Accessibility: The quality of being obtainable, usable, reachable, and understandable.

Accommodation: An adjustment, modification, or adaptation in order to make something accessible.

Amateur Artist: An artist who does not intend to pursue a career in the arts, or who is not yet approaching their practice in a professional way, or who has not yet invested in the development of their artistic skills, voice, or goals.

Artist Collective: Two or more individual artists who work together in either an ongoing or ad hoc way, who have a shared artistic practice that is distinct from their own individual artistic practices. Collectives need to define their collective practice, vision, goals, and process in order to demonstrate that collective members have equal and shared ownership and accountability for the vision, success and completion of the proposed project or activities. An artist collective does not include for-profit organizations and businesses or groups that are formally registered as a non-profit society or those which intend to govern themselves like a non-profit society.

Artistic Discipline: The type, form, medium, or intention of an artists work (visual art, dance, music, etc.)

Artistic Practice: The ways that an artist makes, understands, develops, creates, and shares their work.

Arts Administrator: An individual responsible for administrative, operational, infrastructural, financial, human resource or communications management for an arts organization.

Arts Organization: An organization whose primary mandate is the creation, preservation, development, education, or sharing of artistic work. Organizations may be formally registered as non-profit societies or charities, or may operate as a community based arts groups with ongoing programming and demonstrated governance and financial management.

Assessment: The process of reviewing applications to grant programs, usually in order to determine if they will be funded. Calgary Arts Development primarily uses assessment committees made up of artistic peers and community members to determine successful applications.

Community: For the purpose of our programs, we define community as those who view, participate, collaborate, engage, or benefit from your work. These may include audiences, participants, students, artists, or partners, or broader communities aligned around shared identities or goals.

Cultural Worker: For the purposes of our programs, cultural workers typically refer to individuals who make their living in the arts and cultural sector but who do not necessarily have an artistic practice, or who are not necessarily leading the artistic vision of the work being created.

Diversity: Describes the wide range of identities of the people that live in a community, including gender, sexuality, age, class, religion, beliefs, nation, physical, neurological, cognitive, and Mad identities, etc.

Equity: An approach to diversity in which differences among all people in a community are accommodated on an individual basis and historical exclusions and systemic barriers that are unique to diverse peoples are taken into account.

Expenses: The sum of all financial and in-kind resources spent.

Final Report: Submitted after the completion of the work outlined in the grant application. Grantees must submit a final report for each grant they receive to outline how the grant funds were spent, and demonstrate how they completed the work they received funding for. Final reports allow Calgary Arts Development to learn about the successes, challenges, and learnings resulting from the grant investment. This helps us tell the story of the arts in Calgary and develop programs which help us serve our communities better.

Financial Statements: The formal record of financial activities, including a balance sheet and a statement of operations. The balance sheet is a statement of assets and liabilities for a fiscal year, and the statement of operations is a statement of revenues and expenses for a fiscal year.

Governance: The way that an organization makes and implements decisions about how it operates, manages resources, and plans for the future. Many organizations manage their governance through a non-profit board, or through an advisory group with clear accountabilities.

Grant: Investment of public dollars that does not need to be repaid, but which require commitments like final reports in exchange for the money.

Inclusion: A sense of belonging, which allows people to engage with and contribute within a community or environment.

In-Kind: Goods, services, or transactions not involving money or not measured in monetary terms. In-kind revenue or expenses may be captured in financial documents as the relative value of the item.

Interim Report: Submitted at midpoints during a grant investment period. Interim reports allow Calgary Arts Development to learn about the successes, challenges, and learnings resulting from the grant investment, as well as measure the risks of ongoing investments. This helps us tell the story of the arts in Calgary and develop programs which help us serve our communities better.

Professional Individual Artist: An artist who is actively pursuing a career in the arts, who has invested in the development of their artistic skills, voice, and goals, and who primarily creates artistic work on their own. Professional artists may have formal training, have shared their work publicly, have been compensated for their work, and have a relationship with their artistic communities and peers. Artists do not need to be working professionally in the arts full-time.

Project: Has a distinct beginning and end date for all activities, and which has its own distinct goals.

Revenues: The sum of all financial and in-kind resources gained.

HOW DO I KNOW IF I’M ELIGIBLE FOR A GRANT?

Calgary Arts Development offers grant programs for arts organizations, individual artists, and artist collectives in Calgary. Eligibility criteria can vary by program. Please review the program guidelines and glossary to see if you are eligible.

If you are still unsure about eligibility, please contact your program specialist before applying.

I’M NOT BASED IN CALGARY. CAN I APPLY?

If you are an arts organization, individual artist, or artist collective not based in Calgary, you must demonstrate that the majority of your work is accessible to the citizens of Calgary, and that you have a meaningful and ongoing relationship with the city and its artistic communities.

If you are not based in Calgary, please contact your program specialist to discuss your relationship with Calgary before applying.

I AM A NEWCOMER TO CANADA. CAN I APPLY?

You do not need to be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident in order to apply to our programs. We are required to issue a T4A form for income tax purposes for all grants to individuals, so you do need to be able to report income to the CRA. If you do not have a Canadian Social Insurance Number (SIN) you can apply for a Individual Tax Number (ITN). Please contact the CRA for more information about the ITN process. For more information about taxes and your grant, please see below.

DOES CALGARY ARTS DEVELOPMENT HAVE A STANDARD DEFINITION FOR ‘EMERGING ARTIST’, ‘MID CAREER ARTIST’ OR ‘ESTABLISHED ARTIST’?

No! These definitions can be completely different based on artistic discipline, type of practice, and individual experiences. Our programs are open to any artist at any stage of their artistic career. We ask applicants to tell us where they are in their practices, and what their unique and individual opportunities or challenges are.

If you would like to discuss the best way to share about your practice, please contact your program specialist.

WHAT TYPE OF ARTISTIC DISCIPLINES DOES CALGARY ARTS DEVELOPMENT FUND?

We accept applications from professional individual artists, artist collectives, and arts organizations 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.

If you would like to discuss your artistic discipline and where it fits, please contact your program specialist.

CAN I APPLY IF I AM UNDER 18?

Artists under the age of 18 may apply if they can demonstrate the below:

• They have permission from their legal guardian.
• They are working in their artistic discipline in a serious, intentional, and ongoing way.
• They are able to speak about their artistic practice in their own voice.
• They are able to accept and manage the grant funds personally.

Please contact your program specialist before applying to discuss.

HOW MANY GRANTS CAN I RECEIVE PER CALENDAR YEAR? CAN I APPLY MULTIPLE TIMES?

Application eligibility varies by program. Please review the program guidelines in full before beginning your application. General rules are as follows:

• Applicants may not apply to any program if they have an overdue final or interim report for a previous grant (see below FAQ).
• Applicants may submit only one application per program deadline.
  • Individual artists may be involved in more than one application, either as a participant in another artist’s application, or as a member of an artist collective. Artist collectives must apply using their own account in the grant interface. We will not accept more than one application from the same individual profile in the grant interface.
• A project may only be submitted by one applicant per program deadline.
  • E.g.: If a project is being undertaken by a group of artists, or in partnership with another organization, only one application can be submitted for that project. Multiple members of the group cannot submit for the same project to the same program deadline.
• Projects (or distinct phases of a project) may only receive one grant in total from Calgary Arts Development, regardless of calendar year.
• There is no limit to the number of applications you may submit per calendar year, as long as you are eligible for the program, and the project has not already been funded by Calgary Arts Development.
• You may reapply for the same project if a previous application was unsuccessful, regardless of calendar year.

CAN I APPLY FOR A GRANT IF I HAVE A FINAL REPORT TO COMPLETE? 

In order to apply for and receive a grant from Calgary Arts Development, you must be in good standing. This means that you are not in breach of any Investment Agreement you currently hold with Calgary Arts Development, and you have successfully submitted any reporting required for previous grant investments. If you have overdue interim or final reports, you may not apply for any grant program or receive grant payments until you complete your reporting.

If you have an interim or final report assigned to you, or reporting required for a previous grant:

• If your report due date is BEFORE the next grant program deadline, the report must be submitted before you submit your application.
  • E.g.: The next grant program you plan to apply to has a deadline of June 30. You have a final report due for another grant on June 1. In order to apply for the upcoming deadline, the final report must be submitted prior to the application. If you do not submit the final report by the due date, you are not considered to be in good standing.
• If your report due date is AFTER the next grant program deadline, you may apply.
  • E.g.: The next grant program you plan to apply to has a deadline of June 30. You have a final report due for another grant program on August 1. You are considered to be in good standing.

Please note that the Deadline Extension Policy applies to reporting deadlines as well as application deadlines. If you are not able to meet your reporting deadline, please contact grants@calgaryartsdevelopment.com to discuss your circumstances and request an extension. If you have received an extension on your report deadline, you will generally be considered to be in good standing. However, at their discretion, program specialists may request that you complete any outstanding activities related to your previous grants and submit your final reports before submitting any additional applications for funding. 

DO I NEED TO PAY TAXES ON GRANTS I RECEIVE FROM CALGARY ARTS DEVELOPMENT?

If you are an individual (or receiving a grant on behalf of a collective of artists) and you receive more than $500 from Calgary Arts Development in a single calendar year, Calgary Arts Development is required to issue a T4A Form for the full amount you received in that year. According to the Canada Revenue Agency’s guidelines, artist grants are entered in Line 105 of the T4A tax slip.

When filing your taxes, you may deduct all reasonable grant expenses related to the production of your project from the total grant amount. This does not include your own artist fee, which is taxable income. Other expenses, such as subsistence or living expenses related to your primary residence, and expenses which can be reimbursed, cannot be deducted.

In general, you will enter your net income from your project grant on Line 13010 of your tax return. Please note that this may vary depending on if you are self-employed or not. Please refer to the links below for more information.

Calgary Arts Development does not offer tax advice. We recommend that you consult a tax professional or accountant when planning your grant applications and preparing your taxes each year. Calgary Arts Development is not responsible for any taxes owed on grants made.

WHAT IF MY PROJECT OCCURS OVER MULTIPLE YEARS?

According to the Canada Revenue Agency guidelines, you may only deduct expenses which have been incurred in the calendar or  tax year that you received your grant payment in. The T4A tax slip must be issued for the entire grant payment for that calendar year.

If your project occurs over multiple calendar years, and you have grant expenses in both years, you will only be able to deduct the expenses you have incurred so far. The remaining grant amount will be considered income. You may file an adjustment in the following tax year to claim the remaining expenses using form T1-ADJ.

When you are preparing your grant application, and are planning a project which will occur over multiple years, or will not begin until the following tax year, it is important to plan your timeline, budget, and expenses to account for any potential tax implications.

Calgary Arts Development has developed a formal Instalment Policy for artist project grants to help ease some of the potential financial burden of multi-year projects. Please note that not all grant programs and payments are eligible under this policy. Please review the policy in full when you are preparing your grant application.

CAN I INCLUDE MONEY FOR TAXES OWED IN MY BUDGET?

Income tax payments are not an eligible expense. If you are earning income from a Calgary Arts Development grant program, whether as a self-employed artist or not, it is your responsibility to claim that income to the Canada Revenue Agency, and pay any taxes owed. Your grant request also cannot include funds to cover taxes owed on grant income when your project expenses will be incurred over multiple years.

HOW DO I PROVE EXPENSES?

It is your responsibility to document all expenses related to your project in order to claim them against your grant amount. Keep all receipts, invoices, and correspondence for expenses. If you are paying other artists, ensure you have written documentation of the agreed upon amounts, and evidence that the payment was made.

TAX LINKS

Line 13010 – Scholarships, fellowships, bursaries, and artist project grants
Artists’ Project Grants
Income Tax Folio S4-F14-C1, Artists and Writers
(Example 7 outlines the process of calculating your income from the project grant)
How to file a tax adjustment using form T1-ADJ

HOW SHOULD I DECIDE HOW MUCH MONEY TO ASK FOR?

It is up to you to make the best case for funding in your application, so do your research and be realistic in your request. What will it actually cost to do what you are proposing to do? What do you actually need in order to achieve your vision? Start by calculating your expenses, rather than just subtracting from the maximum request amount. If you need assistance, reach out to your program specialist.

It is not necessarily helpful to ask for more than what you need and hope to get less. If your project can be scaled, make sure to explicitly state where you could cut expenses or provide an alternate budget. Assessors won’t be able to guess!

They also cannot recommend an amount higher than what you requested, so we also don’t suggest asking for less than what you need, as that might not show the greatest potential for impact. In most cases, we encourage the assessment committees to recommend full funding requests, unless they see a major concern.

HOW DO I GET HELP ON MY APPLICATION?

Please contact your program specialist at any time to ask questions or request feedback on your application. It is most helpful to ask specific questions or direct the specialist’s attention to a specific part of your application. Program specialists can only provide feedback up to one week before the grant application deadline.

For some programs we are able to offer application assistance, meaning eligible applicants may request assistance to pay someone to help them complete their grant application, accept grant payment or complete a final report. Application assistance is available to applicants facing language, geographic or cultural barriers, applicants who are Deaf, hard of hearing, speak another language, have a disability or are living with a mental illness.

If you have questions about application assistance please contact grants@calgaryartsdevelopment.com.

I DON’T THINK I CAN SUBMIT MY APPLICATION BY THE DEADLINE

We have a Deadline Extension Policy for our programs outlining the circumstances in which we will offer a deadline extension. Deadline extension requests must be received in writing by email before 9:00am MT on the day of the deadline. We will respond in writing and outline your new deadline and terms.

We suggest opening a draft of your application in the online grant interface and reaching out to your program specialist as early as possible to ensure that you are prepared. However, we understand that sometimes things come up. We may consider granting an extension on the day of the deadline if you are able to provide a compelling explanation of why you aren’t able to submit on time.

CAN I FAX, MAIL, OR EMAIL MY APPLICATION?

No. We only accept applications through the online granting interface. If you are applying to an individual artist program please note that you must use a personal account, rather than applying through an organizational account you may also manage.

If you experience a barrier to access or applying through the online granting interface, please contact grants@calgaryartsdevelopment.com or 403.476.2031 to talk about our Accessibility and Accommodation Policy.

I JUST APPLIED FOR A GRANT. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Your program specialist will review all grant applications for eligibility, completeness, and clarity. They may contact you if there is anything missing, or if they need clarity. In some cases, they will send your application back to draft for you to make changes and resubmit. Please ensure that your contact information is correct in your application so that they can reach you if needed!

Once your application is reviewed, it will be moved to assessment. Please review the program guidelines for specifics about the assessment process. In general, it will take between four to ten weeks after the program deadline to receive notification of your results by email.

Please ensure that grants@calgaryartsdevelopment.com has been added to your safe list, and check your spam folder as sometimes it gets filtered.

CAN I CALL TO RECEIVE THE RESULTS OF MY APPLICATION?

No, Calgary Arts Development staff cannot inform you of program results by phone. Formal notifications are sent by email. To find out specifically when your results are expected, please review the program guidelines. Please ensure that your email address is correct in your application.

CAN I GET FEEDBACK ON MY APPLICATION AFTER THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN ASSESSED?

Yes, we do offer post-assessment feedback for some programs. Please check the program guidelines to see if feedback is available after a program has ended and notifications have gone out. If you request feedback, we will send you a summary of the notes taken at assessment meetings that capture the assessors’ perspectives on your application, according to the program criteria. We may also provide staff perspective on your application. If you prefer, we can also provide feedback in person or over the phone.

There are many factors in assessment, including the competitive total number of applicants and total request amounts. These notes are not meant to serve as the direct reason or rationale for any outcomes of the assessment. They aren’t necessarily an indication of how future assessors might review an application. We encourage you to use feedback to reflect on and consider how you are telling your story and making a case for funding.

Please note that compiling feedback takes time. In most cases, we will try to provide a timeline for when feedback will be delivered. We will prioritize offering feedback to applicants who were unsuccessful over applicants who were successful. We will also prioritize offering feedback to applicants who have an upcoming Calgary Arts Development grant deadline.

MY APPLICATION WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL. CAN I APPEAL THIS DECISION?

