Artist Resources

Indigenous Visual Artists’ Materials Grant

Purpose
The program supports Ontario-based First Nations, Inuit and Métis artists working in the visual arts, crafts or traditional/customary Indigenous art forms to create artwork. Grants of $500 or $1,000 help cover the cost of buying art materials and supplies.

This is a third-party recommender program. Using Nova, OAC’s online grant application system, an artist applies to an Indigenous organization designated as a recommender for the program. These recommenders assess applications and submit grant recommendations to OAC. Click the Learn More button to see About Recommender Grants below for more information on the grant application process.

Deadline Dates
The 2024-2025 program is open from September 2024 until January 31, 2025, 1:00PM ET.

Exhibition Assistance

Purpose
The program supports Ontario-based artists and artist collectives working in visual arts, craft and media art practices in the presentation of their artwork in a confirmed public exhibition.

This is a third-party recommender program. Using Nova, OAC’s online grant application system, artists apply to the galleries and organizations designated as recommenders for the program. These recommenders assess applications and submit grant recommendations to OAC. Click the Learn More button to see About Recommender Grants below for more information on the grant application process.

Deadline Dates
Dates forthcoming

Creating Knowing and Sharing: Up to $300,000

This program supports Indigenous individuals, groups, Indigenous-led arts organizations and arts/cultural sector development organizations that foster a vital and resilient Indigenous arts ecosystem.

First Nations, Inuit and Métis individuals, groups and organizations may apply to Creating, Knowing and Sharing (or to the other 5 Canada Council programs) for funding for artistic and cultural activities. Canada Council stands by Indigenous artists through a variety of programs and initiatives, such as {Re}conciliation. This program functions using a self-determined, Indigenous-centred approach. This means that it will be guided by Indigenous values and worldviews, administered by the staff of First Nations, Inuit and Métis heritage, and assessed by First Nations, Inuit and Métis individuals.

Collaborations between Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists, that are led by Indigenous artists/organizations are encouraged and facilitated in Creating, Knowing and Sharing.

Call for Application

The Department of Visual Arts at Western University is seeking applications from emerging to established artists, including individuals and collectives, for the one-year Indigenous Artist-in-Residence (IAiR) program. This program will support a First Nations, Métis, or Inuk artist in the research, creation, and production of new artistic work. The IAiR will work closely with the Department of Visual Arts and undertake community engagement or other outreach activities, that could include (but are not limited to) artist talks, workshops, studio visits, collaborating with the Office of Indigenous Initiatives, and exhibiting at the ArtLAB. Applications from artists with connections to, or living in, the region are particularly encouraged. Projects that incorporate distance or remote components, or other innovative virtual forms of residency, are welcome.

Submission Check List
1. Curriculum Vitae including contact information 

2. Short Artist Statement 

3. Project Proposal (1 page) 

4. Proposed Community Engagement Activities (1 page) 
 Note: The above documents should be merged into a single PDF
5. Portfolio: up to 10 original works, with title and date. Submissions can include: 
 Image files; submitted as JPG or PDF do not exceed 1 MB or 1024 x 768 pixels 
 Audio files; submitted as MP3 or MP4 (links suggested) 
 Video files; submitted as AVI, MOV, MPEG, MP4, (links suggested) 

6. Contact information for 2 references (only the referees of shortlisted candidates will be contacted). 

7. Optional: Up to three pieces of support material such as exhibition brochures, reviews, articles etc. 


Deadline Dates
January 15, 2025.

Are you eager to nurture social good through arts and culture?

Caring Cultures is a 12-week fellowship bringing together 8 youth artists and other diverse creatives to explore how arts and culture can spark meaningful youth-led social change and care in the face of complex personal and global challenges from the climate crisis to social inequities and more. This virtual-only fellowship runs from March to June 2025 (updated from February to May 2025).

Proudly presented by ArtsPond with support from Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, and Government of Ontario, the fellowship is open to Indigenous, Racialized, D/deaf, Disabled, and other creatives from suburban and rural communities in the regions surrounding Toronto and Hamilton.

Fellows will :
Be paid a $3,000 flat-fee
Engage in visionary group discussions with other fellows
Receive one-on-one mentorship and care from community mentors and doulas
Contribute to a collective publication that imagines caring pathways to youth-led social change in Ontario.

