Ontario Arts Grants — OAC Grants & Art Funding

Supports the creation, development, and production of new works across all artistic disciplines. Covers research, creation, production, and presentation of original work by professional artists.

Supports artistic practices that engage people and communities. Funds ongoing activities of arts organizations and long-term projects that contribute to the vitality of the arts sector.

Project funding for professional artists to create, produce, and present new artistic work. Supports individual artists working in all disciplines with Ontario residency.

Provides funding to Canadian musicians and bands for recording, marketing, touring, and showcasing. Supports sound recording, music video production, and international touring.

Supports emerging Canadian filmmakers with their first feature film. Provides production funding for debut feature-length fiction, documentary, or animation projects.

Production financing for Canadian feature films with theatrical release. Supports fiction, documentary, and animation feature-length projects by established filmmakers.

Supports Toronto-based individual artists and arts organizations with project-specific funding. Covers all disciplines and project types.

Canada's foremost awards for visual and media artists, recognizing outstanding career achievement. Includes a $25,000 prize for each recipient.

One of the most prestigious prizes for contemporary Canadian art, recognizing artists 40 years or younger. Includes a $100,000 grand prize.

Corporate arts program — RBC funds partner organizations (galleries, residency programs, music programs), which run their own selection processes for emerging artists. Artists do not apply to RBC directly.

Quick-access grants for Ontario-based writers recommended by designated literary organizations. Supports creation of new literary works.

Major federal program supporting professional arts festivals and performing arts series across Canada. Administered by Canadian Heritage, not CAPACOA.

Multi-year grants for Ontario arts and culture organizations to implement a growth strategy. Supports capacity building and audience development.

Supports interactive digital media projects (video games, apps, immersive experiences, AI applications). For-profit and non-profit eligible. Not a traditional arts grant.

Supports Canadian artists, groups and arts organizations to develop, create and share artistic works at any or all stages of the creative process, from initial idea to public presentation. Replaces the former Research and Creation and Concept to Realization grants.

Multi-year funding for incorporated not-for-profit arts organizations that create, produce, present or exhibit artistic activities and are driven by the vision of artistic leaders.

Multi-year funding for artistic organizations that facilitate connections between artists and communities, spark creative collaborations and build public relationships with the arts.

Multi-year funding for leading Canadian arts organizations that promote the work of creators, build public outreach and support the Canadian arts sector as a whole.

Supports projects by artists, arts professionals, cultural connectors, groups and organizations that contribute to the ongoing growth, strengthening and development of the Canadian arts sector.

Multi-year activity support for Canadian artists, arts and cultural workers, groups and organizations to carry out multiple, large or complex projects over up to 3 years. Supports a wide range of activities.

Supports Canadian publishers to fund the publication of literary books and magazines written by Canadian authors, including fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, literary criticism and drama.

Small grants for professional development activities that support the advancement of artistic careers. Covers travel, workshops, conferences, and other activities that support artistic growth. Previously covered by Professional Development for Artists and similar programs.

Funds travel activities linked to the promotion and development of markets for Canadian artists and artistic works. Supports attending international markets, meetings with presenters, and other promotional trips abroad.

Funds the translation of Canadian literary or dramatic works into French, English, Indigenous languages, or sign languages for publication or presentation in Canada.

Supports Canadian artists, groups and arts organizations to circulate and tour their work nationally and internationally. Covers costs for touring exhibitions, performances and artistic works.

Supports Canadian artists, arts workers, groups and organizations attending residencies abroad, covering travel and residency costs to develop international artistic networks.

Development support for Canadian artistic groups and arts organizations creating new works or exhibitions in partnership with foreign arts organizations.

Supports activities that build connections between artists and diverse audiences, contributing to public appreciation and enjoyment of the arts in Canada. Covers community engagement projects, public programming and outreach activities.

Supplementary accessibility support — NOT a standalone grant. Provides additional funding to cover accessibility costs for Deaf/disabled artists who already have a successful Canada Council grant. Non-competitive staff assessment.

Aims to increase access of Francophone artists outside Quebec and Anglophone artists in Quebec to a diversity of markets and publics. Supports distribution, promotion and career development activities.

Script and project development financing for Canadian feature films. All funding is a repayable advance. Four streams: Prequalified (tiered by track record), General, Indigenous, Black+POC.

Provides financial assistance to Canadian production companies for the production and post-production stages of feature-length documentary films intended for theatrical release.