Calgary Arts Development’s investment programs are very competitive. Assessment committees work to fairly and thoughtfully recommend grant dollars through the criteria, scoring matrix, and facilitated assessment meetings.

In many cases, applications that were not successful would have been funded if there had been enough money in the pool. For this reason, one-time funding programs such as Project Grants do not have an appeals policy. Only programs which distribute dollars through multi-year agreements such as the Operating Grant which may affect an organization’s ongoing operations have an Appeals Policy.

MY APPLICATION WAS SUCCESSFUL! HOW WILL I RECEIVE FUNDING?

You will receive an investment agreement outlining the terms of your grant. Once you have reviewed, signed, and returned your investment agreement to us, we will issue payment using electronic fund transfer (direct deposit). You will be required to provide a void cheque or direct deposit form with your banking information. If you are not able to receive direct deposit, please contact us to arrange for an alternative payment method such as cheque. Please keep in mind, it may take a few weeks to prepare and process your grant payment.

CAN I RECEIVE MY FUNDING IN INSTALLMENTS?

Only individual artists and individuals accepting grants on behalf of an unregistered artist collective may be eligible for the Instalment Policy, which is not applicable to all programs. Organizations are not eligible for installments.

AFTER I RECEIVE FUNDING, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE I HAVE TO DO?

All programs have a final reporting process, which we accept through the online granting interface. Please review the program guidelines and investment agreement for your reporting requirements.

All organizations and individuals that receive funding must acknowledge Calgary Arts Development and The City of Calgary on their marketing materials. Calgary Arts Development logos and usage guidelines are available at calgaryartsdevelopment.com/logos. Contact grants@calgaryartsdevelopment.com for The City of Calgary logos.

WHAT IF I AM NOT ABLE TO COMPLETE MY PROJECT OR GRANT ACTIVITIES?

We understand that sometimes things shift in your timeline or circumstances, and your project or activities may not be able to be completed as outlined in your application.

If you are still going to be able to complete part of your project or activities, and some things have just been shifted or adjusted, or it will take longer than expected, we are generally able to extend your reporting deadline to reflect the new timeline.

If the shift or change to your project or activities are so significant that it no longer reflects what was written in your grant application, you may be asked to return a portion of or all of your grant investment. If you are no longer able to complete your project in any form, you will be asked to return your grant investment.

Please contact your program specialist as soon as possible to discuss the changes. We endeavour to be as flexible and understanding as possible, and can only be of assistance if you reach out in advance. If you do not notify us of any changes to your circumstances and do not complete your project or activities and your required reporting accurately and honestly, you will be considered to be not in good standing, and will be unable to apply for future programs until the situation is resolved, which may include returning grant funds or resubmitting reporting.

IF YOU OR YOUR ORGANIZATION HAVE APPLIED BEFORE

Please log in with your previous email and password. Do not create a new account, as it will not give you access to your previous grant applications. If you forget your password, you can reset it from the main log in page. If you forgot which email address you used, contact us.

If you are new to your organization or taking over from a previous account holder, contact us before creating a new account. We will assign you to your organization and make sure that you have access to the previous applications.

Any changes to the organizational contact information or to the primary contact will need to be made by our staff. For help, contact us at grants@calgaryartsdevelopment.com or 403.476.2031

IF YOU OR YOUR ORGANIZATION HAVE NOT APPLIED BEFORE

You can create a new account from the main log in page. You will be asked to create an ‘organization’ profile. If you are an individual artist, your organization can simply be your last name.

HOW DO I START AN APPLICATION?

Log in to the online granting interface. Click “Apply” on the top menu and then click on the program you’re applying for. Be sure to click on the paragraph heading and not the URL at the bottom, which will direct you back to the grant information page.

Unless specifically directed in the program guidelines or by your program specialist, you don’t need to enter an access code to open an application.

WHEN I LOG ON, IT DOESN’T WORK—WHAT’S WRONG?

First, be sure that you’ve logged in to the granting interface. Our online granting interface works best with Google Chrome or Firefox as your browser, and is less compatible with Safari and Internet Explorer. Make sure you are using a compatible browser and that you have its most recent updates installed.

If you still experience problems, try clearing all of your browser data (cookies and cache especially). If that doesn’t solve the problem, please contact us at grants@calgaryartsdevelopment.com or 403.476.2031.

HOW DO I FIND MY OLD GRANT APPLICATIONS?

You can view all of your grant applications from 2009 on by logging into the online granting interface. If you can’t see them, let us know.

If you are looking for applications from before 2009, please contact us at grants@calgaryartsdevelopment.com or 403.476.2031.

CAN I SAVE A GRANT APPLICATION AND WORK ON IT LATER?

Yes. There is a “Save” button at the bottom of each application page. Please save your work frequently. Many people prefer to work in a word processor outside of the interface and then copy it in all at once.

I’M GETTING AN ERROR MESSAGE WHEN I TRY TO SAVE OR SUBMIT MY APPLICATION

The easiest thing to do is to log out and back in again. In many cases, it is because the attachment has not properly uploaded to the server.

Please note that if you haven’t saved recently, you may lose your work if you do log out, so it is a good idea to keep a copy in word document.

If you still receive an error message, please contact us at grants@calgaryartsdevelopment.com for further troubleshooting.

WHAT IF MY SUPPORT MATERIAL WILL NOT UPLOAD TO THE GRANT INTERFACE?

Check to see if your document is too large or if it is the wrong file type. We are unable to accept video or audio files through the interface.

Contact us at grants@calgaryartsdevelopment.com for further troubleshooting.

HOW CAN I SUBMIT VIDEO OR AUDIO FILES?

We suggest uploading your file to sites like YouTube, Vimeo, Soundcloud or Bandcamp and then providing the link. If you would prefer to keep your file private, you can upload privately and then provide the password if required.

We do not accept files linked from Google Drive, as it can be challenging for us to ensure the assessment committee’s anonymity. If you prefer, we will accept Dropbox links.

Please contact the team at grants@calgaryartsdevelopment.com with questions.

HOW WILL I KNOW YOU RECEIVED MY APPLICATION?

Once you click the submit button, the grant interface will state that your application has been submitted. Your granting interface dashboard should then list your application as submitted, not as a draft. You will also receive an automated email from the online grant interface.

Please note that your program specialist may return your application to draft to make changes. You will be notified of this by email and given a deadline to re-submit. If your application is returned to draft, you must click the submit button again once you have made your changes.

HOW CAN I VOLUNTEER TO SIT ON AN ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE?

Calgary Arts Development takes public nominations for its assessment committees throughout the year. If you are interested in nominating yourself or someone else, please complete the assessor nomination form.

HOW CAN I FIND OUT WHO HAS PARTICIPATED ON AN ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE IN THE PAST?

We publish a list of individuals who served on a peer assessment committee each year as part of our Accountability Report.

WHY ARE YOUR PROGRAMS PEER ASSESSED?

Peer assessment committees ensure that Calgary Arts Development is fairly and responsibly distributing public dollars to artists and organizations on behalf of the citizens of Calgary. Our peer assessment committees bring their experience, knowledge, skill sets, and perspectives through assessment meetings to identify the best opportunities for the arts sector. They help our staff deepen their understanding and view of the sector.

CAN I UPLOAD MY CADAC FORMS INSTEAD OF THE CADA STANDARD FORMS?

Yes, if you submit CADAC forms to other granting organizations, you may export an XLS or XLSX copy of your CADAC forms and upload them to your application. Please make a note of the required fiscal years in the Calgary Arts Development forms and ensure that your CADAC form includes those columns.

CAN I UPLOAD OUR OWN PROGRAMMING LIST INSTEAD OF FILLING OUT THE STANDARD PROGRAMMING FORM?

Filling out the standard form is mandatory for all applicants. Collecting all of our applicants’ information in a consistent way allows us to tell the story of your impact most effectively. Details about your activities that are not captured in the form can be shared in the written description section.

WHAT ARE SOME COMMON ISSUES OR CAUSES FOR FOLLOW-UP ON THE FORMS?

Financial Form 

• The revenues, expenses, and surplus/deficit in the first column of your financial form (last completed fiscal year) should match what is stated in your financial statements.

