TAC Accessibility Grant How It Works The TAC Accessibility Grant is offered to most grant1 applicants. Projects involving Deaf artists and artists with disabilities may apply for the TAC Accessibility Grant by completing the Accessibility Expenses section of the application and including the requisite information in their budget. Applicants may not apply for the TAC Accessibility Grant on its own. The TAC Accessibility Grant is an additional grant that applicants can apply to while they are applying to another TAC grant. The funding available through this grant is always in addition to the funding provided through other TAC grant programs. What Does this Grant Support? The TAC Accessibility Grant will provide up to a maximum of $5,000 towards accessibility costs for artists incurred during the project. Accessibility costs include but are not limited to: ASL interpretation audio description closed captioning communications assistants attendant care (including helpers for Elders) support workers equipment rentals or other supports required to meet artists’ accessibility needs Additional Information How do I apply? The TAC Accessibility Grant is only available through TAC Grants Online, within other TAC grant application forms. Applicants must complete the Accessibility Expenses section of the application and include the requisite information in their budget to apply for this funding. For all TAC grant programs, applications must be submitted no later than 11:59 pm on the deadline date. TAC does not accept applications by any other means of delivery. You will receive a confirmation email when your application is submitted. Check your spam/junk mail folder if it doesn’t arrive in your in-box.
Visual Artists program: Creation WHAT DOES THIS PROGRAM SUPPORT? Toronto Arts Council’s Visual Artists Program: Creation provides support to visual artists who have a professional independent art practice for the creation/production of new work or the completion of works in progress. Funds are intended to cover direct costs of creation/production, and materials. Visual Arts includes drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, mixed media, printmaking, performance art, installation and fine crafts and more. The Visual Artists Program does not include film or video makers: they apply to the Media Artists Program. Grants for this program are $10,000. THIS PROGRAM DOES NOT FUND: Projects that have been completed prior to the announcement of results. Toronto Arts Council does not fund retroactively. Project funding solely for the purpose of travel or exhibition of work, including the cost of framing. Capital purchases, such as tools, equipment, etc. Commissioned, instructional or promotional projects. WHO CAN APPLY? To be eligible for this funding, an applicant must:2 A professional artist is someone who has specialized training in the field (not necessarily inacademic institutions), who is recognized as such by their peers (artists working in the same artistictradition), who has a history of public presentation, publication and/or production and who iscommitted to devoting more time to their artistic activity if financially feasible. Applicants must be Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents or have an application pending for Permanent Resident status or be a Protected Person (approved refugee claimant) and, if requested, be able to provide documentation to verify this. Applicants must be residents of the City of Toronto for at least one year prior to the application deadline. Temporary absences of up to 12 months may be considered, subject to written explanation and special permission; please contact the Program Manager. Neither a Post Office Box address nor a studio address can be used to meet the residency requirement. Undergraduate students cannot apply. Applicants must have spent a minimum of one year working on and developing an independent art practice after completing full-time studies. Professional artists pursuing graduate studies may not apply for work related to their program of study. A letter from the graduate program director specifying that the project is not related to the graduate student’s program of studies must be submitted with the application. Applicants must retain full copyright, financial and creative control. Applicants to TAC’s 2025 Visual Artists Program may not apply to TAC’s 2025 Media Artists Program. Individual artists may only receive one discipline-stream project grant and one strategic initiative grant per calendar year and can only have one open application in each stream at a time. Please note: if you apply for a Visual Artists grant you cannot also apply to another TAC program for the same project. Collaborative proposals (involving a co-applicant) are eligible. For these proposals, one of the applicants must identify a principal applicant. Co-applicants are subject to the same eligibility criteria as single, individual applicant. If the application is successful, the grant payment will be payable to the principal applicant, as listed in the application. Similarly, a T4A slip will be issued to the principal applicant. Additional Information How do I apply? You may submit an online application anytime, and may submit only one application to this program during the year via TAC Grants Online. You will be notified with the application results approximately 4 months after the submission date. The first result notifications will be made by March. Applications must be submitted through our online application system, TAC Grants Online. TAC does not accept applications by any other means of delivery. Submitting an application through TAC Grants Online requires you to first register in the system, which enables you to log in and out as many times as needed before submitting. Online applications may be submitted anytime, and you may submit only one application to this program during the year. You will receive a confirmation email when your application is submitted. When the application results are 3 available, approximately 4 months after the submission date, we will send you an email and you will be able to log in to TAC Grants Online to receive the results. Check your spam/junk mail folder if it doesn’t arrive in your in-box. After 11:59 pm on October 1, 2025, your 2025 application can still be accessed in your Application History page in TAC Grants Online. To work on a new application after October 1, 2025, you can start a new draft from the Apply page after the program re-opens October 15 for the following granting year. TAC Accessibility Grant Projects involving Deaf artists and artists with disabilities may apply for an additional TAC grant by completing the Accessibility Expenses section of the application and including the requisite information in their budget. A TAC Accessibility grant will provide up to a maximum of $5,000 towards accessibility costs for artists incurred during the project. Accessibility costs include but are not limited to: ASL interpretation, audio description, closed captioning, communications assistants, attendant care (including helpers for Elders), support workers and equipment rentals or other supports required to meet artists’ accessibility needs). Application Accessibility Support Applicants who are Deaf or have a disability and need support to complete their grant applications can apply for funds to cover the costs of assistance from Application Support Service Providers. Up to $500 is available per eligible applicant in each calendar year. Please contact your Grant Program Manager at least six weeks before the grant program deadline to determine eligibility, request application support funding, and to review the process for payment to be made to your Service Provider. Requests for application support require approval from the Grant Program Manager. Additional information here. Can I apply to other TAC grants? Toronto Arts Council has two Grant Categories:1. Discipline (e.g.: discipline-specific project grants and operating grants in Theatre, Dance, Music, etc.)2. Strategic (e.g.: Animating Toronto Parks, Artists in the Library, Animating Historic Sites, Artreach, Open Door, etc.) Visual Artists Program: Creation is a Discipline program. Applicants may receive a maximum of one Discipline grant per calendar year. Applicants may not apply for more than one Discipline grant at a time. However, we offer other types of granting opportunities through our Strategic Category, and you may be eligible to apply to one of these programs. Please note: if you apply for a Visual Artists Program: Creation grant you cannot also apply to another TAC program for the same project. For more detail on our granting categories, go to our About Our Grants page. about our grants What is a rolling deadline? We created rolling deadlines to offer flexibility to grant applicants. A rolling deadline means that applications are accepted on an ongoing basis with notification of results released approximately 3 to 4 months after the submission date. Program Guidelines include a specific date when applications for that year must be submitted. To work on a new application after the date specified in the Program Guidelines, you can start a new draft from the Apply page after the program re-opens for the following granting year.
