visual/media arts projects: presentation

Grants for organizations, collectives, and programmers/curators to support projects involving the exhibition or distribution of contemporary visual or media arts.

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.