Statistical Form

• The total number of public activities for each fiscal year stated in your programming form should equal the total number of public activities (line 227) + the total number of arts education activities (line 276) + the total number of conferences and symposia (line 304) stated in your statistical form.
• Please ensure that you indicate total number of volunteer hours as well as the total number of volunteers.
• Please do not include rehearsals in your statistical and programming forms. We are tracking activities which are open to the public.
• When counting audience numbers, please include intentional and active audiences only. For example, please do not include estimates of walk-by traffic.

Programming Form

• When counting activities, count only the discrete and intentional ticketed events, admissions or entrances. For example, count only the three days of your festival, not each individual performer.
• Please complete the address and postal code lines of this form. We use this information to map arts activities across Calgary.
• The total number of public activities for each fiscal year stated in your programming form should equal the total number of public activities (line 227) + the total number of arts education activities (line 276) + the total number of conferences and symposia (line 304) stated in your statistical form.
• The intention of the “Communities Served” field is to identify where programming has been specifically and intentionally developed to serve the indigenous, multicultural, disability, LGBTQIA2S+, or other specific communities. If your programming is open to the general public, please leave this section blank.

HOW CAN I GET HELP ON MY REPORTING?

Contact the community investment and impact team at grants@calgaryartsdevelopment.com. They can provide training on using the forms, offer advice on how to track throughout the year, and provide suggestions for where to count your activities and statistics.

BEFORE YOU BEGIN YOUR APPLICATION, CONSIDER THESE QUESTIONS:

What is important to you?

Consider your artistic goals. How will this project help you achieve your artistic goals, and why is now the best time to pursue it?

What is feasible for you?

If you receive this funding, what activities will you be able to realistically and meaningfully complete?

What don’t you know?

Don’t be afraid to be honest about the challenges or barriers you might experience in your career as an artist or in your artistic practice. What are the areas you need to invest in, such as professional or artistic development, experimentation, or risk-taking?

Who are your communities?

Who is the audience for your work? It could be people who share the same goals or values, people who engage with or see your work, or people who work in your artistic community. Defining your community will allow you to best understand what it means to have an impactful relationship with them.

IF I APPLY TO THE ORIGINAL PEOPLES INVESTMENT PROGRAM, WILL I BE ALLOWED TO APPLY TO OTHER PROGRAMS THIS YEAR?

Yes, you will also be able to apply for and receive a grant from any other program you’re eligible for. The only limit is that you cannot receive more than one grant for the same project. For example, if you are successful in the Original Peoples Investment Program you could apply for the Project Grant, but not for the same project.

You could apply for an entirely different project or for a completely different phase of the same project, but there can’t be overlapping expenses. If you are not successful in the Original Peoples Investment Program, then you could apply to the Project Grant for the same project.

I CAN’T DECIDE IF I SHOULD APPLY TO THE NEW VOICES OR NEXT STEPS STREAM

There is no right or wrong choice! Think about how you honestly feel about where you are with your art right now, and what you think is the most effective way to understand it.

WHAT IF I AM INVOLVED IN MORE THAN ONE PROJECT?

We will only accept one application per person, per project. If you are involved in other projects that are also applying, other individuals must take the responsibility for those projects.

CAN I APPLY FOR A PROJECT THAT HAS ALREADY STARTED?

We will accept applications for projects so long as the planned activities are less than half-finished by the time of the program deadline. We will not consider projects or initiatives that have taken place before the deadline.

MY PROJECT IS REALLY PERSONAL AND INDIVIDUAL, WHY DO I NEED TO TALK ABOUT MY COMMUNITY CONNECTION?

In our discussions with our Indigenous Artist Advisory a common theme was around the power of community to heal. While we know that many artistic practices may not necessarily put a primary focus on community engagement, we want to open a conversation for every application to say what community means for them, and how they think their art contributes to that community.

HOW WILL THE SUCCESSFUL APPLICATIONS BE CHOSEN?

In 2020, applications to this program will be reviewed by a peer assessment committee made up of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit artists and artistic community members. There will be two committees—one for the New Voices stream and one for the Next Steps stream.

Each person on the committee will be asked to read and review each application according to the program criteria, then they will discuss the applications in person and make final grant recommendations. The specialist for Indigenous programs is responsible for facilitating these discussions and ensuring that the conversations are fair, unbiased, and appreciative.

I DON’T FEEL COMFORTABLE WRITING OR TALKING IN FRONT OF A CAMERA. HOW CAN I STILL APPLY?

We are open to you choosing someone else to speak on your behalf in the oral submission. If you are having trouble finding someone willing to do this for you, we can help (provided you give us a lot of notice). The ultimate responsibility for your application will still be yours, so it will be up to you to ensure that you adequately prepare any helpers to speak on your behalf.

CAN I APPLY FOR A PROJECT THAT PARTNERS WITH A NON-INDIGENOUS OR NON-FNMI ARTIST OR ORGANIZATION?

Yes! This program is about forging and strengthening connections between everyone who lives in Treaty 7. That being said, we are only allowing FNMI artists and organizations to be the main applicants.

SHOULD I APPLY FOR $10,000? WILL I HAVE A BETTER CHANCE IF I APPLY FOR LESS?

Usually, your planning will not be as strong if you start at $10,000 and work backwards. Instead, we encourage applicants to first think about a project that will fall within the general range of under $10,000. Imagine how you think the project would run ideally, and then build your budget off of that.

If you go over $10,000 then you can reconsider the scope of your project, look for where you can cut costs, or think about other funding to supplement your overall budget. Your best chances are to apply with the project you’ve done the best planning for.

WHAT IF MY PROJECT COSTS MORE THAN $10,000?

You will have to show how you will fund the remaining expenses, either through fundraising, other grants or sponsorships, or your own personal money. It is okay if you are applying for additional funding outside of this program, but it won’t be confirmed before the deadline. If you do as much as you can to show that you’ve done the proper planning, the Community Circle will be asked to make decisions based on the assumption that you have any additional expenses covered.

CAN I USE THIS FUNDING FOR TUITION FOR A WORKSHOP, TRAINING COURSE, RESIDENCY, ETC.?

Yes, so long as you can directly link those experiences to your project. The only tuition or course fees we will not fund are for post-secondary degree-granting programs.

DO I NEED TO PAY TAXES ON THIS GRANT?

If you are an individual or representing a group of artists that is not registered as a non-profit, Calgary Arts Development is required to issue a T4A Form for the full amount you receive from this program.

Under the Canada Revenue Agency guidelines, only the amount of money that you pay yourself from the grant amount is taxable as income. In order to show that the remaining grant amount was spent on materials, rentals, paying other artists, etc. you should track all of your expenses, keep your receipts, and have written proof of payment to artists. If you have any questions about how to track your expenses, please let us know.

We are currently looking at providing workshops with tax experts to help artists prepare their tax documents as there are implications for both on and off reserve artists.

IF I MAKE A MISTAKE OR MISS SOMETHING IN MY APPLICATION, WILL IT STILL BE ACCEPTED?

If we can see that information is missing because of a mistake or a simple omission, we will usually follow up with you and give you a chance to make adjustments.

MY PROPOSED ACTIVITY WILL INCLUDE PUBLIC GATHERING OR TRAVEL. WHAT DO I DO?

If your proposed activity requires any aspect of public gathering or travel you must follow all COVID-19 related guidelines and restrictions (i.e. restrictions or recommendations on gatherings, social distancing, availability and rules for venues or spaces, travel restrictions and recommendations, mandatory quarantine periods, etc.). You will need to make a strong case for feasibility and concreteness by clearly demonstrating that your proposed activity can and will occur before June 30, 2021, especially if it involves any elements that may be directly influenced by current and ongoing COVID-19 related guidelines and restrictions. Please include any relevant considerations and necessary contingency plans in your application.

If your proposed activity is cancelled or postponed beyond June 30, 2021 due to a foreseeable restriction, you may be asked to return the grant funds. If you have questions or concerns about your proposed activities please contact the program specialist.

WHAT IS AN ARTISTIC RESUME OR CV AND HOW IS IT USED IN THIS PROGRAM?

