Assistance to Contemporary Fine Craft Artists and Curators: Long-Term Grants

Deadline

1 March

Program Description

Long-Term Grants provide support over a two-year period to established professional fine craft artists or curators (for research only) who have made a significant contribution to contemporary fine craft. The period of activity covered by the grant must have a series of opportunities in the fields of research, production, career and networking development. The program of work must be designed to advance the long-term artistic and career development of the artist at a key moment in their career. It must include at least two of the following activities:

Research/Professional Development: A period of independent research at a key period in the artistic practice of the artist or curator. This period may include participation in artist residencies and other professional development activities. The project must demonstrate the capacity to advance the artistic practice of the applicant. The grants also support critics and curators in the research of editorial or curatorial work leading to the production of articles, books and exhibitions in the field of contemporary Canadian craft.
Production of a New Body of Work: The production of one or more new bodies of work. The project(s) must demonstrate the capacity to advance the practice of the artist.
Production Towards a Confirmed Public Presentation: The production of one or more works that are the object of at least one confirmed public presentation in a professional context. The project must demonstrate the capacity to advance the career of the artist.
Career Development: A period of activities that advance an artist’s career; for example, travel and research to expand the growth of a professional network with partners such as critics, curators, art dealers or publishers; or the development of promotional tools such as web sites, portfolio or small monographs. You must demonstrate that the project occurs in a key period that affects the progression of your career.

Eligibility

General Eligibility Criteria

To apply to the Canada Council for the Arts, you must be a Canadian citizen or have Permanent Resident status, as defined by Citizenship and Immigration Canada. You must meet Canada Council’s definition of a professional artist, which is an artist who:

has completed his or her basic training (university or college graduation or the equivalent in specialized training, such as two or three years of self-directed study or apprenticeships)
is recognized as such by his or her peers
is committed to devoting more time to artistic activity, if financially feasible.

To meet the above definition as a fine craft artist or curator, you must also:

have produced an independent body of work
have at least three public presentations of work in a professional context over a three year period
have maintained an independent professional practice for at least three years.

Students are not eligible.

This Canada Council program is accessible to Aboriginal artists and artists of diverse cultural and regional communities of Canada.

Professional Context

Artists’ public presentations and exhibitions, both in Canada and abroad, must be in a professional organization or context where the artists’ work is recognized by a professional curator, gallery owner/art dealer, or collective of professional artists.

In Canada, to be considered professional, an organization must be a public art gallery, a museum or an artist-run centre that pays a professional fee to participating artists. The condition of paying fees does not apply to commercial galleries or professional venues outside of Canada.

The Canada Council for the Arts recognizes that, for contemporary fine craft artists from Aboriginal as well as culturally diverse communities, and in rare cases, artists living in remote areas, the networks for peer recognition and exhibition venues may exist in alternative venues. The acceptance of these venues will be determined with the expertise of Aboriginal and culturally diverse communities in the Visual Arts Section and, if necessary, in collaboration with peers in the milieu.

Specific Eligibility Criteria

You must:

have shown evidence of outstanding artistic achievement with at least three exhibitions of international, national or provincial/territorial importance
have a detailed two-year work plan with confirmed activities
have at least one confirmed exhibition, public presentation, publication or other professional engagement during the tenure of the grant (if you are applying to the Production towards a confirmed public presentation or Career Development components)
have proven critical recognition through three published reviews or catalogue texts (critics and curators only)
have proof of unpaid sabbatical or other professional leave without pay
have received at least one prior Creation/Production/Professional Development or similar grant from the Canada Council for the Arts or other arts funding agency or foundation.

Artists may not hold a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) grant and a Long-Term Grant at the same time.

Grant Amount

The grant amount is $40,000 per year for two consecutive years, for a total of $80,000.

This grant supports a period of comprehensive activities in research, creation, production and career development. Note that grants cannot be used for projects that have been completed. Educational projects, capital and large equipment costs are not eligible.

Application Form

Assistance to Contemporary Fine Craft Artists and Curators: Long-Term Grants (PDF Format)
This form can only be printed and cannot be filled out on-line.

To apply for a grant online go to GO! Grants Online

Further Information

José Niaison
Visual Arts Section
Canada Council for the Arts
350 Albert Street, P.O. Box 1047
Ottawa ON K1P 5V8

Telephone: 1-800-263-5588 (toll-free) or (613) 566-4414, ext. 5269

TTY : 1-866-585-5559

January 2010

For further information contact: