This program is intended to support professional and artistic skill development or business and career development activities for individual artists and artist collectives. The goal of the program is to contribute to the skills and knowledge required to advance artists’ careers and develop artistic practices in Calgary (known as Mohkinsstsis in Blackfoot).

This program cannot support activities primarily focused on the research, creation or production of artistic work or events such as shows, exhibitions, productions, etc. Please refer to the Project Grant Program for Individuals and Collectives if you are seeking funding for these activities.

Activities funded through this program may begin before the application deadline, but they cannot be fully completed before the application deadline.

Applicants may apply for up to $5,000. Note for artist collectives: If applications from artist collectives include expenses related to individual members’ participation, such as travel or course fees, the requested amount may exceed $5,000 on approval from Calgary Arts Development staff.

Total funding available for this program is $450,000 ($225,000 per intake).

We acknowledge that the land we gather on, Mohkinsstsis, is the ancestral territory of the Siksikaitsitapi — the Blackfoot people — comprising the Siksika, Kainai and Piikani Nations, as well as Treaty 7 signatories, the Tsuut’ina Nation, and the Îyâxe Nakoda Bearspaw, Chiniki and Wesley First Nations. Today this land is home to the Metis of Region 3 as well as many First Nations and Inuit peoples from across Turtle Island.

Calgary Arts Development is committed to the process of eliminating institutional racism, ableism and barriers in our programs, policies and practices by centring the creativity and leadership of those communities most impacted by structural inequities. Read our full Commitment to Equity statement on our website.

We recognize that barriers within the arts community exist, particularly for equity seeking communities, and that there are many unique entry points into an artistic practice and career in the arts. If you are unsure about eligibility, please reach out to discuss this with the program specialist before applying. You’ll also find answers to some common questions in our Investment Program FAQ.

There are two policies available for potential applicants who may need accommodations or assistance to apply to this program, such as translating program guidelines and applications. These policies are available to potential applicants even if they decide not to apply to the program.

• An Accommodation & Accessibility Policy for potential applicants who experience barriers to access, to develop accommodations that suit their abilities and situations.
• The Application Assistance Policy for eligible applicants to alleviate some of the financial costs associated with preparing and submitting an application.

Calgary Arts Development is committed to open, fair and transparent processes. If you have any questions, want help with feedback on your application or if it’s your first time applying, please don’t hesitate to contact the program specialist as early as you can to ensure they can provide the best support possible. Staff can provide feedback on your application up to 10 days before application deadlines.

Eligible Applicants

This program is open to professional individual artists and artist collectives.

For the program, we have opened up eligibility to include applications from ‘cultural workers’ as long as the activity or opportunity being applied for is primarily focused on the development of their own artistic skills, practice and career.

For the purposes of Calgary Arts Development programs, cultural workers typically refers to individuals who make their living in the arts and cultural sector and contribute to the success of an artist or organization’s artistic work in a creative or technical capacity, but who are not necessarily leading the artistic vision of the work being created. This might include production team members, such as costume designer or cutter, sound designer/operator, lighting designer/operator, set designer, technicians, editors, colourists, etc.

For full definitions of ‘professional individual artist,’ ‘artist collective’ and ‘cultural worker,’ please review the glossary of terms in our Investment Program FAQ.

Please note that this program cannot accept applications from arts administrators, agents or managers, registered for-profit corporations or businesses, or registered not-for-profit organizations.

Calgary-based Artists

While activities do not have to take place in Calgary, applicants must either be Calgary-based or be able to demonstrate that the majority of their work is accessible to the citizens of Calgary, and that they have a meaningful and ongoing relationship with the city and its artistic communities. We will also accept applications from Treaty 7 nation members, living within Treaty 7 (Southern Alberta), as long as they can demonstrate a clear connection to Calgary/Mohkinsstsis communities. If you are not based in Calgary, please contact your program specialist to discuss your relationship with Calgary before applying.

All Artistic Disciplines and Forms

We welcome applications from those working in all artistic disciplines and their various cultural forms, including but not limited to: circus arts, craft arts, community and social practice, curation, dance, Deaf/deaf arts, digital arts, disability arts, film, Indigenous arts, literature, media arts, multidisciplinary practice, music and sound, performance, theatre and visual arts.