An artistic resume or curriculum vitae (CV) is a clear list of experiences relevant to your artistic practice. Depending on your artistic discipline it might include education, training, workshops, residencies, works produced, commissions, awards and grants, past solo or group performances, exhibitions, publications, or engagements, media or bibliography, professional affiliations, etc.

There are many formats for resumes and CVs and some are discipline-specific. For the purposes of this program, simplicity and readability are more important than fancy formatting. Be sure to include important information such as dates, locations, and a very brief description of each experience, if it isn’t already apparent in the title.

A resume or CV can be a helpful tool for assessors to view alongside the written Introduction to your Artistic Practice, in order to better understand your artistic history, achievements, growth work and community.

WORD COUNTS AND CHARACTER COUNTS

We have provided a maximum word count for each written section of the application. This should be considered the maximum, not the goal. If you do not need to use up the word count to make your case, don’t feel compelled to fill space. However, it is important to provide enough information for assessors to understand your practice, activities and goals so be thoughtful, clear and specific.

In the application online you will notice that our granting portal counts characters instead of words, so those ranges have been converted for you (i.e. 100 words is approximately 1,000 characters).

IF I ALREADY RECEIVED A GRANT FROM CALGARY ARTS DEVELOPMENT LAST YEAR OR THIS YEAR FROM ANOTHER PROGRAM, AM I STILL ELIGIBLE TO APPLY TO THE MICROGRANT PROGRAM?

Yes, you are still eligible to apply to the microgrant if you received a grant from another program, but you cannot receive more than one Calgary Arts Development grant for the same project or activity. You could apply for an entirely different activity or for a completely different phase of the same activity, but there can’t be overlapping expenses. If you are unsuccessful in a previous application, you may reapply with the same activity, as long as it is eligible within the program guidelines.

CAN I APPLY FOR AN ACTIVITY THAT HAS ALREADY STARTED?

We will accept applications for activities that have already started, so long as the planned activities are not fully complete by the time of the program deadline; Activities which will be fully completed before the application deadline of February 16, 2021 are not eligible. Remember, activities funded through this program must be completed by June 30, 2021.

HOW WILL THE SUCCESSFUL APPLICATIONS BE CHOSEN?

Applications to this program will be reviewed online by a peer assessment committee between January 11th and mid-March. Each person on the committee will be asked to read and review applications according to basic program eligibility as well as the three program criteria: relevance, impact and feasibility. They will provide numerical ratings for each of the criteria statements outlined in the program guidelines, resulting in a total possible score of 40. Each application will be evaluated by at least 6 assessors.

The Calgary Arts Development program specialist for individuals and collectives, will review the committee’s evaluations and average total scores and the top-rated applications will receive funding through the program. Any tie-breaking decisions based on equity priorities will be made by the program specialist.

If there are applications with tied final scores but insufficient funds in the grant budget to support these applications, activities proposed by artists belonging to an equity priority group (or in the case of a collective, where the majority are artists from equity priority groups) will be prioritized.

Applicants that self-identify on the voluntary demographic survey included in the grant application as belonging to these equity priority groups are automatically considered for this equity measure. Information provided in the voluntary demographic survey will not be shared with assessors and will only be viewable by program staff. Any information provided in the voluntary demographic survey will only be attached to this application process, not to the applicant’s profile in the grant interface.

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.

SHOULD I APPLY FOR $2,500? WILL I HAVE A BETTER CHANCE IF I APPLY FOR LESS?

We encourage applicants to apply for activities that fall within the general range of under $2,500 and budget for what they realistically need to complete the activity. Imagine how that activity would run ideally, and then build your budget off of that.

If you go over $2,500 then you might reconsider the scope of your proposed activities, look for where you can cut costs, or think about other funding to supplement your overall budget. Your best chances are to apply with the activity you’ve done the best planning for.

WHAT IF MY PROPOSED ACTIVITY COSTS MORE THAN $2,500?

You will have to show how you will fund the remaining expenses, either through fundraising, other grants or sponsorships, or your own personal money. If you are applying for additional funding outside of this program but it won’t be confirmed before the deadline, do your best to demonstrate that you have done the proper planning. The assessment committee will be encouraged to make decisions based on the assumption that you have any additional expenses covered, but having many pending revenues may impact the committee’s evaluation of urgency and feasibility.

If something changes with regard to confirmations after you submit your application, please let us know immediately as we may be able to make updates depending on where we are at in the assessment process.

DO I NEED TO PAY TAXES ON THIS GRANT?

If you are an individual or representing a group of artists that is not registered as a non-profit, Calgary Arts Development is required to issue a T4A Form for the full amount you receive from this program for the tax year in which funding is administered.

Under the Canada Revenue Agency guidelines, only the amount of money that you pay yourself from the grant amount is taxable as income. In order to show that the remaining grant amount was spent on materials, rentals, paying other artists, etc. you should track all of your expenses, keep your receipts, and have written proof of payment to artists. If you have any questions about how to track your expenses, please let us know. We always advise talking to a tax professional if you have specific questions.

WHY IS THERE A LIMIT ON THE PURCHASE OF EQUIPMENT? WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER WHEN REQUESTING THE PURCHASE OF EQUIPMENT?

Land, buildings (space), and equipment are considered capital expenditures, which is why there is a maximum dollar limit that Calgary Arts Development is able to grant to artists for the purchase of these expenses. The dollar limit may vary between programs.

This program allows applicants to request up to $1,000 towards the purchase of equipment (including software and hardware) that is necessary to share work in response to COVID-19 restrictions. Equipment expenses, such as a laptop, camera, lighting equipment, machinery, etc. outlast the duration of the project or activity, unlike materials or supplies which are used up during the project or activity. There is however, no cap on the amount that can be requested for the rental of space or equipment.

If you make a request for the purchase of a capital expense, such as equipment, approach it the same way you would make any other request; demonstrate a strong and clear case for it. For example, first explain why you need this particular equipment and how it will impact your proposed activity, artistic development or practice. Then it will be important to make a case for why you should own the equipment versus renting it. Consider what the cost difference is, if it’s for short-term project use or a long term investment, how it will be used in the future to continue to help you, if it will create opportunities for future sharing, etc.

WHY IS THIS GRANT PROGRAM ONLY BEING OFFERED ONCE?

Funding for this microgrant program was made possible with donations from Calgary Arts Foundation, Calgary Foundation, an anonymous donor to the Edmonton Community Foundation, RBC, and the Palmer Family Foundation. Since these are one-time private donations we cannot guarantee this program will occur again in future grant years. We thank these donors for their generous support. We will be evaluating this program and the impact of the investments made to determine if similar programs will be valuable in the future.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF EQUITY PRIORITY GROUPS?

Calgary Arts Development acknowledges that there are many barriers to access and full participation in our society, sector and granting programs that have historically disadvantaged some groups over others. In order to help address underserved individuals and communities who have experienced barriers to funding and access to opportunities in our arts sector, we have identified equity priority groups. We have also adopted a specific equity measure for the microgrant program, which is explained in the program guidelines. 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.

Equity priority groups and equity processes, policies and measures will continue to change and be adapted as needed based on ongoing evaluation, community engagement and feedback, changing population, funding gaps, responses to the arts sector, etc. This is an iterative process that is intended to be responsive. 

Before you begin your application, consider the below questions:

What is your mandate?

Consider your organization’s core mandate. How will this project help you achieve your mandate, and why is it important to undertake this project now? How is your project relevant to your overall operations, and how will it help you connect with your community?

Who are your communities?

When organizations think of community the first thing that might come to mind is their audience. However, an organization’s community also consists of other groups like artists, volunteers, members, partners, and other stakeholders. Clearly identifying the main community that the project will affect will be a key piece of a successful application. Assessors will need to understand how this community is key to your overall operations and mandate, and how the community will be understood in the context of the project.

How can I demonstrate that my project will help me connect with my communities?

We want to open a conversation for every applicant to say what community means to them, and how they think their mandate and operations contribute to their communities, whether they are actively engaging them at this point in their project or not.

The depth and quality of your relationships is just as important, if not more important, than the breadth or quantity of your relationships. We don’t expect you to be everything to everyone. What we are interested in is knowing who you make and share your work with and for, what those relationships are and why they’re important to you and those communities.

