Grants for Francophone Media Artists and Filmmakers in Ontario (Canada)

Objectives

• The program funds independent Francophone media artists and filmmakers in Ontario seeking to develop or produce new works in film, video, audio art, digital media, new media, and video and electronic games. Projects must be in French and intended for a Francophone audience. Works must be independently produced and the applicant must be the primary creative artist/director and retain full creative freedom and copyright. This program does not fund works intended for commercial film, television, and the gaming industries. The program has three categories:
  • Development – ​​Early, Mid-Career and Established Artists: Contributes to the costs of research, initial exploration and experimentation that may lead to the development of new work by an independent media artist or filmmaker.
  • Production – Early Career Artists: Contributes to the direct costs of production and post-production of a new work by an early career media artist or independent director.
  • Production – Mid-Career and Established Artists: Contributes to the direct costs of production and post-production of a new work by a mid-career or established media artist or independent filmmaker.

Priorities 

• The program primarily supports projects that:
  • demonstrate innovation in content, perspective, form, style, technique or approach
  • contribute to the candidate’s development as an artist

Funding Information

• Development – ​​early, mid-career and established artists: maximum $7,000
• Production – early career artists: maximum $25,000
• Production – mid-career and established artists: maximum $40,000
• In the Production categories, the total budget of a project cannot exceed:
  • $125,000 for applications from early-career artists
  • $300,000 for applications from mid-career or established artists

Eligibility Criteria

• Eligible candidates must be established in Ontario and include:
  • An individual must:
    • Be a professional artist or arts professional.
    • By professional artist or arts professional, the CAO means any person who has acquired his or her skills through training or practice, who is recognized by artists working in the same artistic tradition, who has a record of public presentation or publication, who seeks remuneration for his or her work, and who practices his or her art. Brief interruptions in artistic career are permitted.
    • Be at least 18 years old.
    • Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada, or have applied for permanent resident status and be able to provide supporting documents to this effect upon request.
    • Reside in Ontario.
  • To establish residency in Ontario, you must have lived in Ontario for at least 12 consecutive months before submitting an application. This applies to new Ontario residents and former Ontario residents returning after frequent or extended absences.
  • An ad hoc group or collective:
    • Must have at least two members who meet the eligibility criteria specified above for individuals and who will be responsible for administering the grant on behalf of the ad hoc group or collective.
    • Must have at least 50% of members who reside in Ontario (or both members, if the collective has two people).
    • Cannot be incorporated.
    • Must be able to cash the grant check made out to the ad hoc group or collective.
    • Note: Ad hoc groups are formed for a specific project, while collectives have an ongoing activity.
  • An incorporated nonprofit organization must:
    • Be an organization incorporated in Ontario or at the federal level.
    • Have its head office in Ontario.
    • Be governed by a board of directors or a volunteer advisory body.
    • A for-profit organization must:
    • Be a Canadian-owned, Ontario-based book or periodical publisher that is eligible for CAO publishing programs.
    • Be an organization incorporated in Ontario or at the federal level.
  • A college or university must:
    • Be established in Ontario.
    • To present or disseminate professional artists, arts professionals, arts groups, arts collectives or arts organizations from Ontario.
    • Be registered with the Ministry of Colleges and Universities of the Government of Ontario.
  • A municipality, school board, First Nation or school administered by a First Nation or an authority under Aboriginal administration must:
    • Be established in Ontario.
    • Either engage professional Ontario artists or present, produce or publish the work of professional Ontario artists, arts groups, arts collectives or professional arts organizations.
    • Have a staff member responsible for artistic programming.

For more information, visit Ontario Arts Council.