Canada Council for the Arts – Creating, Knowing and Sharing: The Arts and Cultures of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples: Short-Term Grants

2026 Deadlines: April 8, July 22, November 4, 2026

Program Summary:

Short-Term Projects is part of the Creating, Knowing and Sharing: The Arts and Cultures of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples program. It funds First Nations, Inuit and Métis professional and emerging artists, cultural carriers, arts and cultural professionals, groups, collectives and organizations working in all disciplines. Grants provide support for any combination of eligible Creating, Knowing and Sharing activities for projects lasting up to 1 year.

Activities must be led by eligible First Nations, Inuit or Métis artists, cultural carriers or arts and cultural professionals. Activities may include participation of, or collaboration with, non-Indigenous artists.

The Creating, Knowing and Sharing: The Arts and Cultures of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples program supports activities in 3 broad areas:

• Creating provides support for research and the production and creation of new works of art.
• Knowing provides support for the retention, maintenance, innovation and transmittal of cultural knowledge and creative practice. This includes contemporary and historical critical discourse, arts/cultural training and initiatives that seek to pass cultural knowledge to younger generations through artistic practice, and the renewal and maintenance of customary art practices.
• Sharing provides support for the dissemination, exhibition, presentation and distribution of works of art by First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, which enrich and engage communities in Canada and abroad.

Eligible Activities:

You can apply for any combination of eligible Creating, Knowing and Sharing activities lasting up to 12 months, including but not limited to:

• Creating – research; creation; production; critical discourse (including research or writing); residencies; collaborations
• Knowing – mentorships; artistic training; community-based initiatives to engage young people through artistic practices; language preservation through artistic practices; intergenerational transmission of artistic knowledge; preservation of traditional knowledge through artistic practice; development of administrative, artistic, cultural or organizational capacity; research; collaborations
• Sharing – local, regional, national or international exhibitions; implementation of dissemination strategy and organizational objectives; publishing activities; gathering events involving artistic practices; collaborations; marketing and publicity; presentations, festivals and showcase events; networking events involving artistic practices; outreach activities

Who Can Apply:

Potential applicants:

• First Nations, Inuit or Métis artists or arts/cultural workers
• First Nations, Inuit or Métis cultural carriers
• First Nations, Inuit or Métis emerging artists
• First Nations, Inuit or Métis groups or collectives
• First Nations, Inuit or Métis not-for-profit organizations
• First Nations, Inuit or Métis for-profit organizations

Organizations receiving core grants can only apply for strategic or exceptional activities not included in their core application and must have prior written approval from the program director.