If your proposed project intends to make work about, with or for a specific community, it will be important to speak to your relationships and connections to that specific community. If your work is more internal facing, it will be important to draw a through line to illustrate how the project will help you serve or engage with your communities in the future.

How do you engage with or consider your communities when you make or share work?

Understanding the potential challenges or limitations you might experience is also valuable to this process. Which areas of operations do you need to invest in to better serve your specific community? Why is this project relevant or important to your organization? Demonstrating an awareness of the challenges or gaps can actually show assessors the level of self-awareness and criticality you have around your artistic practice and your proposed project.

I CAN’T DECIDE IF I SHOULD APPLY TO THE CREATE & DEVELOP STREAM OR THE PROGRAM & PRESENT STREAM. HOW DO I DECIDE?

The intention of streaming is to help manage volume by grouping projects that are more similar than not together in assessment and to have criteria that align to that particular stream. The criteria for each stream both evaluate artistic impact, community connection, and planning but have slightly different criteria statements for artistic impact and community connection, as outlined in the program criteria and scoring matrix sections of the program guidelines.

When choosing a stream consider if your project will result in something that will be shared with an audience or the general public as part of the project timeline and goals for this grant application. If so, the Program & Present stream would be the best choice. Projects in this stream may still have aspects of creation, research, experimentation, development, etc. but they involve sharing your work publicly.

Examples of Program & Present Projects: Curation, presentation, publication, exhibition, production, post-production, touring, etc.

If your project won’t result in something that will be shared with an audience or the general public as part of this project timeline and goals for this grant application, the Create & Develop stream would be the best choice. Projects in this stream might include some aspects of engagement with individuals or communities but the focus of your application at this time is more internally focused, like artistic development or creation stage of work.

Projects related to the operations and administration of your organization, like developing processes or practices, research, or governance development, may also be considered in this stream, as long as they are not part of your ongoing or regular operations. You can find a definition of ‘regular operations’ in this FAQ section.

Examples of Create & Develop Projects: Research, creation or development of work, board and governance development, business development activities related to your operations (like website development, new accounting practices, membership engagement etc).

MY PROJECT WILL INCLUDE PUBLIC GATHERING OR PRESENTATION. HOW DO I ADDRESS COVID-19?

If your project plan involves any aspect of public gathering or presentation we strongly recommend that you consider how this might be impacted if restrictions continue (such as social distancing, caps on group sizes, availability of venues, travel restrictions, etc.). Reflect on what you have learned about the current circumstances and share how you are considering these and include any necessary contingency plans in your application.

MY ORGANIZATION IS NOT A REGISTERED NON-PROFIT. CAN I PARTNER WITH ANOTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION FOR THIS GRANT?

Yes, as long as the partner organization you are working with leads the application. The organization must also be arts-based, and you must clarify why this partnership is meaningful to both organizations. It is also important that it is clearly stated how the organizations will work together to achieve the project, and how responsibilities and tasks within the proposal are being shared.

HOW CAN STAFF BE PAID WITH THIS GRANT?

Salaries for regular full-time employees may not be covered by this grant. Any extra contractors, facilitators, or staff that are not currently employed by the organization may be included as part of the overall budget for this project for work that is directly related to the project.

WHAT CONSTITUTES REGULAR OPERATIONS?

Regular operations is any activity that could be reasonably considered part of the day-to-day operations and governance of an organization. Examples include regular staff duties, programming activities, and other tasks that ensure the organization meets its mandate,  financial obligation, and fiduciary responsibilities as a non-profit society.

Organizations who do not currently receive an annual operating grant from Calgary Arts Development may apply for a project related to regular operations on a case by case basis. Please contact the program specialist to discuss your project and determine eligibility.

HOW SHOULD I BE CONSIDERING THE RECOMMENDED CHARACTER COUNTS IN THE APPLICATION?

We have provided a range of character counts for each of the written sections in the application. Our granting portal uses character counts instead of word counts but as a reference, 1,000 characters is approximately 100 words. The top of the character count range should be considered the maximum, not the goal. If you don’t need to use up the entire character count to make your case, don’t feel compelled to fill space. However, the bottom of the character count range should be considered your minimum target. It is important to provide enough information for assessors to understand your mandate, project, and goals.

IF I ALREADY RECEIVED A GRANT FROM CALGARY ARTS DEVELOPMENT FROM ANOTHER PROGRAM, AM I STILL ELIGIBLE TO APPLY TO THE PROJECT GRANT PROGRAM?

Yes, you are still eligible to apply to the Project Grant Program if you received a grant from another program, but you cannot receive more than one Calgary Arts Development grant for the same project, regardless of calendar year. You could apply for an entirely different project or for a completely different phase of the same project, but there cannot be overlapping expenses or activities. If you are unsuccessful in a previous application, you may reapply with the same project.

In order to apply for and receive a grant from Calgary Arts Development, you must be in good standing. This means that you are not in breach of any Investment Agreement you currently hold with Calgary Arts Development, and you have successfully submitted any reporting required for previous grant investments. If you have overdue interim or final reports, you may not apply for any grant program or receive grant payments until you complete your reporting.

Organizations who have received a Fair Notice Policy flag on their 2021 Operating Grant should contact the program specialist prior to beginning an application. If an organization is in the midst of the Fair Notice Policy process, or if they are not demonstrating a risk mitigation plan, they may not be considered in good standing.

CAN I APPLY FOR A PROJECT THAT HAS ALREADY STARTED?

We will accept applications for projects that have already started, so long as the planned activities are not fully complete by the time of the program deadline. Projects which will be fully completed before the application deadline of July 12, 2021 are not eligible.

SHOULD I APPLY FOR THE MAXIMUM GRANT AMOUNT AVAILABLE? WILL I HAVE A BETTER CHANCE IF I APPLY FOR LESS?

Usually, your planning will not be as strong if you start at the maximum request amount and work backwards. Instead, we encourage applicants to first think about a project that will fall within the general range of the grant, imagine how the project would run ideally, and then build your budget off of that.

If your project expenses go over the maximum request amount available, then you can reconsider the scope of your project, look for where you can cut costs, or think about other funding to supplement your overall budget. Your best chances are to apply with the project you’ve done the best planning for.

It is not necessarily helpful to ask for more than what you need and hope to get less. If your project can be scaled, make sure to explicitly state where you could cut expenses or provide an alternate budget. Assessors won’t be able to guess!

They also cannot recommend an amount higher than what you requested, so we also don’t suggest asking for less than what you need, as that might not show the greatest potential for impact. In most cases, we encourage the assessment committees to recommend full funding requests, unless they see a major concern.

WHAT IF MY PROJECT COSTS MORE THAN THE MAXIMUM GRANT AMOUNT AVAILABLE?

You will have to show how you will fund the remaining expenses, either through fundraising, other grants or sponsorships, or your organization’s own money. It is okay if you are applying for additional funding outside of this program, but it won’t be confirmed before the deadline. If you do as much as you can to show that you’ve done the proper planning, the assessment committee will be asked to make decisions based on the assumption that you have any additional expenses covered.

WHY IS THERE A LIMIT ON THE PURCHASE OF EQUIPMENT? WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER WHEN REQUESTING THE PURCHASE OF EQUIPMENT?

The purchase of land, buildings (space), and equipment are all considered capital expenditures because they outlast the duration of the project and become an asset, unlike materials or supplies which are used up during the project. There is a maximum dollar amount that Calgary Arts Development is able to grant to organizations for the purchase of capital expenses. The dollar limit may vary between programs.

This program allows applicants to request up to $2,000 towards the purchase of equipment that is directly related to their proposed project. Some examples of equipment expenses might be a laptop, camera, lighting equipment, machinery, permanent software, an instrument, etc. There is however, no limit on the amount that can be requested for the rental of space or equipment. 

If you make a request for the purchase of a capital expense such as equipment, approach it the same way you would make any other request; by demonstrating a strong and clear case for it. For example, first explain why you need this particular equipment and how it will impact your proposed project. Then it will be important to make a case for why you should own the equipment versus renting it. Consider what the cost difference is, if it’s for short-term project use or a long term investment, how it will be used in the future to continue to help you, if it will create opportunities for future sharing, etc.

HOW WILL THE SUCCESSFUL APPLICATIONS BE CHOSEN?

