOs) and others to track the effects of COVID-19.

This week, OAC will undertake a mini-survey of OAC-funded organizations across all sectors to get a sense of the high-level impact figures. This will complement the more detailed work being done by the various ASOs whose surveys are naturally more specific to individual sectors. OAC will look at doing a more comprehensive analysis later in the year once we have a fuller picture of the impacts.

OAC is acutely aware of the extensive disruption that COVID-19 is causing across the arts sector. As a result, the priorities, plans and budgets of many of our operating funded organizations must shift in response. OAC has therefore suspended all upcoming operating program deadlines and assessments while we prioritize processing payments to operating grant recipients as soon as we are able. We recognize the urgent need for organizations to access their operating funds under current circumstances and we are working to address that.

OAC is offering as much flexibility as possible to grant applicants and recipients. We understand that grant recipients may need to pause, change or cancel their activities as well as adjust targets and dates. Once you are able to turn your attention to your project, OAC officers will work with you to advise on what is possible in the coming weeks and months. As impacts are better understood and your new plans come together, contact us to review changes to your project plans and budgets.

We would like to reassure artists and arts organizations that OAC will be flexible and will work with grant recipients facing unanticipated expenses and changes related to COVID-19. We will not ask for repayment of grants for which related expenses have been incurred and will keep disbursing grant payments even in cases of altered events and plans. Our priority is to support Ontario art organizations, artists and arts professionals to get through this pandemic situation in strength and solidarity.

Preparing an application? In the current context, we understand that application deadlines and requirements may be difficult to meet. Remaining March project program deadlines (Multi and Inter-Arts Projects, Literary Organizations Projects, Music Production and Presentation Projects) have been extended by two weeks, and extension requests will be considered for April deadlines. Certain mandatory application items (letters of confirmation, cost projections, etc.) may also be difficult to obtain. We will work with applicants to ensure these limitations are not barriers to applying. Contact program staff for support.

For everyone’s safety and to help “flatten the curve” of the COVID-19 pandemic, OAC’s offices are closed. OAC staff members are working from home and are committed to serving the arts sector through these exceptional circumstances, including continued delivery of our granting programs, grant payments and answers to your questions. Please bear with us, however, as there may be delays in response and grant processing times while we adjust to new ways of working and the limited availability of our staff.