OAC — Artists in Communities and Schools Projects

• The applicant must be based in Ontario (e.g., an Ontario-based not-for-profit arts or non-arts organization, or an ad hoc group/collective with at least 50% of members residing in Ontario).
• The project must be a community-engaged arts project in Ontario, involving professional Ontario artists and community members working together to design, develop and realize a collective creative experience.
• Non-arts organizations, schools run by First Nations or Indigenous education authorities, and school boards must have a confirmed arts partner (e.g., a professional artist, arts collective/ad hoc arts group, or arts organization).
• If applying as a school board, it must not be partnered in OAC’s Artists in Residence (Education) program, and the request is limited to artist fees and travel expenses.
• For the Two-year project category, the applicant must be a community-engaged arts collective or organization that has received two or more OAC project grants through community-engaged arts or arts education grant programs within the last five years, and the activities must take place over two years.

Who is eligible?

• Professional artists (Ontario residents)
• Ad hoc groups and collectives
• Ontario-based not-for-profit arts organizations
• Ontario-based not-for-profit non-arts organizations
• School boards and schools (including schools run by First Nations or Indigenous education authorities)

Who is not eligible

• Municipalities.
• Colleges and universities.
• Amateur arts organizations (e.g., community theatre companies).
• Artists who are employed by a school involved (full- or part-time) during the course of the project.
• School boards partnered with the Ontario Arts Council in the Artists in Residence (Education) program.

Eligible expenses

• Professional artists’ fees.
• Support specialist fees (e.g., translators, Elders, therapists).
• Honoraria for project participants.
• Snacks and beverages for participants.
• Travel expenses.
• Venue or studio rental.
• Purchase of small-scale equipment, software, electronics and similar materials required to carry out the project.
• Materials costs.
• Administrative costs associated with the applicant artist or arts ad hoc group, collective or organization.
• Marketing, outreach and promotion expenses.
• Childcare and other dependant care fees enabling individuals to take part in the project (not regular, ongoing expenses).
• Accessibility expenses to support audience members and project participants (other than the applicant) who are Deaf or have a disability.
• Mentorship costs (up to $3,000 in additional funds in any category, to cover costs involved in mentoring professional artists from OAC priority groups).

Eligible geographic areas

• Ontario

• The application form is available in Nova about two months before each deadline.
• Grant decisions are communicated about four and a half months after each deadline.
• The funded activity cannot finish before you receive your grant results, and must be completed no more than two years after you receive the grant results.
• If the project has a public launch, it must not be scheduled to open to the public before you receive your grant results.