In 2021, applications to this program will be reviewed by peer assessment committees. Each stream will be split into sub-committees dependent on the volume of applications. Each person on the committee will be asked to read and review each application according to the program criteria and scoring matrix. Then the committee will discuss each application and make final funding decisions in a meeting facilitated by the program specialist for organizations.

The specialist for organization programs is responsible for facilitating these discussions and ensuring that the conversations are fair and appreciative, and that assessors are acting within the Group Agreements and process outlined in the Terms of Reference.

BEFORE YOU BEGIN YOUR APPLICATION, CONSIDER THE BELOW QUESTIONS:

What is important to you?

Consider your artistic goals. How will this project help you achieve your artistic goals, and why is now the best time to pursue them? How are they important and relevant to your overall artistic practice and development?

How can I demonstrate that my project is compelling, relevant and high quality?

Artistic quality, relevance and compellability will always be subjective, so it’s important to guide assessors in understanding how you consider these things in your work. High quality can mean many things, depending on the context of your work and your proposed project. It can refer to the technical skill involved in creating the work, the aesthetic of the work, or the artistic processes used to create the work. High quality also refers to the way artists approach and understand the time, resources, rigor, and investment they put into their professional practice.

The quality and relevance of your work will be measured against what you tell us your artistic goals are. If the goal of the project is to focus on the artistic output, tell us what artistic success means to you. If the goal of the project is to focus on community engagement, tell us what good community engagement means to you.

Who are your communities? 

Defining your community will allow you to best understand what it means to have an impactful relationship with them. Depending on your project, your communities may be audiences, participants, collaborators, artists, mentors, volunteers, etc. Your communities may also be geographical, cultural, academic, or artistic discipline specific.

How do you engage with or consider your communities when you make or share work?

While we know that many artistic practices may not necessarily put a primary focus on community engagement, we want to open a conversation for every applicant to say what community means to them, and how they think their art contributes to their communities, whether they are actively engaging them at this point in their project or not.

The depth and quality of your relationships is just as important, if not more important, than the breadth or quantity of your relationships. We don’t expect you to be everything to everyone. What we are interested in is knowing who you make and share your work with and for, what those relationships are and why they’re important to you and those communities.

If your proposed project intends to make work about, with or for a specific community, it will be important to speak to your relationships and connections to that specific community. For example, do you have personal lived experience, are you including and valuing those perspectives in a meaningful way, how are you engaging that community, etc.?

What don’t you know?

Don’t be afraid to be honest about the challenges or barriers you might experience in your career as an artist or in your artistic practice. What are the areas you need to invest in, such as professional or artistic development, experimentation, or risk-taking? Demonstrating an awareness of the challenges or gaps can actually show assessors the level of self-awareness and criticality you have around your artistic practice and your proposed project.

What is feasible for you?

If you receive this funding, what activities will you be able to realistically and meaningfully complete? Consider your own project timelines in relation to the grant program timelines. Also, make sure you’re prepared to responsibly manage public funds.

I CAN’T DECIDE IF I SHOULD APPLY TO THE CREATE & DEVELOP STREAM OR THE PROGRAM & PRESENT STREAM. HOW DO I DECIDE?

The intention of streaming is to help manage volume by grouping projects that are more similar than not together in assessment and to have criteria that align to that particular stream. The criteria for each stream both evaluate artistic impact, community connection and planning but have slightly different criteria statements for artistic impact and community connection, as outlined in the program criteria and scoring matrix sections of the program guidelines.

When choosing a stream consider if your project will result in something that will be shared with an audience or the general public as part of the project timeline and goals for this grant application. If so, the Program & Present stream would be the best choice. Projects in this stream may still have aspects of creation, research, experimentation, development, etc. but they involve sharing your work publicly.

Examples of Program & Present Projects: Curation, presentation, publication, exhibition, production, post-production, touring, etc.

If your project won’t result in something that will be shared with an audience or the general public as part of this project timeline and goals for this grant application, the Create & Develop stream would be the best choice. Projects in this stream might include some aspects of engagement with individuals or communities as part of the creation or development process but the focus of your application at this time is more internally focused on your artistic practice, like developing new skills or techniques, research, artistic development or creation, or career development.

Examples of Create & Develop Projects: Research, creation or development of work, professional development opportunities (like residencies, mentorship, training, courses, classes, workshops, etc.), business development activities related to your artistic practice (like website development, marketing fees, documentation of work, etc).

MY PROJECT WILL INCLUDE PUBLIC GATHERING OR PRESENTATION. HOW DO I ADDRESS COVID-19?

If your proposed project involves any aspect of public gathering or presentation, we strongly recommend that you consider how feasible this truly is, and if your project could be impacted if various government restrictions and recommendations continue (such as social distancing, caps on group sizes, gatherings and performances both indoor and outdoor, availability of venues, travel restrictions, potential audience willingness to partake in live or in-person events, etc.)

We understand that it will be difficult to plan projects with certainty, but it’s important to be realistic about what is reasonable, feasible, and foreseeable in the coming year to year and a half. Take time to reflect on what you have learned and witnessed over the past year and about the current circumstances when deciding what project you will apply with, when it will occur, who will be involved and how it will be realized.

Share how you are considering these realities and risks in your project plan and include any necessary contingency plans, safety measures or considerations in your application.

Call us if you are unsure or have questions about your specific circumstances, and please visit our information about COVID-19 page and stay up to date on the latest news, government regulations and measures from reliable public health authorities.

I WANT TO PAY MYSELF FROM THIS GRANT. SHOULD I FRAME MY OWN PERSONAL PAYMENT AS AN ARTIST FEE OR SUBSISTENCE? HOW DO I CALCULATE OR ESTIMATE THOSE?

Artist fees and subsistence expenses are both eligible expenses under this program but depending on the project, activity or discipline, one might be more appropriate to request than the other.

Professional artist fees are typically specific to the production of work, an outcome or a product. Artist fees are often paid as a fee for service. Examples of when you might request an artist fee (or pay others an artist fee) would be for creating work, preparing work, presenting work, speaking on a panel, running a workshop, instruction or teaching, etc. In some situations the artist fee will be covered by the presenting or host organization but when they are not able to or if the project is self-directed, artists may choose to request an artist fee from a grant instead.

Some disciplines have standard fee schedules that provide a suggested minimum rate for different activities related to creating, preparing or sharing work within that discipline. Examples are CARFAC (visual arts), CADA/West (dance), ACTRA (film), CAEA or IATSE (theatre). Other disciplines may not have standard fee schedules but may have general industry norms for valuing time and work. Whether you are referencing a standard fee schedule or calculating an artist fee using an hourly, weekly or fixed rate, the important thing is to clearly demonstrate how you’ve chosen to calculate this within your project budget. Artist Producer Resource has a list of organizations that outline minimum fee schedules.

Applicants might request help with subsistence expenses for longer-term projects that are more difficult to put a dollar value on, such as writing a manuscript, or for projects where they need these expenses covered in order to fairly access that opportunity. Usually subsistence expenses are considered living expenses for your primary residence such as rent, utilities, childcare, food, internet, etc.

When it comes to calculating subsistence expenses, it largely depends on the length of the project and whether or not the applicant has another source of income or splits their expenses with someone else like a spouse or roommate. It will vary from artist to artist so we ask that you determine how much you need based on your specific circumstances. Make sure you clearly breakdown what your subsistence request includes and the duration you’re requesting.

We do not support artist fees for professional development activities, such as attending a residency, course or training. What we are able to cover are the costs related to participating in these kinds of activities so that artists aren’t paying out of pocket. For example, you could apply for course fees, a per diem to cover daily travel, accommodation or food costs, etc.

We cannot support lost wages, meaning we cannot replace lost income from taking time off your other jobs to undertake a project.

It is important to remember that both artist fees and subsistence expenses are usually considered taxable income by the Canada Revenue Agency. Consult the CRA guidelines for artist grants when you are planning your budget.

WHAT IS AN ARTISTIC RESUME OR CV AND HOW IS IT USED IN THIS PROGRAM?