Provides funding toward the costs of producing a full-length original Canadian album, plus components for marketing, tour support, music videos, showcasing, and radio marketing.

Offers a $2,000 subsidy for a year of songwriting initiatives, including domestic and international travel for co-writing sessions, songwriting camps and workshops, and eligible showcases.

Subsidizes the cost of domestic and international performances including showcases and tours for Canadian recording artists.

Contributes to the cost of producing music videos for eligible Canadian sound recordings. Available to artists rated 2 and 3 by FACTOR.

Supports Canada's most successful recording artists (rated 3 or Platinum Album Certified) who are investing in their own masters, copyrights and live performance businesses.

Supports Canadian arts training organizations at the highest professional levels, contributing to the development of future artists and cultural leaders. Priorities include Indigenous and equity arts training.

Provides financial assistance to Canadian book publishers for the ongoing production, marketing and distribution of Canadian-authored books. Supports the viability of the Canadian publishing industry.

Provides up to $7M/year to support Canadian creative industries in carrying out export projects expected to generate revenues abroad. Covers books, music, games, film and other creative content.

Provides $4M/year supporting new and early-stage exporters entering international markets and experienced exporters expanding their global networks. Supports Canadian creative sector export development.

Provides funding to local groups for recurring community festivals that present the work of local artists, artisans, heritage performers and cultural carriers.

Encourages Canadians to support arts organizations by matching private donations to professional arts organization endowment funds. Government provides matching grants for qualified donations.

Supports research excellence in social sciences and humanities. Relevant for academic artists and researchers doing research-creation, arts-based research, or arts and cultural policy research.

Refundable tax credit for Canadian production companies producing certified Canadian content film or video productions. Provides 25% of qualified Canadian labour expenditures.

Refundable tax credit promoting Canada as a filming location. Awards 16% of qualified Canadian labour expenditures to non-Canadian and Canadian production companies filming in Canada.

Provides cash reimbursement of up to $7,500 (short films) or $15,000 (features) for post-production costs to independent anglophone Canadian filmmakers. Covers online editing, colour correction, sound design, sound mixing, DCP authoring and related services with approved local suppliers.

Provides free in-kind post-production services at the NFB's Balmoral studios in Montreal to independent anglophone Canadian filmmakers, covering picture and sound editing suites, online editing, colour correction, sound mixing, DCP authoring, and access to NFB archives. Filmmakers within 150km of Montreal cover 10% of costs; those farther away receive 100% of costs covered.

Provides production and development funding for Canadian television and digital media content through broadcaster performance envelopes. Supports scripted drama, documentaries, children's/youth content, and variety/performing arts productions for broadcast on Canadian TV.

Supports the production of one-off point-of-view (POV) documentary films in English and French. Designed to encourage distinct filmmaker voice in documentary production for broadcast.

Supports mid-career Canadian digital content creators making short-form video content for social media platforms (YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook) over a 6-month period, with goals of growing audience and monetization.

Dedicated funding stream for the production of Canadian Indigenous-language and Indigenous-content screen-based media content, supporting First Nations, Inuit and Métis storytellers in film and television production.

Supports the creation of innovative and experimental interactive digital media projects, encouraging risk-taking and new approaches to storytelling through digital technologies including interactive experiences, games, and immersive media.

Provides financial support for the recording and production of francophone Canadian music albums. Supports independent labels and artists in the creation and production of full-length or EP recordings of original francophone music.

Tour support for francophone Canadian artists from Official Language Minority Communities (OLMCs) — exclusively for francophones OUTSIDE Quebec. Dual application required (artist + venue network).

Federal funding for Canadian music industry delivered through FACTOR (English) and Musicaction (French). Formerly the Music Entrepreneur Component (retired 2020). Applications go through FACTOR or Musicaction, not Canadian Heritage directly.

Provides financial support for Canadian recording artists to fund domestic marketing and promotional activities in support of music releases, including radio promotion, press campaigns, digital marketing, and retail initiatives in the Canadian market.

Provides funding contributions to support the marketing and theatrical distribution of Canadian feature films, including promotional campaigns, press and publicity, poster and trailer production, and digital marketing to build Canadian audiences.

Supports Canadian music creators through grants for composition, songwriting projects, music research, and music education initiatives. Funds Canadian musicians, composers, and music educators working on artistic development and creation projects.

Formula-based federal funding for Canadian book publishers. Funds production, marketing, and distribution of Canadian-authored books. Publishers only — does NOT fund individual authors directly.

