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GUIDELINES AND
APPLICATION FORM
EQUITY OFFICE
Cultivate: Professional Development Grants
Follow these three steps to apply for this grant:
Step 1
Read the Program Guidelines for details about the objectives and description of the
program, who can apply and what you can do with this grant, grant amount, application
assessment process and criteria, etc.
Step 2
Read the Important Information section. If you still have questions about the program or
the application process, contact the person indicated below.
For first-time applicants, we recommend that you contact the Equity Office
to discuss your project and confirm if you are eligible to apply before preparing an
application.
Step 3
Complete all sections of the attached application form. Be sure to use the Checklist (Part
E of the form) to confirm that you have completed all relevant sections of the form and
have included all required support material.
Deadline (one year pilot program offered until 29 February 2016)
Any time before the project start date. Applicants who wish to have the results before their project dates
should apply at least eight weeks in advance.
The Canada Council for the Arts will not accept applications postmarked after the departure date,
incomplete applications or those submitted by fax.
Further Information
Vanessa Novack, Senior Administrative Assistant
Equity Office
Canada Council for the Arts
150 Elgin Street, P.O. Box 1047
Ottawa ON K1P 5V8
Email: vanessa.novack@canadacouncil.ca
1-800-263-5588 (toll-free) or 613-566-4414, ext. 4102
TTY: 1-866-585-5559/ EQG8E 03-15
You can communicate with Canada Council staff via email, text or video messages, web conference, or
Skype in English, French, ASL or LSQ.
Applicants who cannot access the guidelines and application form from the Canada Council website can
contact the Equity Office to request these documents in alternative formats.
www.canadacouncil.ca
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PROGRAM GUIDELINES
Canada Council
Equity Values
The Canada Council for the Arts is committed to equity and inclusion, and
welcomes applications from diverse Aboriginal, cultural, linguistic and
regional communities, and from people who are Deaf and/or have
disabilities.
This program is designated for artists and arts professionals who are Deaf,
have disabilities and/or are living with mental illness.
Mandate and
Role of the
Equity Office
Equity is a principle and process that promotes fair conditions for all persons
to fully participate in society. It recognizes that while all people have the right
to be treated equally, not all experience equal access to resources,
opportunities or benefits. Achieving equality does not necessarily mean
treating individuals or groups in the same way, but may require the use of
specific measures to ensure fairness.
The Equity Office advances the guiding principle of equity throughout the
Canada Council for the Arts to positively impact the Canadian arts sector
and, through it, the general public.
The Equity Office works to increase equitable access to Canada Council
grants and services for professional artists and arts organizations by
collaborating with all divisions of the Canada Council and consulting with
arts communities and other stakeholders to develop policies, programs and
strategies. Each division at the Canada Council is accountable for
implementing equity practices; the Equity Office plays a leadership role in
coordinating the approach and analysis.
The Equity Office’s responsibilities include:
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promoting integration and access for artists who are Deaf and/or have
disabilities to the Council’s processes and programs
maintaining a historic focus on supporting Canadian artists of African,
Asian, Middle Eastern, Latin American or mixed racial heritage, and their
artistic practices
working closely with the Aboriginal Arts Office to integrate the distinct
history, experience and contributions of Aboriginal artists into a wider
equity framework
contributing to policy development for official language minority
communities.
The Equity Office’s role in developing programs is distinct from and
complementary to that of the disciplinary arts sections. Programs delivered
by the Office are:
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intended to address funding gaps within the Canada Council’s regular
programs
defined by specific objectives and expected results
designed to assist the Council in mapping artistic activity within specific
arts communities to increase knowledge of these sectors and inform
policy development
time-limited.
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Program
Objectives
The Canada Council is dedicated to ensuring that artists and arts professionals
who are Deaf, have disabilities and/or are living with mental illness receive
equitable access to its funding programs and greater access to artistic and career
development opportunities within the Canadian arts sector. However, the
Council recognizes that, due to systemic barriers, individuals from these
communities do not always benefit from equal access to funding, professional
development, networking and presentation opportunities.
Through this program, the Canada Council aims to increase the participation of
artists and arts professionals who are Deaf, have disabilities and/or are living
with mental illness within the professional arts milieu, and contribute to the
health and vitality of the Deaf, disability and Mad arts sectors.
The specific objectives of this one-year pilot program are to:
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Program
Description
provide artists and arts professionals who are Deaf, have disabilities and/or
are living with mental illness access to professional development
opportunities
build the skills, artistry and connections of artists and arts professionals from
these communities
encourage peer-to-peer learning, networking and the exchange of knowledge
and expertise within these artistic communities
support the development of Deaf arts, disability arts and Mad arts
practitioners.
