Closed
Source verified July 8, 2026
Indigenous Arts Projects
Supports Indigenous arts projects in Ontario
Funding available
$ 25,000
Deadline
October 15, 2025
Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Overview
Ontario Arts Council Indigenous Arts Projects supports Indigenous individuals, ad hoc groups and collectives, and Indigenous organizations creating artistic work. It supports research and development, artistic research and experimentation, workshops and residencies, presentations and exhibitions, publications and festivals, and connections and partnerships that strengthen the Indigenous arts community.
/100
Opportunity Score
Moderate potential, but conditions must align.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Increase social or community impact
- Develop strategic partnerships
- Develop workforce skills
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 25,000 $
Funds Providers
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- All industries
Location
- Toronto
- Ontario
Legal structures
- Non-profit
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- Indigenous Peoples
Non-profit candidates
Sector of operation
- Culture and Arts
Target groups
- Indigenous peoples
Revenue structures
- All structures
Scope
- Provincial
Next Steps
1
Determine your project
2
Validate your eligibility
Activities funded
- Research and development that leads to the creation of new work.
- Artistic research, exploration and experimentation, including workshops and residencies.
- Presentations, exhibitions, publications and festivals whose primary purpose is to promote and distribute work by Indigenous artists.
- Connections and partnerships, including conferences, workshops, gatherings, delegations and exchanges, to strengthen the Indigenous arts community.
Documents Needed
- Artistic statement
- Project description
- Budget information
- Support material
Official resources
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- Indigenous individuals.
- Indigenous ad hoc groups and collectives.
- Indigenous organizations.
Who is not eligible
- Professional artists pursuing undergraduate or graduate studies for work related to their academic program of study.
- Organizations and collectives that receive Operating funding from TAC.
- Schools that are part of Ontario’s public or private education system.
- Educational and religious institutions, unless there is a clear separation in both programming and budget between regular activities and arts activities.
- Non-Indigenous artists, organizations, and collectives.
Eligible expenses
- Mentor, Elder, or Knowledge Keeper honoraria.
- Networking or professional development event costs, visiting sites of significance, and rental of space or software to conduct interviews or access support materials.
- Fees paid to collaborators, mentors, and creative resources, plus studio costs, materials, and production elements essential to creation.
- Artistic, presentation, exhibition, and administrative fees and costs, including installation, rehearsal, venue, production, publicity, marketing, and outreach.
- Artistic, production, and administrative fees and costs, including venue, publicity, marketing, and outreach.
Ineligible Costs and Activities
- Projects that have been completed prior to the announcement of results.
- Costs related to equipment purchase, capital projects, fundraising activities, deficit reduction, publishing and archiving projects, awards and award ceremonies, and projects conceived for competitive purposes.
- Activities taking place outside of the City of Toronto, except Indigenous led projects based in Toronto that provide programming outside Toronto with direct benefit for Indigenous artists and Indigenous communities in Toronto.
- Ongoing operating costs such as permanent staff salaries, general administration, and ongoing activities of an organization or collective.
Eligible geographic areas
- City of Toronto
Selection criteria
- Artistic merit of the project.
- Contribution of the project to the development of the applicant.
- Financial viability of the project and the ability of the applicant and participants to carry out the project.
- For Exhibition, Presentation, Dissemination, and Indigenous Arts Sector Development categories: Contribution of the project to the development of Indigenous arts in Toronto.
- For the above categories: Public impact, including the quality and effectiveness of publicity, marketing, outreach, and/or audience development strategies.
How to apply
- Applicants register and submit the application on TAC Grants Online.
- Applications can be submitted on an ongoing basis, any time before 11:59 pm on October 15, 2026.
- TAC does not accept applications by any other means of delivery.
- Applicants receive a confirmation email when the application is submitted.
Processing and Agreement
- Grant recipients may be able to apply for an Accessibility Grant at any time during their project, as a separate application in 2026.
- Applicants who are Deaf or have a disability can request application support funding through their Grant Program Manager, and the request requires approval.
- Applications are submitted through TAC Grants Online and a confirmation email is sent after submission.
Additional information
- Applicants may apply to only one category.
- All individuals working on an application for an organization, including ad hoc groups and collectives, must create a personal profile in Nova and link it to the organization’s profile.
Contacts
Frequently Asked Questions about the Indigenous Arts Projects Program
What is the Indigenous Arts Projects?
Ontario Arts Council Indigenous Arts Projects supports Indigenous individuals, ad hoc groups and collectives, and Indigenous organizations creating artistic work. It supports research and development, artistic research and experimentation, workshops and residencies, presentations and exhibitions, publications and festivals, and connections and partnerships that strengthen the Indigenous arts community.
How much funding can be received?
Indigenous Arts Projects Funds up to $25,000 of admissible expenses.
Who is eligible for the Indigenous Arts Projects program?
To be eligible for the Indigenous Arts Projects program, you must:
Indigenous individuals, Indigenous ad hoc groups and collectives, and Indigenous organizations are eligible.
Indigenous ad hoc groups and collectives must have at least 50 per cent Indigenous members.
Indigenous arts organizations must have an Indigenous artistic/programming lead listed as Head of Artistic / Programming in Nova.
What expenses are eligible under Indigenous Arts Projects?
Research and development that leads to the creation of new work.
Artistic research, exploration and experimentation, including workshops and residencies.
Presentations, exhibitions, publications and festivals whose primary purpose is to promote and distribute work by Indigenous artists.
Connections and partnerships, including conferences, workshops, gatherings, delegations and exchanges, to strengthen the Indigenous arts community.
Who can I contact for more information about the Indigenous Arts Projects?
You can contact Toronto Arts Council (TAO) by email at mlucas@arts.on.ca or by phone at 437-538-3626.
Where is the Indigenous Arts Projects available?
The Indigenous Arts Projects program is available the province of Ontario.
Is the Indigenous Arts Projects a grant, loan, or tax credit?
Indigenous Arts Projects is a Grant and Funding