Eligibility
Three basic eligibility requirements are:
– Open to adults who are 18 to 35 years of age, are legally allowed to work in Ontario during the fellowship, and live in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (between the regions of Brantford to Bowmanville in the south, up to Kitchener/Waterloo to Markham in the north).
– Open to those with lived experience as Indigenous, Racialized, D/deaf, Disabled, or living Outside the Core in a suburban or rural community.
– Open to all practices in the artistic, creative, and cultural industries. This includes, but is not limited to, artists, designers, curators, educators, activists, advocates, producers, managers, entrepreneurs, engineers, and other creatives. Aspiring, emerging, mid-career, and established professionals from any discipline or profession are encouraged to apply.

Application process
The deadline to apply has been extended to January 13, 2025 at 5 pm Eastern (formerly December 2, 2024, at 5 pm).

Has the Covid-19 pandemic changed your understanding of care?

I Love My Gig Ontario is a 12-week fellowship bringing together 13 Ontario-based artists and other creative gig workers to reflect on lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic and explore collective ways such as mutual aid to face future crises with wise creativity and care. This virtual-only fellowship runs from Mid-March to June 2025 (former Mid-February to May 2025).

This fellowship is proudly presented by ArtsPond with funding from Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, and Government of Ontario. It is open to Indigenous, Racialized, D/deaf, Disabled, or other justice-deserving creatives from suburban, rural, and remote communities across Ontario.

Fellows will :
Be paid a $2,000 flat-fee
Engage in visionary group discussions with other fellows
Receive one-on-one mentorship and care from community elders and doulas
Contribute to a collective publication that imagines transformative pathways to a caring, post-pandemic Ontario.

Eligibility
Three basic eligibility requirements are:
– Open to adults who are 18 years of age or older, live in Ontario, and are legally allowed to work in Ontario during the fellowship.
– Open to those with lived experience as Indigenous, Racialized, D/deaf, Disabled, or living Outside the Core in a suburban, rural, or remote community.
– Open to all practices in the artistic, creative, and cultural industries. This includes, but is not limited to, artists, designers, curators, educators, activists, advocates, producers, managers, entrepreneurs, engineers, and other creatives. Aspiring, emerging, mid-career, established, and elder professionals from any discipline or profession are encouraged to apply.

Application process
The deadline to apply has been extended to January 13, 2025 at 5 pm Eastern (formerly December 2, 2024, at 5 pm)

Exhibits for the Centre’s art collection must have material significance, historical and contemporary, with a particular interest in works of art from our support communities, reflecting the community’s diversity. In a period when theory has dominated contemporary art, our exhibitions often represent the First Nations community in Canada and the personal relationships that the artists have with history and their surroundings, be it a reserve or urban setting.

We believe our exhibitions are more compelling than ever before and with the creation of multi-media surrounding the works, our objective of bringing art to a wider public is further enhanced.

First Nations artists wanting to exhibit their works at the Woodland Cultural Centre should espouse high standards of excellence and meet the following criteria in a submitted proposal.
The proposal should include:

• Statement of intent
• 10 current visual representations of the artwork (slides, photocopies, computer prints or CDs – NO original artwork please)
• Resume and any other relevant materials about the work such as critical reviews, catalogues, etc.
• Also include an appropriately-sized self-addressed stamped return envelope if you are mailing in your submission and wish them returned

The Centre also accepts email proposals, but please ensure the application is in PDF format, and images are no larger than 1000 x 1000 pixels at 100 dpi.

Be aware that we receive numerous exhibition requests throughout the year and while they are considered on a quarterly basis, responses to proposals may take up to 3 months due to the volume of submissions. Ordinarily, the Woodland Cultural Centre plans its exhibitions well in advance and aims to have an upcoming exhibition schedule in place for the next 3 years. This provides us with sufficient time to plan and organize major exhibitions as well as related educational, marketing and fundraising initiatives.

If you would like to submit your works for consideration for exhibition at Woodland, please submit a written proposal to:

ATTN: Arts
Woodland Cultural Centre,
184 Mohawk Street, Brantford, ON N3S 2X2.
Email: arts@woodlandculturalcentre.ca
Phone: 519-759-2650 x 243

Installation View, Indigenous Art, 2018