animating historic sites

Grants for organizations, collectives and individuals to support site-specific research, development, creation, production, presentation, and programming that responds to or interprets selected sites or museums.

WHAT DOES THIS PROGRAM SUPPORT?

The Animating Historic Sites program provides funding to professional artists, arts organizations and collectives working in any artistic discipline (i.e.: theatre, dance, music, visual arts, media arts, community-engaged arts, Indigenous arts, Black arts, disability arts, arts education, literary arts, etc.) to pursue time-limited projects involving site-specific research, development, creation, production, presentation, and programming that responds to or interprets the selected site or museum. This grant may cover up to 100% of project costs, including artist fees, equipment rental, materials, and other project costs.

The maximum grant amount is $30,000.

Grant recipients will have the opportunity to conduct artistic research, investigate the site and its exhibits and archives, explore its surrounding landscape, historical and environmental context, engage with the local community, and create new site-responsive work in collaboration with the site or museum. The recipients will deliver free site-specific programming following research and development, which may vary in scope depending on the project. Programming may include activities such as: exhibitions, installations, performances, concerts, screenings, readings, workshops, presentations of work in progress, community-engaged arts activities, and other arts programming. Permanent exhibitions and installations are not eligible. All funded projects will be produced by the grant recipient and hosted and supported by the partnering site.

WHEN CAN THE PROJECT HAPPEN?

All projects must be completed in the 2026 calendar year, and, in exceptional circumstances, no later than within two years of the date on the Notification Letter. The project cannot begin before the results are announced.

PARTICIPATING MUSEUMS & SITES

• Evergreen Brick Works
• Toronto History Museums:
• Gibson House
• Montgomery’s Inn
• Scarborough Museum
• Spadina Museum
• Todmorden Mills
• The Village at Black Creek