Media Artists Program: Creation what does this program support? Toronto Arts Council’s Media Artists Program provides support to media artists who have a professional independent art practice for the creation/production of new work or the completion of works in progress. Funds are intended to cover direct costs of creation/production, and materials. Applicants may apply for production and/or post-production. Media Arts includes independent film, video, audio, digital, video and electronic games, virtual and augmented reality and new media artworks. New media refers to works that use multi-media, computers or communications or information technologies for creative expression, including installation and performance art works that integrate such technologies. The maximum amount available in this program is $15,000. This Program does not fund: Projects that have been completed prior to the announcement of results. Toronto Arts Council does not fund retroactively. Projects with total budgets in excess of $350,000. Project funding solely for the purpose of travel or exhibition of work Capital purchases, such as tools, equipment, etc. Commissioned, instructional or promotional projects. Promotion and marketing expenses. Pilots for commercial or educational television. Music videos. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA Applicants must be professional artists and meet the following criteria: A professional artist is someone who has specialized training in the field (not necessarily in academic institutions), who is recognized as such by their peers (artists working in the same artistic tradition), who has a history of public presentation, publication and/or production and who is committed to devoting more time to their artistic activity if financially feasible. TAC recognizes that due to systemic barriers within the broader arts community (e.g. limited mainstream presentation opportunities for artists from equity-seeking communities) some flexibility may be required in interpreting eligibility criteria to take into account equivalent professional experience and contexts. Potential applicants from equity-seeking communities are encouraged to discuss their eligibility with the Program Manager in advance of submitting an application Applicants must be Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents or have an application pending for Permanent Resident status or be a Protected Person (approved refugee claimant) and, if requested, be able to provide documentation to verify this. Applicants must be residents of the City of Toronto for at least one year prior to the application deadline. Temporary absences of up to 12 months may be considered, subject to written explanation and special permission; please contact the Program Manager. Neither a Post Office Box address nor a studio address can be used to meet the residency requirement. Undergraduate students cannot apply. Applicants must have spent a minimum of one year working on and developing an independent art practice after completing full-time studies. Professional artists pursuing graduate studies may not apply for work related to their program of study. A letter from the graduate program director specifying that the project is not related to the graduate student’s program of studies must be submitted with the application. Applicants must retain full copyright, financial and creative control. Applicants to TAC’s 2024 Visual Artists Program may not apply to TAC’s 2024 Media Artists Program. Individual artists may only receive one discipline-stream project grant and one strategic initiative grant per calendar year, and can only have one open application in each stream at a time. Collaborative proposals (involving a co-applicant) are eligible. For these proposals, one of the applicants must identify a principal applicant. Co-applicants are subject to the same eligibility criteria as single, individual applicant. If the application is successful, the grant payment will be payable to the principal applicant, as listed in the application. Similarly, a T4A slip will be issued to the principal applicant. The only eligible applicant for a film or video project is the director. Producers may not apply as co-applicants. Applicants must have created at least one media artwork Additional Information How do I apply? Applicants register and submit the application through TAC Grants Online. Applications must be submitted no later than 11:59 pm on the deadline dates. TAC does not accept applications by any other means of delivery. You will receive a confirmation email when your application is submitted. Check your spam/junk mail folder if it doesn’t arrive in your in-box. Please download the full Program Guidelines for complete program details and application specifics. TAC Accessibility Grant Projects involving Deaf artists and artists with disabilities may apply for an additional TAC grant by completing the Accessibility Expenses section of the application and including the requisite information in their budget. A TAC Accessibility grant will provide up to a maximum of $5,000 towards accessibility costs for artists incurred during the project. Accessibility costs include but are not limited to: ASL interpretation, audio description, closed captioning, communications assistants, attendant care (including helpers for Elders), support workers and equipment rentals or other supports required to meet artists’ accessibility needs). Application Accessibility Support Applicants who are Deaf or have a disability and need support to complete their grant applications can apply for funds to cover the costs of assistance from Application Support Service Providers. Up to $500 is available per eligible applicant in each calendar year. Please contact your Grant Program Manager at least six weeks before the grant program deadline to determine eligibility, request application support funding, and to review the process for payment to be made to your Service Provider. Requests for application support require approval from the Grant Program Manager. Additional information here. Can I apply to other TAC grants? Toronto Arts Council has two Grant Categories:1. Discipline (e.g.: discipline-specific project grants and operating grants in Theatre, Dance, Music, etc.)2. Strategic (e.g.: Animating Toronto Parks, Artists in the Library, Animating Historic Sites, Artreach, Open Door, etc.) Media Artists Program: Creation is a Discipline program. Applicants may receive a maximum of one Discipline grant per calendar year. Applicants may not apply for more than one Discipline grant at a time. However, we offer other types of granting opportunities through our Strategic Category, and you may be eligible to apply to one of these programs. Please note: if you apply for a Media Artists Program: Creation grant you cannot also apply to another TAC program for the same project. For more detail on our granting categories, go to our About Our Grants page. about our grants
