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.

2024 to 2025 Peer Juried Indigenous Art Acquisition Program

About the Indigenous Art Collection

The Indigenous Art Collection in Gatineau, Quebec is one of the most significant public art collections of contemporary Indigenous art in Canada. Since the early 1960s, the Indigenous Art Centre has been collecting works by living artists to create a unique collection that represents the artistic practices of community-based and urban Indigenous artists throughout Canada.

The Indigenous Art Collection includes a variety of works by established, mid-career, and emerging Indigenous artists, such as:

• new media
• painting
• basketry
• beadwork
• carving
• drawing
• printmaking
• textiles
• mixed media
• photography

The Indigenous Art Centre also has more than 50 years of experience in promoting the art of Indigenous artists in Canada and abroad through:

• its lending program for arts and cultural institutions
• national and international projects
• research for national and international scholars and curators

Deadline Dates
The deadline for submissions to be received by the Indigenous Art Centre is October 1 2024. Late or incomplete submissions will not be reviewed. Click the link below to learn more about submission process and requirements.

Call for Indigenous Artists: Honouring These Lands and Waterways

The Regional Municipality of Waterloo invites Indigenous artists to submit proposals for a large scale, digitally printed mural to be displayed for a 3-year term at YKF (Region of Waterloo International Airport). Artists may create a new image or use an image of an existing artwork responding to the theme of Honouring These Lands and Waterways. Three artists will be selected, each receiving a fee of $6000 (plus HST, if applicable). The printing and installation of the murals will be the responsibility of the Region of Waterloo.

The Region invites artists from the Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee, and Urban Indigenous communities to apply. One artist from each community will be selected by a jury representative of those communities.

Deadline to apply is November 8, 2024, at 11:59 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: Patricia Deadman, Curator
Woodland Cultural Centre,
184 Mohawk Street, Brantford, ON N3S 2X2.
Email: curator@woodlandculturalcentre.ca
Phone: 519-759-2650 x255

Installation View, Indigenous Art, 2018