Provides financial assistance to Canadian print magazines, non-daily newspapers and digital periodicals. Supports publications that carry Canadian editorial content, helping sustain outlets that publish Canadian writers, photographers, and illustrators.

Supports postsecondary-based research-creation projects that integrate artistic and/or humanistic inquiry and creation. Enables university-affiliated artists, writers, composers, and designers to undertake significant research-based creative projects with academic partners.

Supports Indigenous organizations in preparing First Nations, Inuit or Métis participants for careers in the arts through training activities. Distinct from the general CATF stream with specific eligibility for Indigenous-led training programs.

Supports professional theatre artists, groups, and organizations in Ontario for theatrical creation, development, production, and presentation across all theatrical traditions. Covers exploration through production and festivals.

Supports professional dance artists, companies, and organizations in Ontario to create, produce, and present dance work across all traditions. Covers creation, production/presentation, festivals, mentorship, and community development.

Supports professional Ontario-based composers and songwriters to create new musical works through self-directed composition or commissioned projects.

Supports professional Ontario musicians and music groups to record demo/EP recordings or full-length albums for public release.

Supports professional Ontario visual artists to create new works, with tiered funding based on career stage — emerging, mid-career, or established artists can each apply for a fixed amount appropriate to their level.

Supports Ontario-based literary artists to complete new book-length works for publication, covering fiction, non-fiction, poetry, comic arts, and young adult literature.

Supports professional Indigenous artists (First Nations, Inuit, Métis), groups, and organizations in Ontario to research, develop, and create new work across all arts disciplines.

Supports professional Deaf artists and artists with disabilities in Ontario to create new work, produce art, and access professional development opportunities across all disciplines.

Supports Ontario-based professional artists and arts organizations to tour or circulate their work regionally, nationally, or internationally. Two tiers cover standard tours (up to $30,000) and large-scale tours for organizations.

Provides flat-rate travel grants for Ontario professional artists and arts organizations to attend international markets, fairs, festivals, and professional development events that support career and market development.

Refundable tax credit for Ontario-based Canadian-controlled corporations producing eligible Ontario film and television content, based on eligible Ontario labour expenditures. First-time producers receive an enhanced rate.

Refundable tax credit for corporations developing interactive digital media products in Ontario. Supports games, educational apps, and digital entertainment at 35–40% of eligible Ontario labour and marketing expenditures.

Refundable tax credit for qualifying Ontario book publishers covering 30% of eligible pre-press, printing, and marketing expenses for eligible Canadian literary works, up to $30,000 per book title.

Provides up to $35,000 in non-refundable contribution funding for professional development, strategic initiatives, and mentorship programs that strengthen Ontario's book, magazine, film, television, and interactive digital media sectors.

Funds not-for-profit organizations (including arts and culture groups) to build organizational capacity, pilot new programs, or plan for the future. Grants of $10,000–$100,000 for 6 or 12-month projects.

Funds not-for-profit arts and cultural organizations to purchase equipment, renovate facilities, or improve outdoor spaces. Grants from $10,000 to $200,000 for one-time capital projects.

Funds individual artists in Ottawa at all career stages for creation and production of new artistic work in literary, visual, media, interdisciplinary, and performing arts. Supports the full creative lifecycle from initial concept through production and public presentation.

Advances artistic expression within Indigenous and equity-seeking communities in Ottawa. The Seed award provides micro-grants to individual artists; the Grow grant funds projects and operating activities for individuals and organizations. Promotes diversity and representation in Ottawa's arts sector.

Project grants to professional artists and artist collectives in any arts discipline for the creation of new artistic work and its public presentation in Hamilton and further afield. Supports the full arc from creative development through public presentation.

One-time project grants for Toronto-based professional artists, artist collectives, and non-profit organizations pursuing time-limited arts projects that enable public participation and engagement in arts and culture. Supports collaborative work between professional artists and community members.

Targeted funding for Toronto non-profit organizations and artist collectives to support professional development and integration for newcomer and refugee artists. Provides a set grant of $20,000 per project to support arts mentorship, programming, and sector integration for recently arrived artists.

Supports individual artists and arts collectives in Waterloo Region through project grants. Microgrants of $1,000 are available for one-week individual artist projects. Larger individual and collective grants are also available for projects occurring within the following 12 months.

Significant fellowships providing Ontario artists with 6–12 months of unstructured time to investigate and examine their artistic practice rather than produce new work. Open to professional artists in all disciplines with more than 10 years of practice.