Visual/Media Arts Projects: Presentation What does this program support? The Visual and Media Arts Projects: Presentation program provides funding to professional, non-profit Toronto visual arts/media arts organizations, collectives, curators or programmers to pursue one-time or time-limited projects involving the exhibition or distribution of contemporary visual or media arts and/or other activities that contribute to the development of the visual arts/media arts in Toronto (for example residencies, artists workshops). The City of Toronto provides the funding for this program through its Community Partnership and Investment Program.The maximum grant available in this program is $15,000. Proposed projects must have a secured venue in the city of Toronto or be produced in Toronto and shared online, and have a well-focused audience development plan. You may apply for the following types of projects: Exhibition: an exhibition must present work in a curatorial or critical context. Applicants exhibiting the work of their own members must likewise have a clearly defined curatorial or critical framework informing the selection and exhibition of work. Screening Series: a screening, including film/video festivals, must present work in a curatorial or critical context and must include some work from Toronto artists. Applicants screening the work of their own members must likewise have a clearly defined curatorial or critical framework informing the selection and screening of work. Lecture Series: a lecture series must present work in a curatorial or critical context. The audience development plan for the series must include a rationale on how the project contributes to the development of contemporary media and/or visual arts in Toronto. Applicants presenting their own members must likewise have a clearly defined curatorial or critical framework informing the selection of speakers. Residency/Workshop Series: the audience development plan for the series must include a rationale on how the project contributes to the development of contemporary media and/or visual arts in Toronto. Applicants that have residencies or workshops including their own members must likewise have a clearly defined curatorial or critical framework informing the selection of participants. Due to potential public health restrictions, social distancing rules and venue closures, projects conceived on digital platforms are eligible. Grants awarded may be less than the full amount requested. In all categories TAC will not fund 100% of a project: applicants must indicate a range of revenue sources, which may include donated goods and services. For all categories, project expenses could include: artists fees, production and technical fees, marketing and outreach costs, administrative costs, childcare costs, etc. The payment of artist fees is a requirement in this program. This program does not fund: Projects that have been completed prior to the announcement of results. Toronto Arts Council does not fund retroactively. Organizations or collectives that receive Operating funding from TAC Schools that are part of Ontario’s public or private education system Student exhibitions or screenings Educational and religious institutions, unless there is a clear separation in both programming and budget between their regular activities and their arts activities; Individuals; the creation or production of individual visual or media artworks Curatorial/programming research. Applicants must have already selected the artists or artworks they wish to present, or have developed clear critical or curatorial objectives and be able to provide a list of artists and/or artworks under consideration. Screening programs or festivals that do not include the work of Toronto artists, this is not intended to exclude works by non-Toronto artists. Ongoing operating costs, such as permanent staff salaries and general administration of an organization. This program is not intended to support an organization or collective’s ongoing activities. For information about Annual Operating funding, please contact TAC’s Visual/Media Arts Program Manager. Costs related to equipment purchase, capital projects (such as building purchase or renovations), publishing, archiving, awards and award ceremonies, art therapy, fundraising events/projects and deficit reduction. Activities taking place outside of the City of Toronto (such as touring, travel, accommodations). When can the project happen? Applications submitted to the March deadline must be for projects commencing after June 1. Applications submitted to the August deadline must be for projects commencing after November 1. TAC does not fund retroactively. Projects that have commenced prior to the adjudication will not be considered. Projects must be completed within two years of the date of your grant Notification Letter. Who can apply? If you are a first-time applicant, or if you have any questions about the eligibility of your project, please contact the Visual/Media Arts Program Manager Peter Kingstone. To be eligible for this funding, an applicant must:1 Be an incorporated non-profit organization, an unincorporated collective operating on a not-for-profit basis, or an individual programmer or curator living in Toronto. A collective is defined as two or more artists, curators or programmers working together under a group name, either on a single project or on an ongoing basis. For collectives of two artists, both must be City of Toronto residents. For collectives of more than two artists, the majority of members must be City of Toronto residents. Organizations/collectives must be located within the City of Toronto and the activity for which the funding is requested must occur within the City of Toronto. Artists must be professional. A professional artist is someone who has developed their skills through training and/or practice; is recognized as such by others working in the same artistic tradition; actively practices; seeks payment for their work; and has a history of public presentation. The project for which the funding is requested must take place in the City of Toronto. The payment of artist fees is a requirement in this program. Applicants may receive only one grant per calendar year through the Visual/Media Arts program and may not apply to other TAC discipline programs. However, TAC offers other types of granting opportunities through its Strategic Initiatives envelope, and you may be eligible to apply to one of these programs. Please consult TAC’s website for other granting opportunities. Additional Information How do I apply? Applicants register and submit the application on TAC Grants Online. Applications must be submitted no later than 11:59 pm on the deadline dates. TAC does not accept applications by any other means of delivery. You will receive a confirmation email when your application is submitted. Check your spam/junk mail folder if it doesn’t arrive in your in-box. Please download the full Program Guidelines for complete program details and application specifics. TAC Accessibility Grant Projects involving Deaf artists and artists with disabilities may apply for an additional TAC grant by