Explore and Create — Concept to Realization

• Project grants are generally available up to $60,000, with exceptional cases allowing up to $100,000 for projects with elevated costs.
• Composite grants are generally capped at $60,000 per year, exceptionally up to $100,000 per year, to a maximum of $300,000 over 3 years.
• Equipment purchases required specifically for the activity are eligible up to $1,000 per item, with the total combined equipment cost limited to 10% of the grant awarded.

• The applicant must be a Canadian artist, artistic group or collective, arts organization, or visual arts publisher.
• The applicant must have a validated profile in the Canada Council portal.
• The project must lead to a public presentation, confirmed exhibition, media or digital arts production ready for dissemination, or the creation of artist books for visual arts publishers or visual artists.
• For composite grant applications, the applicant must have received at least one composite or two project grants from the Canada Council in the last five years (excluding specified components).
• Organizations currently receiving core (operating) grants from the Canada Council are not eligible to apply.

Who is eligible?

• Artists
• Artistic groups and collectives
• Arts organizations
• Visual arts publishers

Who is not eligible

• Organizations currently receiving core (operating) grants from the Canada Council.
• Applicants with a New/Early Career Artist profile (for composite grants).
• Groups or individuals applying for activities that have already received funding from another Canada Council program.
• Companies or applicants seeking support for literary writing, self-publishing, or author-subsidized publishing projects.

Eligible expenses

• Professional fees or compensation for work related to the project (for you and people you hire).
• Child or dependent care costs required to complete project activities (excluding regular ongoing expenses).
• Equipment purchases required specifically for the activity, up to $1,000 per item and a total combined cost of up to 10% of the grant awarded (excluding equipment related to a building).

Eligible geographic areas

• Canada

• Artistic Merit (50%): Assessed on the artistic quality of the work, the artistic rationale for the project, and the potential artistic outcomes. Minimum score required: 35 out of 50.
• Impact (30%): Evaluates the potential of the project to contribute to artistic development, advance artistic practice, and build public interest or knowledge. Minimum score required: 15 out of 30.
• Feasibility (20%): Based on the applicant’s capacity and experience to carry out the project, reasonableness of the budget, use of resources, inclusion of other revenue sources, and adequacy of working conditions. Minimum score required: 10 out of 20.

• You can only apply to this funding component once per calendar year (January 1 to December 31).
• Registration in the application portal must be completed at least 30 days before applying.
• Successful applicants are required to submit a final report within 3 months of completing their project; composite grant recipients must also submit annual updates.
• Support material submitted should be limited to what is relevant for evaluation, with reviewers usually considering up to 10 minutes per item.