Grants supporting Ontario artists and arts administrators in gaining new skills or improving existing skills through study, training, mentorship, internship, or apprenticeship with a qualified specialist.

Two annual awards recognizing outstanding mid-career Canadian visual artists and curators. The Award for Outstanding Achievement as an Artist ($30,000) and the Award for Curatorial Excellence in Contemporary Art ($20,000) are decided by an expert jury without application.

Three annual prizes of $10,000 each awarded to emerging Canadian visual artists showing exceptional potential. Artists must be nominated by a public or private gallery, fine arts institution, or artist-run centre.

Research grants supporting inquiry, information gathering, and exploration by Canadian writers, visual artists, and publishers toward the realization of a publishable work in progress.

Grants for Canadian writers, visual artists, publishers, and arts professionals to attend workshops, courses, mentorships, and other professional development activities that build skills and expand their practice.

Canada's most prestigious literary awards recognizing the best English and French books annually across seven categories: Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry, Drama, Young People's Literature (Text), Young People's Literature (Illustrated Books), and Translation.

One of the world's most valuable poetry prizes, awarding a Canadian Prize of $65,000 annually to the best first-edition poetry collection in English by a living Canadian citizen or permanent resident.

Canada's largest and most prestigious annual peer-nominated and peer-reviewed award for photography, recognizing an outstanding mid-career Canadian photographer's contribution to contemporary art. Winner receives $50,000, a solo exhibition at The Image Centre, and a published book with Steidl.

Canada's largest theatre prize awarded to an exceptional mid-career theatre artist (director, playwright, or designer in alternating years). The Laureate receives $100,000, a Protégé receives $25,000, and finalists receive $10,000 each.

Three annual prizes of $10,000 each for outstanding unpublished works of poetry, short fiction, and creative nonfiction by emerging Canadian writers who have not yet published their first book. Winners receive a mentorship and publication of their work.

Canada's richest fiction prize, awarding $70,000 to the best Canadian novel or short story collection published annually. Five finalists each receive $7,500. Publishers submit on behalf of authors.

Annual prize of $100,000 for the best Canadian novel, graphic novel, or short story collection published in English. Five finalists each receive $10,000. One of Canada's most prominent literary prizes.

Annual prize of $60,000 for the best debut novel by a first-time Canadian novelist. Five finalists each receive $6,000. A separate Youth Short Story Category awards $5,000 to writers aged 13–17.

Annual $2,000 prize for the best poetry collection by a Canadian woman, trans woman, or non-binary poet in the same year. Open to spoken word and print poets. Nomination-based; anyone can nominate an eligible poet.

Three annual prizes of $6,000 each for the best unpublished short fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry by Canadian writers. Winners also receive a two-week writing residency at Banff Centre and publication on CBC Books. Four finalists in each category receive $1,000.

Rolling grants for SOCAN member composers, songwriters, and music publishers to assist with travel costs for career-building activities including award presentations, performances, residencies, collaborations, showcases, and workshops in Canada or abroad.

Matching grants of up to $3,000 to individuals, corporations, performers, ensembles, and presenters commissioning SOCAN members to create new concert or classical music works.

Short-term residencies at Fool's Paradise, the former Scarborough Bluffs home and studio of Canadian artist Doris McCarthy. Residents are immersed in the heritage landscape for creative development. One selected artist per residency period may receive a $1,500 bursary.

Programmed thematic residencies on Toronto Island bringing together up to 18 artists to work around a specific theme led by a facilitator or curator. Residencies take place in self-contained studio and living spaces surrounded by Lake Ontario.

Bursaries reducing or eliminating tuition costs for writers attending Sage Hill's intensive spring and summer writing retreats in Saskatchewan. Bursaries are awarded based on financial need and include Indigenous Writers Bursaries and the Black Excellence Scholarship.

Three-month residencies for early-career artists and collectives to develop new artworks in the Weston Family Learning Centre at the AGO. Residents receive a $10,000 artist fee and a $3,000 production budget, plus institutional support and public engagement opportunities.

Annual $20,000 prize recognizing a Canadian author for an exceptional body of work in children's literature. Awarded to the author's overall career contribution, not a single book. Selected by independent jury; no submission process.

Supports Canadian music companies with funding for artist development, marketing, touring, and recording. Replacement for the former Comprehensive Music Company Program. Available to companies with FACTOR rating.