Cultural Bridges, From One Shore to the Other

Who is this program for?

This program is aimed at professional artists, artist collectives and non-profit

What are the program objectives?

• strengthen exchanges of innovative artistic practices between various territories in the Greater Montréal area
• promote citizen participation within a professional artistic practice
• foster citizen co-creation in arts communities

What assistance is provided?

Selected projects will receive a production grant not exceeding $25,000 from partner arts councils and municipalities.

How long does the support last?

This is a one-time, non-recurring grant.

Projects must be created over a period of eight weeks (maximum) between January 1, 2023, and August 30, 2023.

What do the partners contribute?

For 2022–2023, the partner municipalities of the Conseil des arts de Montréal (CAM) are Laval, Longueuil and the Vaudreuil-Soulanges RCM municipalities served by the Conseil des arts et de la culture de Vaudreuil-Soulanges (CACVS).

The Cultural Bridges, From One Shore to the Other program was created by the CAM in collaboration with the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec (CALQ), the Conseil des arts de Longueuil (CAL), the Conseil des arts et de la culture de Vaudreuil-Soulanges (CACVS) and the cities of Laval and Longueuil.

If the selected artist, collective or organization is from Montréal:

• A grant totalling a maximum of $25,000 will be announced, of which $10,000 will be paid by the CALQ and a maximum of $15,000 by the CAM. This grant will pay artists and offset production-related costs such as transportation and per diems, as well as other variable costs directly related to the project’s completion.
• The Greater Montréal area partner municipality will be responsible for hosting the Montréal-based artist, collective or organization for a maximum of eight weeks. The hosting may include a workspace, technical equipment required for the project, logistical support, insurance, equipment transportation and communications services.
• A videographer will document the projects throughout the co-creation process (development and assembly) and during the final presentation. The CALQ and the CAM will fund this video.

If the selected artist, collective or organization is from a Greater Montréal area partner municipality:

• A grant totalling a maximum of $25,000 will be announced, of which $10,000 will be paid by the CALQ and a maximum of $15,000 by the partner municipality. This grant will pay artists and offset production-related costs such as transportation and per diems, as well as other variable costs directly related to the project’s completion.
• The borough or designated city will be responsible for hosting the artist, collective or organization from the Greater Montréal area municipality for a maximum of eight weeks. This hosting may include a workspace, technical equipment required for the project, logistical support, insurance, equipment transportation and communications services.
• A videographer will document the projects throughout the co-creation process (development and assembly) and during the final presentation. The CALQ and the CAM will fund this video.

PLEASE NOTE: This program requires a high level of availability from selected artists, collectives and organizations due to the extensive coordination required (calls to citizens, meetings, planning with host city coordinators, etc.).

What types of projects are eligible?

Professional artists, collectives and arts organizations working in creation and production.

What are the general eligibility criteria?

Status and conditions

Individual artists:

• Canadian citizen or permanent resident
• have resided in one of the partner cities for at least one year
• be recognized as a professional artist
• have presented at least one art work in a professional context

Artists’ collectives:

• be represented by a person responsible for the application
• be a group of artists, regardless of the number (minimum of two)
• two thirds of its members must be artists with Canadian citizenship or permanent residence; the proportion of members of the collective residing outside Canada may not exceed one third
• have a majority of members (50% +1) who reside in one of the partnership cities, including the person responsible for the application
• be composed of professional artists

Incorporated non-profit organizations on the Island of Montréal:

• be a non-profit organization or artists’ cooperative that pays no dividends
• be headquartered in one of the partner cities
• have a Board of Directors composed mainly of Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada
• have the mandate to create, produce or disseminate art works

Professional requirements

• possess a level of recognized and demonstrable competence
• be managed by qualified individuals
• have stable artistic leadership
• have presented activities of a recognized artistic quality
• be staffed by professional artists and/or cultural workers

Are there any special eligibility criteria?

Montréal artists, collectives and professional arts organizations must reside or be headquartered on the Island of Montréal.

Greater Montréal area artists, collectives and professional arts organizations must reside or be headquartered in the partner municipality.

What types of projects are eligible?

Co-creation projects that demonstrate artistic quality and the ability to connect with the community.

By “co-creation,” we mean an artistic process that involves the public at the conception or production stages of the work. The artistic works are the result of a collaboration between one or more artists and the public. Co-creation support strategies will encourage diversity in both forms of cultural expression and participation in cultural life.  This allows local residents to experience the creative process with the artist.

When must the project be carried out?

Projects must be carried out over a period of eight weeks (maximum) between January 1, 2023, and August 30, 2023.

How many applications will be accepted?

A maximum of four grants will be awarded.

