OAC — Media Artists Creation Projects

• Maximum grant amount of $10,000 for Emerging artists per project.
• Maximum grant amount of $40,000 for Mid-Career & Established artists per project.
• Total project budgets must not exceed $125,000 for Emerging applications and $300,000 for Mid-Career & Established applications.
• Applicants may apply for up to 100% of project costs.

• The applicant must be an individual professional media artist or director residing in Ontario.
• The applicant must have completed the required number of independent media works based on their career stage (at least one for Emerging, at least two for Mid-Career or Established).
• The applicant must hold copyright over the proposed work and retain full creative and editorial control.
• The applicant must be creating an independent, artist-controlled media work in film, video, audio, digital, new media, video and electronic games, or virtual reality.
• The applicant's project must be in the production or post-production phase and not intended for commercial media production.

Who is eligible?

• Individual professional Ontario-based media artists/directors working in film, video, audio, digital, new media, video and electronic games, and virtual reality as independent artist-controlled art forms

Who is not eligible

• Companies engaged in commercial media production, including commercial film, television, and game industries.
• Businesses producing promotional content, commercials, or public service announcements.
• Organizations producing educational or instructional media projects.
• Private companies, government agencies, or not-for-profits commissioning or contracting projects.
• Producers or producer-driven companies.

Eligible expenses

• Artist and project personnel fees.
• Travel expenses related to project activities.
• Insurance costs specific to the project.
• Promotional materials for the project.
• Prototyping expenses.
• Rights for visuals, sound, and music used in the project.
• Facility and equipment rentals necessary for production and post-production.
• Purchase of small-scale equipment, software, electronics, and similar materials required for the project.
• Childcare and dependant care fees required to enable participation in the project (excluding regular, ongoing expenses).

Eligible geographic areas

• Ontario

• Innovation in content, point of view, form, style, technique, or process.
• The project’s potential to further the applicant’s development as an artist.
• Alignment with the program’s goal to support artist-driven, non-commercial media projects.
• Consideration of gender parity and OAC’s priority groups during assessment.

• Step 1: Review Program Guides and EligibilityRead the Guide to OAC Project Programs to understand basic eligibility requirements and restrictions.
• Review the Guide to OAC Assessment and the Evaluation Rubric for information on how applications are rated.
• Consult the Guide to OAC Support Material and other relevant guides for detailed requirements.
• Step 2: Create or Update Profile in NovaRegister in Nova, the Ontario Arts Council’s online grant application system.
• Update your profile information in Nova to ensure it is current and accurate.
• Step 3: Prepare Application MaterialsGather details about your project.
• Respond to all application questions as outlined in Nova.
• Prepare a project budget and a detailed budget.
• Compile audiovisual artistic examples (Emerging: one example; Mid-Career & Established: two examples) as required.
• Organize support documents, such as résumé/bio, script, storyboards, design documents, visual and sound treatment, and relevant letters of agreement.
• If you are a graduate student, obtain a letter from your department head stating the project is not part of your academic program.
• Step 4: Complete Online Application in NovaFill out the online application form in Nova.
• Attach all required artistic examples and support documents.
• Step 5: Review and Submit ApplicationCarefully review your application for completeness and accuracy.
• Submit the application in Nova approximately two months before the selected deadline (April 1 or October 8, 1 p.m. ET).
• Step 6: Confirmation of ApplicationAwait notification of results, which will be provided approximately four and a half months after the application deadline.

• Applicants may apply for up to 100% of project costs but are encouraged to seek additional revenue sources.
• Separate assessment panels evaluate Documentary/Narrative and all other categories; choose your category carefully.
• Eligible support materials include non-commercial commissioned work, television episodes, and web series.
• Collaborators named in one application cannot participate in another application for this program at the same deadline.