OAC — Music – French-language projects

• Maximum funding amounts per project category: Creation – up to $5,000; Demo or EP Production – up to $5,000; Full Album Production – up to $10,000; Show Development – up to $8,000; Music Video Production – up to $8,000.
• Projects can include eligible expenses such as creation, recording, production, post-production, marketing, and accessibility-related costs, within the respective category budget limits.
• Applicants are required to submit a final report; if the budget shows a surplus of more than $250, the excess must be reimbursed.

• The applicant must be a professional music artist residing in Ontario, or an ad hoc group, collective, or not-for-profit music organization comprised of professional music artists with at least 50% residing in Ontario.
• The applicant (or a member, in the case of a group or organization) must be either the songwriter, lyricist, or composer of the songs included in the application, and must specify francophone collaborators if applicable.
• The project submitted must have at least 50% of its content in French and no more than 30% in English, unless the works are entirely instrumental.
• The applicant must be the initiator or one of the initiators of the majority of the artistic content of the project.

Who is eligible?

• Professional music artists residing in Ontario
• Ad hoc groups or collectives composed of professional music artists (at least 50% residing in Ontario)
• Non-profit music organizations composed of professional music artists (at least 50% residing in Ontario)

Who is not eligible

• Colleges, universities, and municipalities.
• Organizations receiving operating grants under specified Francophone arts programs from the Ontario Arts Council.
• Organizations with general operating grants that do not specifically serve one or more Ontario Arts Council priority groups.
• Companies or organizations applying on behalf of record labels, managers, agents, or lawyers.

Eligible expenses

• Research, development, and creation fees for new musical works or songs (music composition and/or lyric writing).
• Fees paid to essential professional artists involved in creation, production, or performance.
• Production expenses essential for developing the artistic work.
• Recording fees, including those for producers when creation involves sampling or manipulating recorded material.
• Recording, artistic, production, and post-production expenses (including directing, mixing, editing, mastering, packaging, manufacturing up to 1,000 initial copies).
• Promotion and marketing expenses, including launch and distribution costs.
• Artistic and rehearsal fees, and technical design costs related to new show development.
• Video clip production costs (direction, cinematography, sound and video editing, artist fees, props, costumes, mixing, etc.).
• Rental of instruments and equipment.
• Childcare or other dependent care expenses needed for participation in the project (distinct from regular, ongoing care costs).
• Accessibility expenses to make the project accessible to Deaf or disabled audiences or participants (excluding the applicant).

Eligible geographic areas

• Ontario

• Artistic merit of the project.
• Impact of the project, especially regarding the vitality of the Francophone arts sector in Ontario.
• Strength and relevance of project collaborators, with priority given to Francophone collaborators residing in Ontario. Applicants must provide strong justification if collaborators are not Francophone or Ontario residents.

• Step 1: Review Program GuidelinesConsult the Ontario Arts Council’s (OAC) Project Programs Guide to familiarize yourself with core eligibility and restrictions.
• Read through the program details on the official OAC website, especially just prior to starting your application.
• Step 2: Create or Update Your Nova ProfileAccess Nova, the Ontario Arts Council's online grant application system.
• Create a new user profile or update your existing profile with current information.
• Step 3: Prepare Application MaterialsGather basic project information and prepare responses to all questions in the application form.
• Assemble the project budget.
• Prepare artistic samples: submit two songs or works (audio or video).
• Collect supporting documents, such as biographical notices for applicants and participating artists, song lyrics, and, for the video clip category, the CV of the director.
• Step 4: Complete Online ApplicationAccess the application form in Nova when it becomes available (approximately two months before the deadline).
• Fill in all sections of the online application, ensuring all required documents are attached.
• Step 5: Submit ApplicationSubmit your completed application in Nova before the official deadline (2 October 2025, 1:00 p.m. ET).
• Step 6: Receive Acknowledgment and Await DecisionUpon successful submission in Nova, monitor your account for acknowledgment of receipt.
• Wait for the funding decision, typically communicated about four and a half months after the deadline.
• Step 7: Complete Final Report (If Funded)After project completion, fill out and submit the final report via Nova, including results, final budget, and required documentation on recognition and publicity.

• Applicants must submit their application in French.
• The application portal (Nova) opens approximately two months before the deadline.
• Deadlines, eligibility, and guidelines may change when the program is updated in Nova; check the portal for the latest requirements before applying.
• Applicants must reference the Ontario Arts Council (CAO) and Government of Ontario logos in project materials when acknowledging grant support.