completing the Accessibility Expenses section of the application and including the requisite information in their budget. A TAC Accessibility grant will provide up to a maximum of $5,000 towards accessibility costs for artists incurred during the project. Accessibility costs include but are not limited to: ASL interpretation, audio description, closed captioning, communications assistants, attendant care (including helpers for Elders), support workers and equipment rentals or other supports required to meet artists’ accessibility needs). Application Accessibility Support Applicants who are Deaf or have a disability and need support to complete their grant applications can apply for funds to cover the costs of assistance from Application Support Service Providers. Up to $500 is available per eligible applicant in each calendar year. Please contact your Grant Program Manager at least six weeks before the grant program deadline to determine eligibility, request application support funding, and to review the process for payment to be made to your Service Provider. Requests for application support require approval from the Grant Program Manager. Additional information here. Can I apply to other TAC grants Toronto Arts Council has two Grant Categories:1. Discipline (e.g.: discipline-specific project grants and operating grants in Theatre, Dance, Music, etc.)2. Strategic (e.g.: Animating Toronto Parks, Artists in the Library, Animating Historic Sites, Artreach, Open Door, etc.) Visual/Media Arts Projects: Presentation is a Discipline program. Applicants may receive a maximum of one Discipline grant per calendar year. Applicants may not apply for more than one Discipline grant at a time. However, we offer other types of granting opportunities through our Strategic Category, and you may be eligible to apply to one of these programs. Please note: if you apply for a Visual/Media Arts Projects: Presentation grant you cannot also apply to another TAC program for the same project. For more detail on our granting categories, go to our About Our Grants page. about our grants
Visual/Media Arts Multi-Year Operating What does this program support? The Visual and Media Arts Program provides Multi-Year Operating support to professional, nonprofit, visual and media arts organizations engaged in the exhibition and distribution of contemporary visual and media artworks, support of the production of visual and media artworks and other activities that contribute to the development of visual and media arts, artists and audiences in Toronto. The City of Toronto supports this program through a funding allocation approved annually by Toronto City Council. In 2025, this program is open to Public Galleries that meet the eligibility requirements. Who can apply? To be eligible for this funding, an applicant must:1 be non-profit be located in the City of Toronto and have a significant portion of its activities occurring within the City have been in operation for at least four years have received Annual Operating funding through TAC’s Visual/Media Arts program for at least the two past years. have a demonstrated record of regular, ongoing programming have professional artistic leadership have a viable administrative structure be governed by a Board of Directors or other body responsible for the organization have stable artistic, organizational and board leadership with plans in place for any transition have sound financial management and balanced budgets over time submit verification of financial results of the last completed fiscal year: for requests over $30,000, audited financial statements are required; for requests of $30,000 or less, if annual operating revenues are $100,000 or more, a review engagement is required, (or, if available, audited financial statements); for requests of $30,000 or less, if annual operating revenues are under $100,000, unaudited financial statements that include a balance sheet and a statement of income and expenses is required, (or, if available, audited financial statements or a review engagement); receive significant support on an annual basis from other levels of government and/or the public and/or the private sector First-Time Applicants First-time applicants to the Multi-Year Operating program (i.e. organizations that did not receive multi-year funding last year) must consult with Visual/Media Arts Program Manager Peter Kingstone prior to completing an application form to ensure that they are eligible to apply. Additional Information Application Accessibility Support Applicants who are Deaf or have a disability and need support to complete their grant applications can apply for funds to cover the costs of assistance from Application Support Service Providers. Up to $500 is available per eligible applicant in each calendar year. Please contact your Grant Program Manager at least six weeks before the grant program deadline to determine eligibility, request application support funding, and to review the process for payment to be made to your Service Provider. Requests for application support require approval from the Grant Program Manager. Additional information here. Can I apply to other TAC grants? Toronto Arts Council has two Grant Categories:1. Discipline (e.g.: discipline-specific project grants and operating grants in Theatre, Dance, Music, etc.)2. Strategic (e.g.: Animating Toronto Parks, Artists in the Library, Animating Historic Sites, Artreach, Open Door, etc.) Visual/Media Arts Multi-Year Operating is a Discipline program. Applicants may receive a maximum of one Discipline grant per calendar year. Applicants may not apply for more than one Discipline grant at a time. However, we offer other types of granting opportunities through our Strategic Category, and you may be eligible to apply to one of these programs. Please note: if you apply for a Visual/Media Arts Multi-Year Operating grant you cannot also apply to another TAC program for the same project. For more detail on our granting categories, go to our About Our Grants page. about our grants Mid-Cycle Report Those receiving Visual/Media Arts Multi-Year Operating funding must submit a Mid-Cycle Report.In 2025, Artist Run Centres & Festivals, and Arts Service Organizations must submit a Mid-Cycle Report. Deadline: April 1, 2025
