Closed
Source verified August 3, 2026
TAO — Newcomer and Refugee Artist Mentorship
Mentorship support for newcomer and refugee artists in Toronto
Funding available
$ 15,000
Deadline
Closed
Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Who can apply
Individual newcomer and refugee professional artists working in any artistic tradition.
See full eligibility
Overview
The Newcomer and Refugee Artist Mentorship supports newcomer and refugee professional artists in the City of Toronto to develop their artistic practice and sustain their livelihood through mentorship. It funds mentorships in any artistic discipline and pays $7,500 to the artist and $7,500 to the mentor.
Find open grants for your business
Explore open funding programs that match your business and project.
At a glance
Funding available
Financing goals
- Increase social or community impact
- Develop strategic partnerships
- Develop workforce skills
Eligible Funding
- Maximum amount : 15,000 $
Funds Providers
Eligible candidates
Eligible Industries
- All industries
Location
- Toronto
- Ontario
Legal structures
- All legal structures
Annual revenue
- All revenue ranges
Organisation size
- All organization sizes
Audience
- Newcomers to Canada
Next Steps
1
Determine your project
2
Validate your eligibility
Activities funded
- Mentorships for individual newcomer and refugee professional artists in their chosen arts discipline.
- Activities that help artists develop their artistic practice and establish connections in the Toronto arts community.
Documents Needed
- Mentorship Details
- Resumes/CVs for both the applicant and co-applicant
- Support Material
Official resources
Eligibility
Who is eligible?
- Individual newcomer and refugee professional artists working in any artistic tradition.
- Individual professional arts workers, including arts managers, curators and producers, working in any artistic tradition, as mentors.
- Applicants must be residents of the City of Toronto.
Who is not eligible
- Past recipients of this grant program cannot apply as a mentee.
- Professional artists pursuing undergraduate or graduate studies may not apply for work related to their program of study.
- Mentors may only be listed as a co-applicant on one Newcomer and Refugee Artist Mentorship grant per year.
Eligible expenses
- Accessibility costs for artists incurred during the project, including ASL interpretation, audio description, closed captioning, communications assistants, attendant care, support workers and equipment rentals or other supports required to meet artists’ accessibility needs.
Eligible geographic areas
- City of Toronto
Selection criteria
- Artistic merit and quality of the application.
- Potential for the mentorship to support the applicant’s integration into the Toronto arts community.
- Meaningfulness of the mentorship experience for the applicant.
- Mentor's experience and qualifications relevant to the mentorship.
- Realism and feasibility of the mentorship workplan.
How to apply
- Contact Liza Mattimore, Programs Manager, Strategic Initiatives, before submitting an application if you need help finding a mentor or accessing translation services.
- Both the applicant and the mentor must register as Individual Applicants in TAC Grants Online, and neither may use an email address already in use as an organization or collective contact.
- Submit the application in TAC Grants Online no later than 11:59 pm on the deadline date; TAC does not accept applications by any other means of delivery.
Additional information
- Mentor matching and translation support is provided in partnership with Toronto Arts Foundation’s Neighbourhood Arts Network.
Contacts
Frequently Asked Questions about the TAO — Newcomer and Refugee Artist Mentorship Program
What is the TAO — Newcomer and Refugee Artist Mentorship?
The Newcomer and Refugee Artist Mentorship supports newcomer and refugee professional artists in the City of Toronto to develop their artistic practice and sustain their livelihood through mentorship. It funds mentorships in any artistic discipline and pays $7,500 to the artist and $7,500 to the mentor.
How much funding can be received?
TAO — Newcomer and Refugee Artist Mentorship Funds up to $15,000 of admissible expenses.
Who is eligible for the TAO — Newcomer and Refugee Artist Mentorship program?
To be eligible for the TAO — Newcomer and Refugee Artist Mentorship program, you must:
The applicant must be a professional artist working in any artistic tradition.
The applicant must live in the City of Toronto and have arrived in Canada after January 1, 2019.
The applicant must have a valid work permit and a SIN, and be legally allowed to work in Canada for the duration of the mentorship.
What expenses are eligible under TAO — Newcomer and Refugee Artist Mentorship?
Mentorships for individual newcomer and refugee professional artists in their chosen arts discipline.
Activities that help artists develop their artistic practice and establish connections in the Toronto arts community.
Who can I contact for more information about the TAO — Newcomer and Refugee Artist Mentorship?
You can contact Toronto Arts Council (TAO) by email at liza@torontoartscouncil.org or by phone at 416-392-6802 x 231.
Where is the TAO — Newcomer and Refugee Artist Mentorship available?
The TAO — Newcomer and Refugee Artist Mentorship program is available the province of Ontario.
Is the TAO — Newcomer and Refugee Artist Mentorship a grant, loan, or tax credit?
TAO — Newcomer and Refugee Artist Mentorship is a Grant and Funding