The Cultivate: Professional Development Grants program provides support
to individual Canadian artists and arts professionals who are Deaf, have
disabilities and/or are living with mental illness to pursue short-term projects
that build and enhance their creative or professional skills in any artistic
discipline supported by the Canada Council (e.g. dance, inter-arts, media arts,
music, theatre, visual arts and writing and publishing). Projects must provide
clear artistic and/or career development benefits to the applicant.
This flexible grant program allows artists to respond to professional
development opportunities in a timely manner.
For the purposes of this program, professional artists may include: actors,
choreographers, composers, dancers, media artists (film, video, audio, new
media), musicians, playwrights, spoken word artists, storytellers, theatre directors,
visual artists (including fine craft artists) and writers, as well as artists who work
across multiple disciplines and art forms.
Arts professionals may include: agents and managers, arts administrators, critics,
curators, designers, presenters, producers, programmers, publishers/editors,
stage managers, teachers and other individuals engaged in producing, presenting,
promoting or distributing Canadian artistic works.
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Who Can Apply
Note that meeting the eligibility criteria does not guarantee that you will
receive a grant.
Eligible applicants
To apply to the Canada Council for the Arts, you must be a Canadian citizen or
have permanent resident status, as defined by Citizenship and Immigration
Canada. You do not need to be living in Canada when you apply.
To apply to this program, you must self-identify as an artist or arts professional
who is Deaf, has a disability and/or is living with mental illness.
Artists
If you are applying as an artist, you must meet the Canada Council’s definition of
a professional artist, which is an artist who:
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has specialized training in the artistic field (not necessarily in academic
institutions)
is recognized as a professional by his or her peers (artists working in the
same artistic tradition)
is committed to devoting more time to artistic activity, if financially possible
has a history of public presentation or publication.
You must also:
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have completed your basic training
maintained a professional artistic practice for a minimum of one year before
submitting an application (but not necessarily in twelve consecutive months)
meet the discipline-specific criteria below.
DANCE – Dancers must have performed in at least three public performances
for which they were paid a professional artist fee. Choreographers must have
presented at least one work publicly in a professional context, which was
performed by professional dancers.
INTER-ARTS – Creators must have publicly presented at least one inter-arts
work in a professional context.
MEDIA ARTS – Media artists must have completed at least one independent
film, video, new media or audio production that has been presented in a
professional context. Note: independent productions are those where the artist
or director (not producer) is the driving force behind the project and maintains
complete creative and editorial control.
MUSIC – Musicians must have performed in at least three public performances
for which they were paid a professional artist fee. Composers must have
presented at least one work publicly in a professional context, which was
performed by professional musicians.
THEATRE – Theatre directors must have directed at least one professional
theatre production. Playwrights and theatre creators must have written or
created at least one theatrical work that has been either produced or published
professionally. Actors must have performed in at least three public performances
for which they were paid a professional artist fee.
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Who Can Apply
(continued)
VISUAL ARTS – Visual artists must have had at least one public exhibition of
their work in a professional context for which they were paid an artist fee. Note:
a professional context generally refers to a public art gallery, museum or artistrun centre, however, alternative exhibition venues may be considered if the artist
was selected through a curatorial process and fees were paid.
WRITING – Writers must have at least one professionally published fiction or
literary non-fiction book OR a minimum of two texts of creative literary writing
(e.g. short stories, excerpts from a novel), 5 poems or 5,000 words of literary
non-fiction articles published in professional magazines, periodicals or
anthologies. To be considered professional, publishers/publications must use an
editorial selection process and pay royalties or compensate the authors. Note:
self-published works are generally not considered eligible as past publications,
however, self-published writers who are members of the Writer’s Union of
Canada and have been assessed by other professional writers may be considered.
Spoken Word Artists and Storytellers must have performed in at least three
public literary performances for which they were paid a professional artist fee or
be recognized, in writing, by two established spoken word artists or storytellers.
Arts professionals
If you are applying as an arts professional in a non-artist capacity (e.g. agent, arts
administrator, critic, curator, designer, manager, presenter, producer,
programmer, publisher/editor, stage manager, teacher, etc.), you must:
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have completed your basic training or education
have a minimum of one year of professional experience in the arts sector
before applying (but not necessarily in twelve consecutive months)
have completed at least one significant project in the professional arts
be recognized as a professional by peers working in the same field or
specialization.
Restrictions
Undergraduate or high school students enrolled full-time in a school, academy,
training institution, college or university are not eligible to apply.