Visual/Media Arts Annual Operating What does this program support? The Visual and Media Arts Program provides Annual Operating support to professional, non-profit, visual and media arts organizations engaged in the exhibition and distribution of contemporary visual and media artworks, support of the production of visual and media artworks and other activities that contribute to the development of visual and media arts, artists and audiences in Toronto. The City of Toronto supports this program through a funding allocation approved annually by Toronto City Council. Visual and Media arts groups supported through this program include: artist-run and public galleries, distribution organizations, arts service organizations, production cooperatives, festivals, exhibition groups and artists’ or curatorial collectives. Who can apply? To be eligible for this funding, an applicant must:1 be non-profit; be a professional1 Visual Arts or Media Arts organization that pays appropriate professional fees to artists; be located in the City of Toronto and have a significant portion of its activities occurring within the City; have a history of sustained visual or media arts activity over the two years prior to this application; have received a minimum of two project grants through TAC’s Arts Discipline or Strategic programs; have a viable administrative structure; have sound financial management; submit verification of financial results of the last completed fiscal year: for requests over $50,000, audited financial statements are required; for requests of $50,000 or less, a review engagement is required, (or, if available, audited financial statements); for requests of $25,000 or less, if annual operating revenues are under $100,000, unaudited financial statements that include a balance sheet and a statement of income and expenses is required, (or, if available, audited financial statements or a review engagement); demonstrate a range of revenue sources on an annual basis, including earned, government and private sector revenues; be governed by a Board of Directors or other body responsible for the organization. Organizations must conduct their visual and media arts activities on an annual, ongoing basis either throughout the year or on a seasonal basis. A single project does not constitute annual or seasonal activity. Organizations, whose level of activity varies from season to season, in keeping with their mandate, must describe their multi-year creation and production cycle. Annual and biennial festivals that have completed a minimum of two editions are also eligible. First-time Applicants First-time applicants are organizations that did not receive an operating grant last year. First-time applicants must consult with the Visual/Media Arts Program Manager before submitting an operating grant application. Additional eligibility requirement: First-time applicants must have at least $75,000 in total revenues for the last completed year, and in projected revenues for the current and request years. First-time applicants to the Annual Operating program may only apply in the first year of a multi-year cycle. The next year first-time applicants may apply is: Public Galleries 2025 Artist Run Centres & Media Festivals 2026 Service Organizations 2027 Additional Information Application Accessibility Support Applicants who are Deaf or have a disability and need support to complete their grant applications can apply for funds to cover the costs of assistance from Application Support Service Providers. Up to $500 is available per eligible applicant in each calendar year. Please contact your Grant Program Manager at least six weeks before the grant program deadline to determine eligibility, request application support funding, and to review the process for payment to be made to your Service Provider. Requests for application support require approval from the Grant Program Manager. Additional information here. Can I apply to other TAC grants Toronto Arts Council has two Grant Categories:1. Discipline (e.g.: discipline-specific project grants and operating grants in Theatre, Dance, Music, etc.)2. Strategic (e.g.: Animating Toronto Parks, Artists in the Library, Animating Historic Sites, Artreach, Open Door, etc.) Visual/Media Arts Annual Operating is a Discipline program. Applicants may receive a maximum of one Discipline grant per calendar year. Applicants may not apply for more than one Discipline grant at a time. However, we offer other types of granting opportunities through our Strategic Category, and you may be eligible to apply to one of these programs. Please note: if you apply for a Visual/Media Arts Annual Operating grant you cannot also apply to another TAC program for the same project. For more detail on our granting categories, go to our About Our Grants page. about our grants
Playwrights program WHAT DOES THIS PROGRAM SUPPORT? Toronto Arts Council’s Playwrights Program provides support to playwrights for the writing of theatrical plays.The program provides two levels of support. The following fixed amounts are available:LEVEL ONE: $4,000 – for new or emerging playwrights with little or no prior history of production.LEVEL TWO: $8,000 – for mid-career or senior playwrights who have written at least one work for the stage which has been professionally produced or presented as part of a theatre season or at a theatre festival THIS PROGRAM DOES NOT FUND: Projects that have been completed prior to the announcement of results. Toronto Arts Council does not fund retroactively. Academic work or work towards a graduate degree; film or television scripts; publishing; translation; production costs associated with mounting a stage production; tuition fees. Projects that have been funded once in this program. Playwrights who receive a grant may not reapply to continue or finish the same project. when can the project happen? The Project Start Date must be after you receive the notification of results. While it is understood that works in progress will have begun before the submission deadline, the period of time covered by this grant must commence after September 30. All projects must be completed within two years of the date that the Notification Letter was issued. WHO CAN APPLY? To be eligible for this funding, an applicant must:1 be Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents or have an application pending for Permanent Resident status or be a Protected Person (approved refugee claimant) and, if requested, be able to provide documentation to verify this. be residents of the City of Toronto for at least one year prior to the application deadline. Temporary absences of up to 12 months may be considered, subject to written explanation and special permission; please contact the Program Manager. A Post Office Box address can’t be used to meet the residency requirement. Undergraduate students cannot apply. Professional artists pursuing graduate studies may not apply for work related to their program of study. A letter from the graduate program director specifying that the project is not related to the graduate student’s program of studies must be submitted with the application. Writing projects in languages other than English or French are accepted if the writing sample is accompanied by an accurate English translation. An applicant must have started writing the play for which funding is requested. A sample of writing from the proposed project is required for this application. Applicants may submit an application to either the Playwrights or the Writers program, but not to both. Applicants may apply for funding for only one project per deadline. Applicants may receive a grant through TAC’s Playwrights or Writers Program only once every two years. Those who received a grant in 2024 are not eligible to apply in 2025 but may reapply in 2026. Collaborative proposals (involving a co-applicant) are