All Newcomer Artists — Permanent Residency or Citizenship Not Necessary

We acknowledge that there are many artists who are new to the city of Calgary and may not be familiar with grant programs, eligibility or receiving funds from a public funder. It’s important to note that you do not need to be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident in order to receive a grant, but you do need to be able to report on this grant to the Canada Revenue Agency. If you are a newcomer, immigrant or refugee artist and have questions or concerns, please know that our program staff are available to help navigate your unique circumstances and provide support.

Other Eligibility Requirements

• We will only accept one application per individual or collective, per intake.
• You may only receive one Artist Development Microgrant per year as either an individual or collective. For example, if you receive a microgrant as an individual artist in Intake 1, you may not apply as a core member of an artist collective in Intake 2.
• Applicants who are not successful in their application may apply for the next intake as long as the activity still meets eligibility requirements.
• You may not receive funding from more than one Calgary Arts Development program for the same activity, project or phase of a project.
• You may not apply to this program if you have final reports past their due date for prior grants.
• As of January 2023, you may not have more than four open grants with Calgary Arts Development, including grants for which a deadline extension has been approved. A request for an exception to this eligibility requirement must be submitted in writing and in discussion with the program specialist.

For more important information about eligibility, please refer to the Investment Program FAQ.

This program is intended to support professional and artistic skill development or business and career development activities for individual artists and artist collectives. The goal of the program is to contribute to the skills and knowledge required to advance artists’ careers and develop artistic practices in Calgary (known as Mohkinsstsis in Blackfoot).

There are two Program Streams available, and an applicant may only apply for one activity to this program:

• Activities funded through this program may begin before the application deadline, but they cannot be fully completed before the application deadline.
• Activities funded through Intake 1 must be completed by December 31, 2023.
• Activities funded through Intake 2 must be completed by June 30, 2024.

Applicants may apply for up to $5,000 towards their activity.

Note for artist collectives: If applications from artist collectives include expenses related to individual members’ participation, such as travel or course fees, the requested amount may exceed $5,000 on approval from Calgary Arts Development staff.

Program Streams

When you apply, you will be asked to select a Program Stream. Applicants should select the Program Stream that best fits the core goal and purpose of the activity they are applying for. A description of each stream is shared below, along with examples of eligible activities within each stream. This list is not exclusive, so if you have questions about other potential eligible activities, please contact a program specialist to discuss before applying.

1. Professional and Artistic Skill Development

This stream is for activities related to the professional development of your artistic practice, skills, knowledge and relationships through continuing education, training, learning or development opportunities. Activities could involve the earning or maintaining of credentials. Activities can be self-directed or non-self-directed and take place online or in person — locally, nationally or internationally.

Eligible activities may include:

• • Apprenticeships
  • Artistic training or mentorships
  • Courses, classes or workshops
  • Internships
  • Invited opportunities or conferences (to share your work/knowledge)
  • Residencies

2. Business and Career Development 

This stream is for activities related to the development of the business side of your artistic practice. This could involve activities or opportunities related to better documenting, marketing, promoting and sharing your work, learning or developing specific business skills or models, developing or expanding your networks, markets or revenue streams. Activities can be self-directed or non-self-directed and take place online or in person — locally, nationally or internationally.

Eligible activities may include:

• • Business training and development
    • Courses, mentorship, training or services in entrepreneurship, finance, accounting, legal, etc.
    • Development of business plans/models/strategies
  • Documentation of completed works
    • Portfolios, professional photography/videography
  • Marketing, branding and promotion of your art practice or completed works
    • Website development (creation/redesign)
    • Content strategy/creation
    • Publicity, media tours, interviews
    • Attending conferences, markets, fairs, industry showcases, networking events, etc.

This program cannot support activities primarily focused on the research, creation or production of artistic work or events such as shows, exhibitions, productions, etc. Please refer to the Project Grant Program for Individuals and Collectives if you are seeking funding for these activities.