An artistic resume or curriculum vitae (CV) is a clear list of experiences relevant to your artistic practice. Depending on your artistic discipline it might include education, training, workshops, residencies, works produced, commissions, awards and grants, past solo or group performances, exhibitions, publications, or engagements, media or bibliography, professional affiliations, etc.

There are many formats for resumes and CVs and some are discipline-specific. For the purposes of this program, simplicity and readability are more important than fancy formatting. Be sure to include important information such as dates, locations and a very brief description of each experience, if it isn’t already apparent in the title.

A resume or CV can be a helpful tool for assessors to view alongside your written introduction to your artistic practice. It helps to give a better understanding of your artistic history, achievements, growth, and community.

I AM NOT AN ARTIST BUT I AM SEEKING FUNDING FOR A PROJECT THAT INVOLVES HIRING ARTISTS OR SUPPORTING ARTISTIC WORK. CAN I APPLY?

Projects and applications to this program must be artist-led. Individual applicants and artist collectives applying to the Project Grant Program must pursue a professional artistic practice, hold the core artistic vision for the project and demonstrate how the project contributes to their artistic practice statement, mandate or goals. Currently, our programs are not intended to support arts managers, arts administrators, cultural workers, event companies, groups or collectives that are not artist-led. Please see the glossary for further descriptions.

It may be possible for the artists involved in your project to apply for funding to support their own practice and involvement in the project but they would need to apply to the program individually.

If you are unsure about eligibility, please contact the program specialist.

HOW SHOULD I BE CONSIDERING THE RECOMMENDED CHARACTER COUNTS IN THE APPLICATION?

We have provided a range of character counts for each of the written sections in the application. Our granting portal uses character counts instead of word counts but as a reference, 1,000 characters is approximately 100 words. The top of the character count range should be considered the maximum, not the goal. If you don’t need to use up the entire character count to make your case, don’t feel compelled to fill space. However, the bottom of the character count range should be considered your minimum target. It is important to provide enough information for assessors to understand your practice, project, and goals.

IF I ALREADY RECEIVED A GRANT FROM CALGARY ARTS DEVELOPMENT FROM ANOTHER PROGRAM, AM I STILL ELIGIBLE TO APPLY TO THE PROJECT GRANT PROGRAM?

Yes, you are still eligible to apply to the Project Grant Program if you received a grant from another program, but you cannot receive more than one Calgary Arts Development grant for the same project, regardless of calendar year. You could apply for an entirely different project or for a completely different phase of the same project, but there cannot be overlapping expenses or activities. If you are unsuccessful in a previous application, you may reapply with the same project.

In order to apply for and receive a grant from Calgary Arts Development, you must be in good standing. This means that you are not in breach of any Investment Agreement you currently hold with Calgary Arts Development, and you have successfully submitted any reporting required for previous grant investments. If you have overdue interim or final reports, you may not apply for any grant program or receive grant payments until you complete your reporting.

WHAT IF I AM INVOLVED IN MORE THAN ONE PROJECT?

We will only accept one application per individual or collective to this program. Individual artists may submit an application as an individual and be a participant in another project application by another individual or artist collective, but collective applications must be submitted through their own separate account in the grant portal. An individual cannot submit one application for their own project and another application for a collective project using their own individual account.

We will only accept one application per project. This means that you and another applicant cannot submit two separate applications for the same project. One of you must lead the application for the project.

CAN I APPLY FOR A PROJECT THAT HAS ALREADY STARTED?

We will accept applications for projects that have already started, so long as the planned activities are not fully complete by the time of the program deadline. Projects which will be fully completed before the application deadline of June 14, 2021 are not eligible.

SHOULD I APPLY FOR THE MAXIMUM GRANT AMOUNT AVAILABLE? WILL I HAVE A BETTER CHANCE IF I APPLY FOR LESS?

Usually, your planning will not be as strong if you start at the maximum request amount and work backwards. Instead, we encourage applicants to first think about a project that will fall within the general range of the grant, imagine how the project would run ideally, and then build your budget off of that.

If your project expenses go over the maximum request amount available, then you can reconsider the scope of your project, look for where you can cut costs, or think about other funding to supplement your overall budget. Your best chances are to apply with the project you’ve done the best planning for.

It is not necessarily helpful to ask for more than what you need and hope to get less. If your project can be scaled, make sure to explicitly state where you could cut expenses or provide an alternate budget. Assessors won’t be able to guess!

They also cannot recommend an amount higher than what you requested, so we also don’t suggest asking for less than what you need, as that might not show the greatest potential for impact. In most cases, we encourage the assessment committees to recommend full funding requests, unless they see a major concern.

WHAT IF MY PROJECT COSTS MORE THAN THE MAXIMUM GRANT AMOUNT AVAILABLE?

You will have to show how you will fund the remaining expenses, either through fundraising, other grants or sponsorships, or your own personal money. It is okay if you are applying for additional funding outside of this program, but it won’t be confirmed before the deadline. If you do as much as you can to show that you’ve done the proper planning, the assessment committee will be asked to make decisions based on the assumption that you have any additional expenses covered.

CAN I USE THIS FUNDING FOR TUITION FOR A WORKSHOP, TRAINING COURSE, RESIDENCY, ETC.?

Yes, in this program attending a workshop, training course or residency could be considered a project in and of itself, or you might speak to how a workshop or training course directly links to your overall larger project.

The only tuition or course fees we will not fund are those related to post-secondary degree, credit, certificate, or diploma granting educational programs. We also are not able to fund any expenses or artistic work related to those educational programs.

CAN I USE THIS FUNDING FOR SELF-DIRECTED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT?

Yes, creating opportunities for professional development on your own could be considered a project. Examples might include self-directed residencies, research, online webinars or training, dedicated time to learn or practice a skill etc. It is important to refer to the program guidelines, criteria, and eligible expenses when developing a project for self-directed learning. It may also be important to reflect on why this is the best approach for your artistic development right now.

WHY IS THERE A LIMIT ON THE PURCHASE OF EQUIPMENT? WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER WHEN REQUESTING THE PURCHASE OF EQUIPMENT?

The purchase of land, buildings (space), and equipment are all considered capital expenditures because they outlast the duration of the project and become an asset, unlike materials or supplies which are used up during the project. There is a maximum dollar amount that Calgary Arts Development is able to grant to artists and collectives for the purchase of capital expenses. The dollar limit may vary between programs.

This program allows applicants to request up to $1,000 towards the purchase of equipment that is directly related to their proposed project. Some examples of equipment expenses might be a laptop, camera, lighting equipment, machinery, permanent software, a kiln, an instrument, etc. There is however, no limit on the amount that can be requested for the rental of space or equipment.

If you make a request for the purchase of a capital expense such as equipment, approach it the same way you would make any other request; by demonstrating a strong and clear case for it. For example, first explain why you need this particular equipment and how it will impact your proposed project, artistic development or practice. Then it will be important to make a case for why you should own the equipment versus renting it. Consider what the cost difference is, if it’s for short-term project use or a long term investment, how it will be used in the future to continue to help you, if it will create opportunities for future sharing, etc.

HOW WILL THE SUCCESSFUL APPLICATIONS BE CHOSEN?

In 2021, applications to this program will be reviewed by peer assessment committees. Each stream will be split into sub-committees dependent on the volume of applications. Each person on the committee will be asked to read and review each application according to the program criteria and scoring matrix. Then the committee will discuss each application and make final funding decisions in a meeting facilitated by the specialist for individuals and collectives.

The specialist for individual and collective programs is responsible for facilitating these discussions and ensuring that the conversations are fair and appreciative, and that assessors are acting within the Group Agreements and process outlined in the Terms of Reference.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF EQUITY PRIORITY GROUPS?

Calgary Arts Development acknowledges that there are many barriers to access and full participation in our society, sector and granting programs that have historically disadvantaged some groups over others. In order to help address underserved individuals and communities who have experienced barriers to funding and access to opportunities in our arts sector, we have identified equity priority groups. We have also adopted a specific equity measure for the Project Grant Program, which is explained in the program guidelines. 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.

Equity priority groups and equity processes, policies and measures will continue to change and be adapted as needed based on ongoing evaluation, community engagement and feedback, changing population, funding gaps, responses to the arts sector, etc. This is an iterative process that is intended to be responsive.