eligible. For these proposals, one of the applicants must identify a principal applicant. Co-applicants are subject to the same eligibility criteria as single, individual applicant and must be involved equally in creation of the work. If the application is successful, the grant payment will be payable to the principal applicant, as listed in the application. Similarly, a T4A slip will be issued to the principal applicant. Additional Information How do I apply? Applicants register and submit the application on TAC Grants Online. Applications must be submitted no later than 11:59 pm on the deadline dates. TAC does not accept applications by any other means of delivery. You will receive a confirmation email when your application is submitted. Check your spam/junk mail folder if it doesn’t arrive in your in-box. The Playwrights Program assessment process is blind, meaning peer assessors are not given access to applicant names and resumes. To maintain anonymity, applicants must not identify themselves in the project description and support material sections of the application. Failure to comply may result in disqualification. TAC Accessibility Grant Applicants who are Deaf or have a disability and need support to complete their grant applications can apply for funds to cover the costs of assistance from Application Support Service Providers. Up to $500 is available per eligible applicant in each calendar year. Please contact your Grant Program Manager at least six weeks before the grant program deadline to determine eligibility, request application support funding, and to review the process for payment to be made to your Service Provider. Requests for application support require approval from the Grant Program Manager. Additional information here. Application Accessibility Support Applicants who are Deaf or have a disability and need support to complete their grant applications can apply for funds to cover the costs of assistance from Application Support Service Providers. Up to $500 is available per eligible applicant in each calendar year. Please contact your Grant Program Manager at least six weeks before the grant program deadline to determine eligibility, request application support funding, and to review the process for payment to be made to your Service Provider. Requests for application support require approval from the Grant Program Manager. Can I apply to other TAC grants? Toronto Arts Council has two Grant Categories:1. Discipline (e.g.: discipline-specific project grants and operating grants in Theatre, Dance, Music, etc.)2. Strategic (e.g.: Animating Toronto Parks, Artists in the Library, Animating Historic Sites, Artreach, Open Door, etc.) The Playwrights Program is a Discipline program. Applicants may receive a maximum of one Discipline grant per calendar year. Applicants may not apply for more than one Discipline grant at a time. However, we offer other types of granting opportunities through our Strategic Category, and you may be eligible to apply to one of these programs. Please note: if you apply for a Playwrights Program grant you cannot also apply to another TAC program for the same project. For more detail on our granting categories, go to our About Our Grants page. about our grants
Theatre Projects What does this program support? The Theatre Projects program provides funding to professional, non-profit theatre organizations and collectives for the creation, production and presentation of theatre works and other projects that support the development of professional theatre in Toronto. The City of Toronto supports this program through a funding allocation approved annually by Toronto City Council. The Theatre Program is strongly committed to the development and performance of works by Canadian artists. You may apply in one of four categories described below: Full Production: supports rehearsal, production and presentation of a fully developed work. The maximum grant in this category is $20,000. Production in a Festival: supports the rehearsal, production and presentation of a work in an established festival in Toronto. Confirmation of festival participation is required before the application is approved for funding. The maximum grant in this category is $10,000. Workshop: supports the development of a work and involves artists and playwright in the workshop process, and must include a reading or a presentation. Activities eligible for the TAC Playwrights grant program are not eligible in this category. The maximum grant in this category is $15,000 Special Initiatives: supports projects that develop and advance the practice of theatre in Toronto, and/or contribute to an understanding and appreciation of theatre. Projects can include festivals, opportunities that benefit the theatre community, conferences, forums, symposiums, etc. The maximum grant in this category is $15,000. Contact Theatre Program Manager to discuss the project. Works conceived for digital platforms are eligible in all categories. Grants awarded may be less than the full amount requested. In all categories TAC will not fund 100% of a project: applicants must indicate a range of revenue sources, which may include donated goods and services. For all categories, project expenses could include: artists fees, production and technical fees, marketing and outreach costs, administrative costs, childcare costs, etc. The payment of artist fees is a requirement in this program. This Program does not fund: Projects that have been started or completed prior to the announcement of results. Toronto Arts Council does not fund retroactively. Organizations or collectives that receive Operating funding from TAC; Schools that are part of Ontario’s public or private education system; Educational and religious institutions, unless there is a clear separation in both programming and budget between their regular activities and their arts activities; Individuals; Ongoing operating costs, such as permanent staff salaries and general administration of an organization. This program is not intended to support an organization or collective’s ongoing activities. For information about Annual Operating funding, please contact TAC’s Theatre Program Manager. Costs related to equipment purchase, capital projects (such as building purchase or renovation), fundraising activities, deficit reduction, publishing and archiving projects, awards and award ceremonies, projects conceived for the creation of a film or for competitive purposes, art therapy; Activities taking place outside of the City of Toronto (such as touring, travel, accommodations). Projects conceived for the creation of a film or digital works led by media artists. When can the project happen? Applications submitted to the February deadline should be for projects taking place after June 1 and applications submitted to the August deadline should be for projects taking place after November 1. All projects must be completed within two years of the date on the Notification Letter. Who can apply? If you are a first-time applicant, or if you have any questions about