Art programs are essential to the cultural fabric of the community of Ottawa and the surrounding area. There are several funding opportunities for events and programs due to the ongoing value placed on arts programming in the Ottawa area. Applying for grants for artistic projects can be very beneficial. Grant applications ask to see several applications for funding, illustrating a passionate drive to achieve the goals of the program. The application process requires a thoroughly detailed program plan which can be used elsewhere if the grant application is not successful. If the application is successful, there are numerous benefits to partnering with government agencies and earning professional designation from these application processes.
The City of Ottawa
The city of Ottawa provides numerous opportunities for emerging and professional artists in the area. Arts funding supports the production, creation, exhibition, presentation and dissemination of media, performing, literary and visual arts. The Creation and Production Fund allocates financial means to professional artists working in any discipline, hoping to create new artistic works. The Diversity in the Arts Fund supports the production and presentation of works by artists who are seeking equity in the community. The Youth Culture Pilot Program enables the professional development of emerging artists and cultural workers under age thirty. At the same time, the Heritage Funding Program supports local heritage organizations and professionals who are working to conserve and preserve local history through the use of research, education and documentation. Other funding opportunities include the Cultural Funding and Capacity Building Programs. The city of Ottawa assists organizations to become sustainable in today’s economy. Interested in viewing the previous professionals, events and programs that received funding through these programs? Visit the website for the city of Ottawa and view all cultural funding summary reports to get a full understanding of the way that the city allocated these types of funds.
Ottawa Arts Council
The Ottawa Arts Council connects individuals with both internal funding opportunities within the city of Ottawa and external, Ontario based and Canada wide funding programs. The Ottawa Arts Council provides links to funding opportunities and grant programs through the Ontario Trillium Foundation, the Canada Council for the Arts, Canadian Heritage, International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies, Telus Community Boards, The Actors’ Fund of Canada and the Ontario Media Development Corporation. The site also offers links to specific calls to artists, creative residencies and exhibition opportunities. Many of these funding opportunities will support large, long term programs as well as artistic creation.
Ontario Arts Council
The Ontario Arts Council website platform functions differently from the Ottawa Arts Council and The City of Ottawa websites, which provide links to other programs and opportunities. The platform for the Ontario Arts Council guides the user through eligibility before making any funding suggestions. After the site has established eligibility, it will prepare a list of suitable grant programs. The shortlist of grant programs and funding opportunities will detail the type of programs this grant will fund, as well as the application dates for that specific grant. After choosing a grant, the site will guide the user through the application process, specifying the requested supporting documentation along the way. The Ontario Arts Council funds artists working in the community, arts service projects, fellowships, craft projects, multimedia projects, accessible programs, and many other diverse styles of programming and artistic creation.