Who is ineligible to apply?

Ineligible applicants

• artists, collectives and organizations that do not meet the general conditions for eligibility
• artists that are incorporated as for-profit or not-for-profit organizations
• incorporated for-profit organizations
• organizations not involved in creation/production
• public or para-public organizations representing governments or municipal corporations
• organizations dedicated to teaching, education, and professional training

Projects

• projects completed before receiving the Conseil’s response
• sound recording projects (albums)
• projects that are essentially promotional
• capital projects or projects to acquire specialized equipment

Activity sectors

• organizations working exclusively in comedy-variety
• applicants working exclusively in cultural mediation

Applications

• incomplete applications
• applications received after the deadline for submitting applications

The selection committee will not consider ineligible applications.

Can specific populations receive additional financial support to submit their application or complete their project (accessibility costs)?

Yes. Accessibility costs refer to costs that certain individuals, particularly those who are D/deaf and/or living with a disability, must pay to take advantage, in the same way as others do, of the services and programs offered by an institution for research, to create, produce or disseminate their art. Reimbursement of part of these costs by the Conseil des arts de Montréal may offset the financial disadvantage.

The Support Fund for Accessibility Costs is a financial assistance measure that complements the Conseil’s other programs. The deadline to apply for support for accessibility costs is the same as that for the program being applied to.

Artists, collectives or organizations that have obtained financial assistance from the Conseil to carry out a project can also file an application for accessibility cost support up to three months after the decisions related to the successful project have been sent out, provided the project is not completed before the deadline to send out decisions for accessibility cost support applications.

Support is divided into three components:

• Component 1 – Financial support to submit a grant application or to apply for one of the Conseil’s initiatives
• Component 2 – Financial support for accessibility costs for a project funded by the Conseil
• Component 3 – Financial support for presenter organizations for accessibility costs to welcome audiences for a project funded by the Conseil

For more details, please see this additional information on the Support Fund.

Can I submit more than one application in the same year?

Only one application per year can be submitted for this program.

Who should submit the application?

for collectives: the person designated by the collective

for organizations: a duly authorized representative

What information and documents must I include in my application?

• curriculum vitaes of artists participating in the project
• a letter of interest from the host location. This letter must state that the host partner undertakes to support the artist, organization or collective and that it fully understands the need for expertise in citizen participation (e.g., recruiting residents)
• the project budget
• a project timeline
• a list of Internet links (YouTube, Vimeo, website, etc.) showing previous creations is required

Only required documentation will be sent to evaluation committee members

How are applications evaluated?

The Conseil receives applications and manages the grant programs. It shares its expertise in evaluating artistic projects and awarding grants based on artistic merit.

What are the evaluation criteria?

Projects will be evaluated based on the following weighting and criteria:

Artistic quality: 45%

●      artistic quality and merit of the co-creation process

• artistic quality and originality of past productions

●      quality of the artistic work of the artist, collective or arts organization

Benefits of the co-creation project: 35%

• impact of the artistic project for the host community (the territory and the public)
• appeal and accessibility of the co-creation project
• contribution to the artistic development of the discipline

Project management and financial stability: 20%

●      feasibility of the project and soundness of the proposal

●      realistic budget forecasts

●      ability of the artist, collective or arts organization to complete the project

What is the response time?

The names of the successful applicants will be announced during the third week of December 2022.

How will I be informed of the decision?

The representative for the organization or collective will receive an email invitation to view the results on the ORORA platform. No decisions will be communicated by phone.

Can I appeal the decision?

CAM decisions are final and not subject to appeal. However, CAM employees are available to answer any questions regarding decisions.

Applicants agree never to contact members of the selection committee or of the Conseil’s Board of Directors on any matter concerning the management or evaluation of their application, or about decisions related to their application.

How will the grant be paid?

The grant awarded will be paid in several instalments:

• Maximum of $10,000 paid by the CALQ
• A maximum of $15,000 paid by the Conseil des arts de Montréal or the partner municipalities, with payments spread out depending on the amount awarded.

Commitments

Accepting payment of the grant constitutes, for the artist, collective or organization, an undertaking to complete the activities covered by the grant and to comply with the accompanying conditions.

The artist, collective or organization agrees to:

• carry out the project as planned
• notify the Conseil as soon as possible if unable to carry out the project in the fiscal year for which the grant was awarded; depending on the situation, a full or partial refund may be requested
• if requested, submit activity and financial statements or reports at the required times
• if applicable, include in its report photographs, videos or any other relevant, royalty-free visuals that the Conseil may use for promotional or archival purposes
• be available and commit to working with the videographer when documenting the co-creation project