the eligibility of your project, please contact the Theatre Program Manager. To be eligible for this funding, an applicant must:1 To apply to Theatre Projects applicants must be either an incorporated non-profit organization or an unincorporated collective operating on a not-for-profit basis. A collective is defined as two or more artists working together under a group name, either on a single project or on an ongoing basis. Organizations and collectives must be located in the City of Toronto. A Post Office Box address cannot be used to meet this requirement. Organizations with a regional Toronto office must have operated in the City of Toronto for at least one year prior to the deadline. For collectives of two artists, both must be City of Toronto residents. For collectives of more than two artists, the majority of members must be City of Toronto residents. Artists must be professional. A professional artist is someone who has developed their skills through training and/or practice; is recognized as such by artists working in the same artistic tradition; actively practices her/his/their art; seeks payment for her/his/their work; and has a history of public presentation. The project for which the funding is requested must take place in the City of Toronto. Applicants may receive only one grant per calendar year through the Theatre program and may not apply to other TAC discipline programs. However, TAC offers other types of granting opportunities through its Strategic Initiatives envelope, and you may be eligible to apply to one of these programs. Please consult TAC’s website for other granting opportunities. Additional Information How do I apply? Applicants register and submit the application through TAC Grants Online. Applications must be submitted no later than 11:59 pm on the deadline dates. TAC does not accept applications by any other means of delivery. You will receive a confirmation email when your application is submitted. Check your spam/junk mail folder if it doesn’t arrive in your in-box. Please download the full Program Guidelines for complete program details and application specifics. TAC Accessibility Grant Projects involving Deaf artists and artists with disabilities may apply for an additional TAC grant by completing the Accessibility Expenses section of the application and including the requisite information in their budget. A TAC Accessibility grant will provide up to a maximum of $5,000 towards accessibility costs for artists incurred during the project. Accessibility costs include but are not limited to: ASL interpretation, audio description, closed captioning, communications assistants, attendant care (including helpers for Elders), support workers and equipment rentals or other supports required to meet artists’ accessibility needs). Application Accessibility Support Applicants who are Deaf or have a disability and need support to complete their grant applications can apply for funds to cover the costs of assistance from Application Support Service Providers. Up to $500 is available per eligible applicant in each calendar year. Please contact your Grant Program Manager at least six weeks before the grant program deadline to determine eligibility, request application support funding, and to review the process for payment to be made to your Service Provider. Requests for application support require approval from the Grant Program Manager. Additional information here. Can I apply to other TAC grants? Toronto Arts Council has two Grant Categories:1. Discipline (e.g.: discipline-specific project grants and operating grants in Theatre, Dance, Music, etc.)2. Strategic (e.g.: Animating Toronto Parks, Artists in the Library, Animating Historic Sites, Artreach, Open Door, etc.) Theatre Projects is a Discipline program. Applicants may receive a maximum of one Discipline grant per calendar year. Applicants may not apply for more than one Discipline grant at a time. However, we offer other types of granting opportunities through our Strategic Category, and you may be eligible to apply to one of these programs. Please note: if you apply for a Theatre Projects grant you cannot also apply to another TAC program for the same project. For more detail on our granting categories, go to our About Our Grants page. about our grants
Theatre Multi-Year Operating What does this program support? The Theatre Multi-year Operating program supports professional non-profit theatre organizations and collectives (both incorporated and unincorporated) engaged in the creation, production and presentation of theatre, and other activities that contribute to the development of theatre, theatre artists, and theatre audiences in Toronto. Funding through this program supports both operations and programming. The City of Toronto supports this program through a funding allocation approved annually by Toronto City Council. Grants awarded may be less than the full amount requested. These grants contribute to the artistic and administrative costs associated with an organization’s ongoing theatre activities. TAC does not provide funding for capital projects (e.g. equipment, renovations, purchase of buildings), fundraising events/projects or deficit reduction. Who can apply? To be eligible for this funding, an applicant must:1 be non-profit; be a professional Theatre organization; be located in the City of Toronto and have a significant portion of its activities occurring within the City; have been in operation for at least four years; have a demonstrated record of regular, ongoing programming that provides support to professional theatre artists or theatre organizations in Toronto; have received Annual Operating funding through TAC’s Theatre program for at least the past two years; have a viable administrative structure; be governed by a Board of Directors or other body responsible for the organization; have stable artistic, organizational and board leadership with plans in place for any transition; have sound financial management and balanced budgets over time; submit verification of financial results of the last completed fiscal year: for requests over $50,000, audited financial statements are required; for requests of $50,000 or less, a review engagement is required, (or, if available, audited financial statements); for requests of $25,000 or less, if annual operating revenues are under $100,000, unaudited financial statements that include a balance sheet and a statement of income and expenses is required, (or, if available, audited financial statements or a review engagement); demonstrate a range of revenue sources on an annual basis, including earned, government and private sector revenues. Additional Information Application Accessibility Support Applicants who are Deaf or have a disability and need support to complete their grant applications can apply for funds to cover the costs of assistance from Application Support Service Providers. Up to $500 is available per eligible applicant in each calendar year. Please contact your Grant Program Manager at least six weeks before the grant program