Graduate students at the masters and doctoral levels are eligible to apply if they
meet the Canada Council’s definition of a professional artist, and the proposed
program of work is not related to their program of study.
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What You Can
Do With This
Grant
Eligible activities
You can use a Professional Development grant to:
 attend a workshop, seminar, conference, master class, creative lab, or other
advanced professional development activity
 participate in an artist residency
 work with a mentor, guru or Elder
 participate in an apprenticeship program
 observe an artistic process
 respond to a one-time invitation to perform, present or exhibit your work at a
festival, conference, literary fair, art fair, etc. for which you will receive a
professional artist fee or equivalent in-kind contribution
 participate in a peer-to-peer learning or networking opportunity
 develop “portfolio” materials that document and promote your work (e.g. demo
recordings, demo reels, video documentation, websites, etc.)
 pursue a self-directed program of professional development activity.
Ineligible activities
You cannot use this grant for:
 creation and production projects
 research towards a new artistic creation
 touring, circulating or presenting works in multiple locations
 basic training or attending a full-time program at a university, school, academy
or other learning institution.
Grant Amount
Amount available
The maximum grant amount that can be awarded is $2,500. If you are successful,
you might not be awarded the full amount requested.
These grants cannot be used to fund activities that were completed before the
date the application was submitted.
Eligible expenses
You can use a Professional Development grant to pay for:
 subsistence (living expenses) for time spent on the professional development
project (maximum of $500/week)
 travel expenses, including economy air, bus or train fare, car rental and gas, and
ground transportation
 combined accommodation and per diems to a maximum contribution of
$200/day for travel days
 course fees for workshops, seminars, master classes, etc.
 conference registration fees
 ticket or admission fees to attend performances, concerts, exhibitions, readings,
screenings, etc. directly related to your professional development goals
(maximum of $250)
 fees for a mentor, guru, or Elder
 cost of producing portfolio materials
 other expenses directly related to your professional development program of
activity.
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Grant Amount
(continued)
Ineligible expenses
You cannot use this grant to pay for:
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Access Support
creation and production costs
capital expenses and equipment purchases
costs normally incurred by arts organizations, such as salaries or performance
fees.
Applicants to this program may apply for additional funds to cover expenses for
disability-related supports and services that they require to carry out the
proposed eligible activities. The Canada Council may contribute toward the
access-related expenses, subject to available funds.
Eligible expenses
Eligible expenses may include but are not limited to the following:
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sign language interpretation
a personal care attendant
a guide
rental of specialized equipment.
Ineligible expenses
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Major capital expenses (e.g. purchase of wheelchair, vehicle, computer,
renovations, etc.)
Services and supports for which an individual is already receiving funding
Services and supports which are not directly tied to the activities supported
by the grant.
If you wish to apply for access support, fill out the Access Support form. Your
request will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by Council staff only. The
information that you provide is confidential and will not be submitted to the
assessment committee. Please contact the Equity Office if you have any
questions about your request.
How Applications
Are Assessed
Assessment process
Applications will be assessed internally by a committee of Canada Council
program officers (in consultation with external experts, when necessary).
All recommendations are final.
Assessment criteria
Decisions will be based on the general merit of your application, compared with
that of all other eligible applications in this national competition, and on the
availability of funds.
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How Applications
Are Assessed
(continued)
The committee will base its review of applications on the assessment criteria
listed below:
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the clarity and merit of your project as it relates to your stated professional
development goals
the potential impact of the project on the advancement of your artistic
practice or career
the potential impact of the project on your peers, the artistic milieu in which
you work and/or the Canadian Deaf arts, disability arts and/or Mad arts
sector
your ability to carry out the project, as demonstrated by your activity plan
and a reasonable budget.
Priorities for funding
After the applications have been assessed as described above, the assessment
committee will list the applications recommended for funding in priority order.
Where there are applications of equal merit and there are limited funds, the
committee will give priority to:
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applicants who identify as Aboriginal (i.e. First Nations, Inuit or Métis) or
culturally diverse (i.e. of African, Asian, Middle Eastern, Latin American or
mixed racial heritage)
first-time applicants to the Canada Council
applicants from or engaged in under-represented artistic practices, regions or
population groups within the context of the competition.
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IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Processing the
Application
Application preparation
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You are responsible for providing all the information and support
documents requested.
The Canada Council will make decisions about your eligibility based on the
information you provide in your application.
Submit only the material requested. Extra material will not be shown to the
peer assessment committee.
