Open Call for Theatre Project Grants Program (Canada)

The City of Toronto supports this program through a funding allocation approved annually by Toronto City Council. The Theatre Program is strongly committed to the development and performance of works by Canadian artists.

Categories

• Full Production
• Production in a Festival
• Workshop
• Special Initiatives

Funding Information

• You may apply in one of four categories described below:
  • Full Production: supports rehearsal, production and presentation of a fully developed work. The maximum grant in this category is $20,000.
  • Production in a Festival: supports the rehearsal, production and presentation of a work in an established festival in Toronto. Confirmation of festival participation is required before the application is approved for funding. The maximum grant in this category is $10,000.
  • Workshop: supports the development of a work and involves artists and playwright in the workshop process, and must include a reading or a presentation. Activities eligible for the TAC Playwrights grant program are not eligible in this category. The maximum grant in this category is $15,000.
  • Special Initiatives: supports projects that develop and advance the practice of theatre in Toronto, and/or contribute to an understanding and appreciation of theatre. Projects can include festivals, opportunities that benefit the theatre community, conferences, forums, symposiums, etc. The maximum grant in this category is $15,000.

Eligibility Criteria

• To apply to Theatre Projects applicants must be either an incorporated non-profit organization or an unincorporated collective operating on a not-for-profit basis.
• A collective is defined as two or more artists working together under a group name, either on a single project or on an ongoing basis.
• Organizations and collectives must be located in the City of Toronto. A Post Office Box address cannot be used to meet this requirement. Organizations with a regional Toronto office must have operated in the City of Toronto for at least one year prior to the deadline.
• For collectives of two artists, both must be City of Toronto residents. For collectives of more than two artists, the majority of members must be City of Toronto residents. Collective members cannot be Theatre undergraduate students.
• Artists must be professional. A professional artist is someone who has developed their skills through training and/or practice; is recognized as such by artists working in the same artistic tradition; actively practices her/his/their art; seeks payment for her/his/their work; and has a history of public presentation.
• TAC recognizes that due to systemic barriers within the broader arts community (e.g. limited mainstream presentation opportunities for artists from equity-seeking communities) that some flexibility may be required in interpreting eligibility criteria to take into account equivalent professional experience and contexts. Potential applicants from equity-seeking communities are encouraged to discuss their eligibility with the Program Manager in advance of submitting an application.
• The project for which the funding is requested must take place in the City of Toronto.
• Applicants may receive only one grant per calendar year through the Theatre program and may not apply to other TAC discipline programs. However, TAC offers other types of granting opportunities through its Strategic Initiatives envelope, and you may be eligible to apply to one of these programs.

Ineligibility Criteria

• Projects that have been started or completed prior to the announcement of results. Toronto Arts Council does not fund retroactively;
• Schools, tuition-funded training programs, curriculum-based programs, or research projects (such as academic research projects);
• Organizations or collectives that receive Operating funding from TAC;
• Educational and religious institutions, unless there is a clear separation in both programming and budget between their regular activities and their arts activities;
• Individuals;
• Projects for which the project leads are not based in Toronto;
• Ongoing operating costs, such as permanent staff salaries and general administration of an organization. This program is not intended to support an organization or collective’s ongoing activities.
• Costs related to equipment purchase, capital projects (such as building purchase or renovation), fundraising activities, deficit reduction, publishing and archiving projects, awards and award ceremonies, projects conceived for the creation of a film or for competitive purposes, art therapy;
• Activities taking place outside of the City of Toronto (such as touring, travel, accommodations);
• Projects conceived for the creation of a film or digital works led by media artists.

For more information, visit TAC.