Eligible Expenses

Please ensure that your proposed activity is eligible for this program first. Then you may refer to the below list for guidance on eligible expenses:

• Accessibility expenses
• Course fees (for individual courses that do not count toward the pursuit of a credit, diploma or degree-granting program)
• Documentation
• Marketing, promotion, publicity or outreach
• Travel expenses
• Per diem (a fixed daily rate for meals and incidentals while not at your primary residence)
• Accommodation (while not at your primary residence)
• Subsistence expenses (ongoing monthly expenses such as rent, utilities, food, child care, etc.) (must be necessary for accessing the specific development opportunity)
• Professional fees (e.g., fees paid to individuals offering professional services such as web design, publicity or marketing, financial, accounting or legal services)
• Technical fees (e.g., web service fees, licensing fees)
• Honorariums
• Materials (must be necessary for accessing the specific development opportunity, such as an artist residency)
• Rental of space
• Rental of equipment
• Purchase of equipment, including hardware and permanent software up to $2,500 maximum (must be directly related to your proposed development activities)

Please note that eligible project expenses for this program may not be considered deductible project expenses by the Canada Revenue Agency. Please consult the CRA guidelines when creating your project budget.

Ineligible Activities

This program is not intended to support the following:

• Activities primarily focused on the research, creation or production of artistic work.
• Activities related to post-secondary or credit, degree or diploma educational programs or artistic work related to those educational programs.
• Activities that have already received funding from another Calgary Arts Development grant program.
• Fundraising activities (e.g., activities undertaken for the purpose of raising funds on behalf of a political party or charity).
• Contests and competitions (e.g., grant funding cannot be re-granted in the form of prizes or awards).
• Activities that do not comply with or respect cultural protocols.
• Activities that use or present Indigenous cultural material, traditional knowledge or stories without express permission from the community.
• Activities that promote hatred or intolerance.
• Activities that are illegal or contravene provincial or federal law.
• Activities related to campaigning for a specific political candidate or party in an election.

Ineligible Expenses

Funds from this program are not intended to support the following:

• Artist fees
• Note: In a professional development grant, artist fees are generally ineligible. Applicants may instead request subsistence support to undertake their activity if needed, and they may still pay professional fees to service providers, mentors, etc. There may be exceptions to this rule, so please reach out to a program specialist to discuss before including artist fees.
• Lost wages or salaries
• Purchase of or financial contribution towards equipment, land or buildings over a total of $2,500 (capital expenditures)
• Purchase of any equipment not directly related to the project
• Tuition or other costs related to the pursuit of post-secondary degree or diploma educational programs or artistic work related to those educational programs

Please note that the eligible and ineligible expenses listed are given as examples and are not exclusive. If you are unsure about expenses, please reach out to discuss before applying.

Please use the following table to better understand when to apply, based on when your activity or opportunity will occur.

	Application deadline:	Notifications by:	Activities must be completed by:
Intake 1	April 5, 2023 (4:30pm MT)	Late May 2023	December 31, 2023
Intake 2	September 27, 2023 (4:30pm MT)	Late November 2023	June 30, 2024

 Activities funded through this program may begin before the application deadline, but they cannot be fully completed before the application deadline.

For example, if you wanted to apply to attend a residency, but the residency ends before April 5, 2023, you would not be eligible to apply to Intake 1. If the residency starts before April 5, but will end anytime between April 6 – December 2023, you would be eligible to apply to Intake 1.

That said, please keep in mind that notifications of grant results for Intake 1 would not occur until late May 2023 and funding would be distributed throughout June 2023. So before applying, consider: If you need this grant funding in order to begin your activity, please apply for activities that will occur after the grant notification and fund distribution period. If your activity occurs before the grant results are shared, you must decide if you can cover costs beforehand and risk not receiving the grant.

If your application is not awarded funding in Intake 1, you may reapply to Intake 2 with a new activity, or the same activity, so long as it still falls within the eligible date range for Intake 2.

We highly recommend reaching out to program staff for feedback before reapplying.

Program Considerations

1. The applicant shows a clear and in-depth understanding of where they currently are in their practice/career.
2. The applicant has clearly stated their goals and why this activity or opportunity is important to them at this stage of their practice/career. It feels timely and relevant.
3. The applicant clearly shows how this activity or opportunity will help them achieve their stated goals. There is clear potential for these activities to generate future opportunities for professional growth or sustainability.
4. The applicant has included enough information to clearly show what they want to do and how they will do it. This is demonstrated by a clear, achievable and well-supported application (for example, they have adequate experience and/or support in place, a feasible timeline and budget, suitable partners/collaborators/mentors, etc.).

Scoring Process

Committee members will review applications and rate the level to which they agree or disagree with each of the program considerations listed in the section above, based on the information provided in the application.

• Strongly Agree
• Agree
• Disagree
• Strongly Disagree

Applications to the program will be reviewed by an independent assessment committee made up of artist peers and community members. The membership of the peer assessment committee will be chosen through public nominations and staff expertise.

