The Canada Council for the Arts and CBC/Radio-Canada to invest in Canadian digital content creation and distribution

Ottawa, May 28, 2019- Today, the Canada Council for the Arts, together with CBC/Radio-Canada, announced plans to launch a new $1 million catalyst tool to amplify digital creation in Canada.

This initiative, called the Creation Accelerator, will support projects in a sequence of production stages. Successful applicants will receive an initial grant to work with a producer, along with the mentorship of CBC/Radio-Canada, on the development of an original idea. Following this incubation stage, the Canada Council and CBC/Radio-Canada will select concepts for production and potential distribution on CBC/Radio-Canada's platforms.

Speaking on the Creation Accelerator initiative, Simon Brault, Director and CEO of the Canada Council for the Arts, said, “This initiative is a significant step towards supporting artists and arts organizations in the digital world. We are providing the arts sector with a new, innovative entry point to digital platforms offered by the CBC/Radio-Canada. It will give the arts sector access to an unprecedented number of Canadians. We believe there is a real appetite for original Canadian content rooted in this country’s inventive, diverse and dynamic arts sector.”

“As a cornerstone of Canadian culture, the public broadcaster is very excited to be working alongside the Canada Council for the Arts to help Canadian artists  tell their stories in new ways on a national scale, and reach new audiences,” added Catherine Tait, President and CEO of CBC/Radio-Canada. “We firmly believe that collaboration, like this partnership with the Canada Council for the Arts, is key to strengthening and amplifying our engagement with Canadians.”

The Creation Accelerator is the first initiative of its kind for the Canada Council for the Arts, which—as part of its commitment to amplify the quality, scale and sharing of art through digital technology—has made a strong investment to increase the digital literacy of the arts sector with its Digital Strategy Fund.

This pilot project will be open to artists and arts organizations across the country, in all fields of practice, including early career artists. No prior digital experience will be required.

The Canada Council for the Arts will share full guidelines and details for the Creation Accelerator in late June, when the initiative opens for applications on the Council’s online granting portal. Until then, the Canada Council for the Arts and CBC/Radio-Canada encourage artists and arts organizations to push their creative boundaries and imagine innovative and impactful digital projects for this remarkable opportunity to connect with Canadian audiences.

For more information, please consult canadacouncil.ca in late June 2019.

About the Canada Council for the Arts

The Canada Council for the Arts is Canada’s public arts funder, with a mandate to foster and promote the study and enjoyment of, and the production of works in, the arts. The Council champions and invests in artistic excellence through a broad range of grants, services, prizes and payments to professional Canadian artists and arts organizations. Its work ensures that excellent, vibrant and diverse art and literature engages Canadians, enriches their communities and reaches markets around the world. The Council also raises public awareness and appreciation of the arts through its communications, research and arts promotion activities. It is responsible for the Canadian Commission for UNESCO, which promotes the values and programs of UNESCO in Canada to contribute to a more peaceful, equitable and sustainable future. The Canada Council Art Bank operates art rental programs and helps further public engagement with contemporary arts.

About CBC/Radio-Canada

CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster. Through our mandate to inform, enlighten and entertain, we play a central role in strengthening Canadian culture. As Canada’s trusted news source, we offer a uniquely Canadian perspective on news, current affairs and world affairs. Our distinctively homegrown entertainment programming draws audiences from across the country. Deeply rooted in communities, CBC/Radio-Canada offers diverse content in English, French and eight Indigenous languages. We are leading the transformation to meet the needs of Canadians in a digital world.