It is important to inform the Canada Council of any changes to your contact
information.
Format and layout
You can apply by email or by mail. For paper submissions, all the documents
requested and the application form must be submitted:
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printed on one side only
on separate sheets of white paper (letter format, 8½ x 11 inches)
with a black font size of 11 points or larger
with paper clips (documents cannot be bound, placed under plastic or
stapled).
Avoid unusual formatting as it can make documents hard to read.
Acknowledgement of receipt
The Canada Council for the Arts will send you a notice acknowledging that your
application has been received. It does not confirm that your application is
eligible.
Response time
You will be informed of the result of your application in writing approximately
8 weeks after it has been received. The Canada Council does not release results
by telephone or email.
Personal
Information
The Privacy Act gives individuals the right to access and request correction of
personal information about themselves. The Canada Council will protect
personal information as required by the Privacy Act. The information will be
stored in a series of Canada Council data banks described in Info Source, a
government publication that is available on the Internet. All other information
may be accessible to others under the Access to Information Act.
For this program, the Canada Council for the Arts requests that you indicate
your year of birth on the application form. The personal information that is
provided by you on this application form will not be used to assess your
application and will not be passed on to the peer assessors.
The Canada Council may share information related to applications and awards
with officials in other arts and cultural industry funding agencies, on a
confidential basis, to assist with program planning and evaluation.
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Grant Terms
and Conditions
Before you apply for a grant, please note all the following conditions:
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All your overdue final reports for Canada Council grants must be submitted
and approved before you are eligible to apply for another Canada Council
grant.
You may receive only one grant from the Cultivate: Professional
Development Grants program and one Canada Council travel grant
program per year.
If your application is successful, the terms and conditions will be outlined in
the grant notification letter. These are some of the conditions:
Grant payment
The Canada Council will send you the grant money after it has received your
grant acknowledgement form and after you have satisfied any conditions that are
provided with your grant notification letter.
Tax status
Canada Council grants are taxable. T4A slips will be issued, at the appropriate
time, for grants and awards paid to individuals. If you have any tax-related
questions, please contact the Canada Revenue Agency or your provincial or
territorial revenue department.
Changes to proposed activities
You must notify the Canada Council immediately if you cannot use part or all of
the grant during the period stated in your application or if you decide not to
carry out your proposed activities.
The program officer must approve any changes to your funded activities (for
example, changes in the activity budget, to key creative personnel, or to the start
or end date) before you carry them out.
Expiry date of the grant
The grant funds will be available to complete your project/activity/work for
three years following the date the application was submitted. The end of this
three-year period is the expiry date of your grant.
If you require an extension to the expiry date, please contact the appropriate
Canada Council program officer, in writing. Otherwise, the Canada Council will
cancel the part of your grant that has not been paid to you by the expiry date, or
you may be required to return a portion of the grant you have already received.
Acknowledgement of Canada Council for the Arts support
You must acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts in all
promotional material associated with the grant. Details about the
acknowledgement policy will be included with the grant notification letter.
Final report
You will be required to submit a final report on how you used the grant by the
date identified in your grant notification letter.
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GLOSSARY
The terms listed below apply specifically to the Equity Office’s programs.
Aboriginal people
First Nations, Inuit and Métis people in Canada.
Collaboration
Efforts made by artists and/or arts professionals participating equally in the research, creation, production
and dissemination of an artwork.
Commission
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A request from an individual or organization to an artist or group of artists to create specific artwork.
A financial contribution toward a commissioned work.
Creation/production
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The artistic effort (including research) of generating new or substantially revised artistic materials or
artwork (play, dance, score, script, sculpture, video, installation, etc.).
The re-mounting of works.
The presentation phase in some disciplines, such as theatre and dance.
Cultural diversity and culturally diverse
Cultural diversity is the presence, expressions and participation of many different individuals and
communities co-existing in the general culture of a society, and the explicit recognition that the contribution
and participation of all peoples, particularly marginalized people, have equal value and benefit to the society
at large.
While cultural diversity is a broad and inclusive term, the Canada Council uses the adjective “culturally
diverse” to respectfully identify racialized groups that correspond to what is commonly understood as
visible minorities.
Deaf culture and hearing loss
While people with disabilities and Deaf people share similar and often overlapping histories in experiencing
systemic barriers, these groups are different from each other. Many Deaf people identify themselves as
“culturally Deaf” because they share distinct sign languages, traditions, values, histories, aesthetics and
norms. Sign languages are regionally and culturally specific visual languages with unique syntax and grammar
that are distinct from written and spoken languages.
There is a broad spectrum of hearing loss, including hard-of-hearing, oral-deaf, deaf-blind and late-deafened.
Individuals may not have the same degree of participation in Deaf culture, and they may identify as having a
disability rather than as being culturally Deaf.
The Canada Council has adapted the convention of using Deaf with a capital “D” to represent a range of
experiences: from being culturally Deaf or deaf, to having hearing loss, and using multiple forms of oral and
visual languages.
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Disability arts
Disability arts are created by people with disabilities or with mental illness. This includes artistic practices
and processes grounded in ensuring that the lived experiences and identities of disabled people are
conveyed, explored or represented. This typically means that disabled artists are directors, creators or main
contributors to the artistic process.
Disciplinary sections
A grouping of administrative units within the Canada Council for the Arts that provide grant programs,
services and administer funding for a particular artistic discipline, practice or sector. The Canada Council’s
disciplinary sections include: Audience and Market Development, Dance, Media Arts, Music, Inter-Arts,
Theatre, Visual Arts and Writing and Publishing.
Dissemination
Methods to present and distribute artwork to the public. This includes exhibition, touring, the circulation of
exhibitions, the promotion and distribution of artwork and literature, extension services and library and
resource centre activities.
Equity-seeking groups
Communities which face significant collective challenges in participating in society. This marginalization
could be created by attitudinal, historic, social and environmental barriers based on age, ethnicity, disability,
economic status, gender, nationality, race, sexual orientation and transgender status, etc.
Impairment and disability
Impairments are physical, mental or learning conditions that may be evident or not, and have long-term,
temporary or fluctuating effects. The degree to which impairment affects people’s lives varies greatly.
Disability is an experience of exclusion or disadvantage. People with actual or perceived impairments
experience disability when they are disadvantaged as a direct result of that impairment, or due to social,
policy or environmental barriers, including discrimination and prejudicial attitudes.
Mad arts
The Canada Council recognizes mad arts within the overall Disability Arts sector.
Mad is framed as a social and political identity by people who have been labelled as mentally ill or as having
mental health issues. Rather than focusing on awareness and coping with stigma, Mad Pride focuses on
expressing the unique ways people experience the world in terms of making meaning, developing
communities, and creating culture. Mad arts is the artistic exploration of Mad Pride focusing on mad
histories and identities.
Mentorship
An activity or experience in which an apprentice learns from a mentor (an organization, institution or
individual with extensive knowledge and experience in a particular art form.), also known as an
apprenticeship. The mentorship can include exchanges, knowledge-sharing and/or collaboration that result
in benefits for both or all parties.
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Official language minority communities
Canada has two Official Languages, English and French. Official Language Minority Communities are
groups of Canadians whose maternal or chosen Official Language is the minority language in their province
or territory, for example, French speakers in Manitoba and English speakers in Quebec.
Partnership
A clearly defined artistic, financial or administrative relationship. Two or more parties working towards
shared and/or compatible objectives with: joint authority and responsibility; investment of time and
resources; sharing of risks and benefits; and an explicit agreement, contract or other instrument that sets out
terms. A partnership lasts whatever length of time suits the partners and their undertaking.
Peer assessment
An evaluation mechanism and principle of peer review according to which most of Canada Council’s
funding decisions are made. The Canada Council’s commitment to peer assessment is based on the belief
that decisions about which artists or arts organizations receive support should be made by their peers. Peer
assessment committees can be discipline-specific or multidisciplinary.
For more information please refer to:
http://canadacouncil.ca/en/council/grants/how-the-council-makes-its-decisions
Peer-to-peer learning
Opportunities for artists, art professionals and organizations usually working within common artistic
traditions, disciplines, communities or sectors, to learn, discuss and share knowledge with one another.
Professional artist
A practicing artist who
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has specialized training in the arts (not necessarily in academic institutions)
is recognized as a professional by his or her peers (artists working in the same artistic tradition)
is committed to devoting more time to his or her artistic activity, if financially possible
has a history of public presentation in a professional context.
Racialized group
Racialized groups include those who may experience differential treatment on the basis of race, ethnicity,
religion, culture, etc., that is, treated outside the norm and receiving unequal treatment based on physical
traits.
Systemic barriers
Barriers within the system, embedded in policy, law, institutions, structures, geopolitics and politics. These
barriers are experienced by groups based on age, culture, disability, ethnicity, gender, language, region, sexual
orientation, etc.
Touring
Cross-border Canada/USA travel in addition to domestic and international travel for individuals, groups or
collectives of professional performing artists to further disseminate art and increase artistic expertise.
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