Anyone can ask to participate on a Calgary Arts Development assessment committee by completing the assessor nomination form or by emailing grants@calgaryartsdevelopment.com.

Assessment Committees

Assessment committees are chosen to represent the broad diversity of Calgary and its artistic communities, including but not limited to artistic discipline, gender, sexuality, age, religion, beliefs, nation, physical and neurological identities.

• Five to Seven-Member Committees: Each program stream will be assessed by a different committee. The volume of applications received will determine the number and size of committees required.
• Committee Membership: Individual artists and arts workers with experience and knowledge from a variety of artistic disciplines and practices, who actively participate in, experience and advocate for the work of the arts community.

Committee members must review, understand and adhere to the Terms of Reference, Conflict of Interest Policy, the Program Guidelines and Calgary Arts Development’s Group Agreements.

Assessment Process

The Artist Development Microgrant program has two program streams: Professional and Artistic Skill Development, and Business and Career Development. Applications will be assigned to assessment committees based on program stream. The number of applications received to each program stream will determine the number of assessment committees required to review all applications within that stream.

The total pool of funding available for the program this year is $450,000. This amount will be split evenly between the two intake periods: resulting in $225,000 per intake. Within each intake, the $225,000 available will be divided (prorated) across each of the two program streams, based on the total requested grant amount received within each stream.

Assessment committees will review applications assigned to them in the online granting interface and evaluate each application according to the considerations outlined in the Program Considerations & Scoring section above.

Calgary Arts Development staff will download assessor evaluations into a scoresheet for the committee to review and discuss their overall recommendations together in a meeting facilitated by the program specialist. Each consideration will be weighted equally. The score assigned to each rating will be consistent (e.g.: ‘Strongly Agree’ will always equal the same number of points). Calgary Arts Development staff will review the committee’s final recommendations and finalize the funding list. Partial funding may be allocated.

In the event of a tie, priority may be given based on the following considerations:

• Opportunities that are fully confirmed.
• Opportunities that are urgent or time sensitive.
• Opportunities from equity priority groups.

Calgary Arts Development reserves the right to adjust assessment processes and the program timeline due to application volume. Applicants and assessors will be notified if significant changes occur.

The equity priority groups identified for this program are Indigenous, Black, persons of colour, Deaf persons, persons with disabilities, persons living with mental illness, and 2SLGBTQIAP+ individuals. For details on each of these equity priority groups, please refer to the equity priority group descriptions.

Calgary Arts Development has adapted these priorities and descriptions from the Toronto Arts Council’s Equity Framework. We are grateful to the Toronto Arts Council for their work in this area.

Applicants will be asked to fill out a voluntary self-identification form, but all questions are optional. Applicants that self-identify as belonging to one or more of these equity priority groups are automatically considered for this equity measure.

Responses are not visible to assessors. Access to this information is limited to the research and impact team and the grant program staff at Calgary Arts Development.

​Voluntary self-identification information may be used in aggregate to:

• Generate statistics to measure how well Calgary Arts Development’s programs are reaching members of equity groups.
• Ensure there is diverse representation in the membership of peer assessment committees and grant review panels.
• Gather information to help Calgary Arts Development design, review, evaluate and improve its programs.
• Plan outreach activities.
• Report to Calgary Arts Development’s board and committees.

Please see the Disclosure of Grant Information Policy for information about how Calgary Arts Development collects and uses information submitted through grant applications.

We accept applications through an online grant platform called Smart Simple. If you don’t already have a Smart Simple account with us, you will need to create an account and set up your user profile before you can apply. Artist collectives must create a collective account that is separate from their individual account, then apply through their collective account. Please note: you cannot use the same email address for both your individual and collective account; you must use a unique email address for each.

Please contact grants@calgaryartsdevelopment.com for help with any questions or technical issues.

The application process for Intake 1 will open on February 21, 2023.

The application process for Intake 2 will open on July 24, 2023.

Complete or Update Your Profile

In the Smart Simple grant platform you will need to ensure your ‘individual artist’ or ‘artist collective’ profile is filled out and up to date before you begin to apply and submit your grant application.

