Touring Artist Fund

The Touring Artist Fund is a dynamic financial resource dedicated to supporting professional Yukon artists and performers seeking opportunities to tour outside the Yukon. With an annual budget of $100,000, this fund plays a pivotal role in helping artists broaden their audience reach and showcase their creative talents across a wider geographical area.

The Touring Artist Fund (TAF) is an invaluable initiative that empowers Yukon artists, ensembles, and artistic companies by providing financial assistance to support touring activities beyond the Yukon borders. Open to a wide range of artistic expressions, including theatre, dance, music, visual arts, film, and storytelling, the TAF is a testament to Yukon’s commitment to nurturing and promoting its vibrant artistic community. The key intent of this fund is to enrich the cultural landscape by supporting artists in their pursuit of reaching new audiences, gaining exposure, and establishing meaningful connections with cultural communities outside their home territory.

Eligible applicants for the TAF include individual Yukon artists, collaborative ensembles with a proven track record of performing together, and established artistic companies that have showcased their creative prowess. To be considered, these artists must have established residency in the Yukon for at least one continuous year prior to application, ensuring the fund's focus remains aligned with its goal of supporting local talent. This residency criterion underscores the fund’s role in grounding the success of local artists while promoting Yukon’s cultural heritage on larger platforms.

The fund has adapted its criteria to meet evolving needs, allowing for intraterritorial touring since June 15, 2020. This adaptation ensures that the fund remains inclusive and responsive to the dynamic landscape of artistic development, especially considering logistical challenges and unprecedented circumstances artists may face. However, it places a priority on projects that push the territorial boundaries and facilitate cultural exchange with audiences outside Yukon, enriching both the artist's career trajectory and the regional arts scene.

TAF encourages applicants to have a solidified invitation from reputable venues, a testament to their artistic merit and professional standing. Such invitations should result from rigorous selection processes like jury selections or artistic committees, which further underscore the artist's credibility and the caliber of the art being presented. The fund stipulates that successful applicants should plan tours consisting of multiple events that engage the public, thus amplifying the impact and outreach of their artistic endeavors.

With deadlines quarterly every year on March 15, June 15, September 15, and December 15, the TAF provides timely opportunities for artists to weave tours into their annual calendars, enabling continuous artistic engagement and contribution. The fund is not limited to direct travel costs but extends to cover a gamut of essential touring expenses. These expenses can include travel, accommodations, per diems, fees for collaborating artists (excluding the applicant), insurance, visas, cargo and equipment rentals, promotion and marketing, as well as preparation costs such as framing or rehearsing, ensuring comprehensive support for artists to deliver a viable and artistically enriching tour.

The application process is detailed and involves careful adherence to stipulated procedures, recommending applicants engage with an arts advisor to refine their proposals before submission. This proactive step enhances the quality and viability of applications, ensuring that artists present strong projects likely to receive support. The Yukon Arts Advisory Council serves as the evaluative body that reviews these applications to offer recommendations to the Minister of Tourism and Culture, cementing the process with transparency and accountability. Recipients partake not only in financial gains but also in the recognition and endorsement by such a respected body, which can be pivotal to furthering their careers.

In conclusion, the Touring Artist Fund emerges as a key player in elevating Yukon's artistic narratives beyond local confines, fostering cultural ambassadorship and artistic excellence. As past recipients can attest, the fund embodies a supportive bridge between artistic ambition and practical realization, allowing artists to navigate new frontiers and redefine possibilities through their creativity and engagement with broader audiences. This vital fund reflects a commitment to cultural growth and the empowerment of artists to embrace opportunities that expand their craft and influence.