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OAC — Indigenous Visual Artists Materials
Funding for Indigenous visual artists' materials and supplies
Last Update: March 16, 2026
Funding available
$ 500 - $ 1,000
Timeline
- Open Date : September 1, 2025
- Closing date : January 30, 2026
Location
Ontario, Canada
Overview
The OAC Indigenous Visual Artists Materials program provides grants of up to $1,000 to support Ontario-based First Nations, Inuit, and Métis artists in purchasing art materials and supplies for visual arts, crafts, or traditional Indigenous art forms. Eligible activities include the creation of artwork and facilitating workshops, covering costs such as materials, small tools, and travel for gathering supplies.
/100
Opportunity Score
Moderate potential, but conditions must align.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Increase social or community impact
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 1,000 $
- Minimum amount : 500 $
Timeline
- Open Date : September 1, 2025
- Closing date : January 30, 2026
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- Arts, entertainment and recreation
Location
- Ontario
Legal structures
- All legal structures
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- Indigenous Peoples
Next Steps
1
Determine your project
2
Validate your eligibility
Activities funded
- Creation of visual artworks in traditional or contemporary Indigenous art forms.
- Facilitation of workshops focused on Indigenous visual arts or craft practices.
- Multi-disciplinary art projects involving eligible Indigenous art forms.
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- Individual First Nations artists working in visual arts, crafts, or traditional/customary Indigenous art forms
- Individual Inuit artists working in visual arts, crafts, or traditional/customary Indigenous art forms
- Individual Métis artists working in visual arts, crafts, or traditional/customary Indigenous art forms
- Indigenous Culture Carriers (such as Elders, knowledge keepers, traditional educators, or language holders) recognized for contributing to Indigenous cultural practice
Who is not eligible
- Non-Indigenous organizations and companies.
- Ad hoc groups and collectives.
- Any organizations or businesses, as the program is intended for individual Indigenous artists and culture carriers only.
Eligible expenses
- Purchase of art materials and supplies (e.g., wood, fabric, thread, stone, leather hides, sinew, beads, needles, photographic printing, inks, metals, paint, canvas, paper, pencils).
- Acquisition of small tools required for making artwork or for harvesting/gathering materials (e.g., blades, carving tools, awls, scissors).
- Materials or tools necessary for running or participating in workshops.
- Transportation or shipping costs related to materials and supplies.
- Individual travel expenses for gathering materials, such as collecting beading/sewing supplies or natural materials.
Eligible geographic areas
- Ontario
Additional information
- Applicants may only receive one grant from this program per program year but can apply to multiple recommenders.
- If awarded a grant greater than $500, recipients will receive a T4A slip from OAC.
- Awarded grants count towards the three-grant limit for the 2025 program year.
- Applicants must not submit more than one application per recommender per program year.
Frequently Asked Questions about the OAC — Indigenous Visual Artists Materials Program
Here are answers to the most common questions about the OAC — Indigenous Visual Artists Materials. This section explains what the program is, how much funding is available, eligibility requirements, application deadlines, and other important details to help you determine if this grant is right for your business.
What is the OAC — Indigenous Visual Artists Materials?
The OAC Indigenous Visual Artists Materials program provides grants of up to $1,000 to support Ontario-based First Nations, Inuit, and Métis artists in purchasing art materials and supplies for visual arts, crafts, or traditional Indigenous art forms. Eligible activities include the creation of artwork and facilitating workshops, covering costs such as materials, small tools, and travel for gathering supplies.
How much funding can be received?
OAC — Indigenous Visual Artists Materials Funds up to $1,000 of admissible expenses.
What is the deadline to apply?
The application deadline for this grant program was January 30, 2026.
Who is eligible for the OAC — Indigenous Visual Artists Materials program?
To be eligible for the OAC — Indigenous Visual Artists Materials program, you must:
Organizations are not eligible; the program is only open to individual Indigenous artists and Culture Carriers.
What expenses are eligible under OAC — Indigenous Visual Artists Materials?
Creation of visual artworks in traditional or contemporary Indigenous art forms.
Facilitation of workshops focused on Indigenous visual arts or craft practices.
Multi-disciplinary art projects involving eligible Indigenous art forms.
Who can I contact for more information about the OAC — Indigenous Visual Artists Materials?
You can contact Ontario Arts Council (OAC).
Where is the OAC — Indigenous Visual Artists Materials available?
The OAC — Indigenous Visual Artists Materials program is available the province of Ontario.