Your profile includes important information, such as:

• Contact Information (name, email, phone, mailing address)
• Years of Practice
• Artistic Discipline(s)
• Artistic Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• Artistic Practice Statement (100 – 300 words)

Begin Your Application

To begin your application, login to the grant platform and select ‘Open Opportunities.’ There you will see any grant programs that are currently open. Select this program and begin a draft application. As you work on your application, remember to save your progress regularly. Once your application is complete, please ‘submit’ before the stated application deadline.

The application form will ask for the following information:

• Voluntary Self-Identification Form (optional)
• Brief Description (25 words or less)
• Funding Request (up to $5,000)
• Start and End Date
• Primary Discipline
  • Select the artistic discipline that is most relevant to this application.
• Program Stream
  • Select the program stream that best fits the core goal and purpose of your application: 1. Professional and Artistic Skill Development; or 2. Business and Career Development.
• Written Description
  • Describe what you want to do. Include a schedule of activities that outlines when and where activities will take place. (300 words max)
  • Describe your goals and why this activity or opportunity is important to you at this stage of your practice/career. How might this generate future opportunities for professional growth or sustainability? (300 words max)
  • Describe who else will be involved (if anyone) and why you’ve chosen them specifically. This could include mentors, partners, collaborators, training institutions, host organizations, service providers, etc. (150 words max)
  • Optional: If there is anything that has not been asked that is essential to understanding your application, please provide it here. (150 words max)
• Budget
  • Fill out the budget template. Include all relevant expenses and revenues.
  • Use the notes section to describe each item in more detail, show your calculations, etc.
• Support Material (upload)
  • Include materials that will support and strengthen your application, such as confirmations, letters of acceptance, course descriptions, biographies of others involved, research or budget support (quotes, rates).
  • Note: Assessors will only be asked to review up to 5 minutes of support material for each applicant. They are reviewing many applications, so be succinct and ensure that what you are providing is clear and relevant.

Applicants will be notified of their results by email.

Notifications will be sent to the email address listed in your profile on the grant platform. If you do not receive an email notification by the date listed in the program guidelines, please check your junk/spam folder before reaching out to grants@calgaryartsdevelopment.com. It can also be helpful to add this email address to your email contact list, so that it is less likely to be filtered or blocked.

Successful applications

Successful applicants will be sent an investment agreement via Docusign and are required to sign and return the agreement within 30 days of receiving it in order to receive funding.

We use electronic fund transfers to make grant payments. If your application is approved, you will be required to provide a void cheque or direct deposit form with your banking information. Please let us know if you need any help with this.

Calgary Arts Development will provide a T4A tax form for individuals who receive more than $500 in total during the 2023 tax year. This includes the primary applicant who may be representing a collective of artists. Please note that you must have a valid Canadian Social Insurance Number or Individual Tax Number to receive this grant.

If you have any questions about tax requirements for artist grants, it is a good idea to discuss these with a tax professional or consult Canada Revenue Agency guidelines. There is also additional tax information in our Investment Program FAQ.

Final Reporting

Successful grantees will be required to complete a brief final report to share learnings and how the grant benefited their practice. Final reports are due 30 days after your activity end date.

In your final report, we would like to know:

• What you accomplished and how this changed or helped your goal. We are curious about any learnings or changes from your original proposal.
• How the grant funds were spent. You’ll be asked to share an updated budget with actuals. Please keep receipts and invoices for tax purposes. You may also be asked to provide them.
• Optional: Please share any materials that resulted from your activities, such as images, website links, video or audio material, written samples.
• Optional: Anything else you’d like to share with Calgary Arts Development.

Successful applicants may also be invited to participate in optional surveys, research and peer-to-peer learning. Please contact grants@calgaryartsdevelopment.com with any questions about reporting requirements.

Unsuccessful applications

Applicants who are not successful in their application may reapply for the next intake of this program, as long as the activity still meets eligibility requirements. Applicants may also wish to apply with a different eligible activity or look into other programs offered by Calgary Arts Development in the future.

Applicants may reach out to staff to request feedback from the assessment committee on their application. We also welcome any feedback you may have on the application process.

If you would like to know more about other opportunities in the arts ecosystem, you are welcome to reach out to our Community Liaison, Sayonara Cunha, at sayonara.cunha@calgaryartsdevelopment.com.

Policies

Accommodation & Accessibility Policy
Application Assistance Policy
Deadline Extension Policy
Disclosure of Grant Information Policy

Other

Terms of Reference
Group Agreements
Equity Priority Group Descriptions
Frequently Asked Questions
Assessor Nomination Form