deadline to determine eligibility, request application support funding, and to review the process for payment to be made to your Service Provider. Requests for application support require approval from the Grant Program Manager. Additional information here. Can I apply to other TAC grants? Toronto Arts Council has two Grant Categories:1. Discipline (e.g.: discipline-specific project grants and operating grants in Theatre, Dance, Music, etc.)2. Strategic (e.g.: Animating Toronto Parks, Artists in the Library, Animating Historic Sites, Artreach, Open Door, etc.) Theatre Multi-Year Operating is a Discipline program. Applicants may receive a maximum of one Discipline grant per calendar year. Applicants may not apply for more than one Discipline grant at a time. However, we offer other types of granting opportunities through our Strategic Category, and you may be eligible to apply to one of these programs. Please note: if you apply for a Theatre Multi-Year Operating grant you cannot also apply to another TAC program for the same project. For more detail on our granting categories, go to our About Our Grants page. about our grants Mid-Cycle Report Those receiving Theatre Multi-Year Operating funding must submit a Mid-Cycle Report.In 2025, Service Organizations must submit a Mid-Cycle Report.Deadline: April 1, 2025
Theatre Annual Operating What does this program support? The Theatre Program provides Annual Operating support to professional non-profit theatre organizations (both incorporated and unincorporated) engaged in the creation, production and presentation of theatre, and other activities that contribute to the development of theatre, theatre artists, and theatre audiences in Toronto. Funding through this program supports both operations and programming. The City of Toronto supports this program through a funding allocation approved annually by Toronto City Council. In addition to the objectives stated above, the Theatre Program is strongly committed to the development and performance of works by Canadian artists. Who can apply? To be eligible for this funding, an applicant must:1 be non-profit; be a professional theatre organization; be located in the City of Toronto and have a significant portion of its activities occurring within the City; have a history of sustained theatre activity over the two years prior to this application; have received a minimum of two project grants through TAC’s Arts Discipline or Strategic programs; have a viable administrative structure; have professional artistic leadership; have sound financial management; be governed by a Board of Directors or other body responsible for the organization; submit verification of financial results of the last completed fiscal year: for requests over $50,000, audited financial statements are required; for requests of $50,000 or less, a review engagement is required, (or, if available, audited financial statements); for requests of $25,000 or less, if annual operating revenues are under $100,000, unaudited financial statements that include a balance sheet and a statement of income and expenses is required, (or, if available, audited financial statements or a review engagement); demonstrate a range of revenue sources on an annual basis, including earned, government and private sector revenues. organizations must conduct their theatre activities on an annual, ongoing basis either throughout the year or on a seasonal basis. A single project does not constitute annual or seasonal activity. Organizations, whose level of activity varies from season to season, in keeping with their mandate, must describe their multi-year creation and production cycle. Annual and biennial festivals that have completed a minimum of two editions are also eligible. First-time Applicants First-time applicants are organizations that did not receive an operating grant last year. First-time applicants must consult with the Theatre Program Manager before submitting an operating grant application. Additional eligibility requirement. First-time applicants must have at least $75,000 in total revenues for the last completed year, and in projected revenues for the current and request years. First-time applicants to the Annual Operating program may only apply in the first year of a multi-year cycle. The next year that first-time applicants may submit an application is: Theatre companies: 2025 Service Organizations: 2027 Additional Information How do I apply? Applicants register and submit the application through TAC Grants Online. Applications must be submitted no later than 11:59 pm on the deadline dates. TAC does not accept applications by any other means of delivery. You will receive a confirmation email when your application is submitted. Check your spam/junk mail folder if it doesn’t arrive in your in-box. Please download the full Program Guidelines for complete program details and application specifics. TAC Accessibility Grant Projects involving Deaf artists and artists with disabilities may apply for an additional TAC grant by completing the Accessibility Expenses section of the application and including the requisite information in their budget. A TAC Accessibility grant will provide up to a maximum of $5,000 towards accessibility costs for artists incurred during the project. Accessibility costs include but are not limited to: ASL interpretation, audio description, closed captioning, communications assistants, attendant care (including helpers for Elders), support workers and equipment rentals or other supports required to meet artists’ accessibility needs). Application Accessibility Support Applicants who are Deaf or have a disability and need support to complete their grant applications can apply for funds to cover the costs of assistance from Application Support Service Providers. Up to $500 is available per eligible applicant in each calendar year. Please contact your Grant Program Manager at least six weeks before the grant program deadline to determine eligibility, request application support funding, and to review the process for payment to be made to your Service Provider. Requests for application support require approval from the Grant Program Manager. Additional information here. Can I apply to other TAC grants? Toronto Arts Council has two Grant Categories:1. Discipline (e.g.: discipline-specific project grants and operating grants in Theatre, Dance, Music, etc.)2. Strategic (e.g.: Animating Toronto Parks, Artists in the Library, Animating Historic Sites, Artreach, Open Door, etc.) Theatre Annual Operating is a Discipline program. Applicants may receive a maximum of one Discipline grant per calendar year. Applicants may not apply for more than one Discipline grant at a time. However, we offer other types of granting opportunities through our Strategic Category, and you may be eligible to apply to one of these programs. Please note: if you apply for a Theatre Annual Operating grant you cannot also apply to another TAC program for the same project. For more detail on our granting categories, go to our About Our Grants page. about our grants