Back
Are you an artist that regularly works with other artists or artistic partners in your work? You may have more grant opportunities than you realize…
Over the past few days I have been working on my September newsletter for Individual SmartGrant subscribers. As I was compiling the grant deadline lists for September and October, I noticed all the funding programs that, while they appear to be specifically for organizations, are actually very much applicable to artists (in all disciplines) as well.
What many individual practitioners may not know, is that there are a host of grant programs that are potentially available to them, if they can demonstrate a history of working with other practitioners.
Two of the main funders that allow for this type of applicant eligibility, are the BC Arts Council and the Canada Council for the Arts.
For example, while the Canada Council does not provide a single formal “definition” for an artistic collective, it recognizes them as unincorporated groups or ensembles of professional artists who collaborate on artistic projects. Eligibility for Canada Council funding often requires these collectives to have at least two members and function independently, with creative and editorial control over their work.
On the other hand, the BC Arts Council provides more specific definition for eligible “collectives” of artists. Most often this is defined as as “3 independent artists, curators, or arts and cultural practitioners who are active in their field of practice”, and who each meet specific minimum professional practice criteria. Additionally, BCAC requires that collectives have “a demonstrated history of creating or presenting work as a collective and have a clear commitment to a current practice” (the details of which they define in their program guidelines).
Additionally, some other grant / funding programs allow for applications from “unincorporated groups” (of artists) or specific individuals if they are “sponsored” by a registered non-profit organization. For example, the City of Vancouver’s Communities and Artists Shifting Culture (CASC): Cultural Projects Grant Program guidelines state “non-incorporated collectives and individual artists from equity-denied communities may apply via a sponsor registered organization.”
What does this mean for you?…That expanding your search parameters, and considering other modes of eligibility, can open up a whole host of other possible funding opportunities.
For SmartGrant Individual subscribers, you can search for grant programs available to artist collectives by selecting the following option in your Eligibility Profile: “Part of an (unincorporated) ensemble or collective of (3 or more) artists or cultural practitioners.
We encourage you to have fun with all of SmartGrant’s eligibility and search parameters, to explore all that the platform can offer. Have questions? Please reach out, we’d love to hear from you: info@smartgrant.ca
