Support for D/deaf Artists or Artists with Disabilities (Individuals, Collectives and Organizations)

What type of assistance is provided?

A grant of up to $20,000 for an art project, excluding accessibility costs (see Support Fund for Accessibility Costs).

Please note that at the end of the year, individual artists and collective representatives will receive tax slips (T4A and Relevé 1) in their name for the grant amount. They will be required to provide the Conseil with the information needed to issue tax slips when requested.

What is the duration of the support?

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

Can a recipient receive more than one grant?

Recipients can receive one grant per year under the program. For collectives and organizations, the number of program grants is capped at three.

What are the general eligibility criteria?

Individual artists

• Be a D/deaf artist and/or artist with a disability
• Reside on the Island of Montréal
• Be a professional artist (see the definition in the glossary)
• Be a cultural worker
• Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada

Collectives

• Be a group of artists (minimum of two artists) (see the definition in the glossary)
• Be a collective in which one or more members are D/deaf and/or living with a disability
• Comprise a majority of artists (50%+1) who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada
• Comprise a majority of artists (50%+1) who reside on the Island of Montréal;
• Be by an individual in charge of applications

Clarification: an artist may be part of more than one collective provided they are composed of different people by a proportion of 50% + 1.

The representative of the collective must:

• Be the representative in charge of the collective application
• Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
• Reside on the Island of Montréal

Organizations

• Be a non-profit organization or an artists’ cooperative that pays no dividends
• Be an organization in which at least one leader or senior representative or artist is D/deaf and/or living with a disability
• Be headquartered on the Island of Montréal
• Have a board of directors whose members are mainly Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada
• Provide services or present professional artistic activities

What applicants are ineligible?

• Artists, collectives and organizations that do not meet the general eligibility requirements

Collectives

• Artists’ collectives that are incorporated as a for-profit or not-for-profit company, as a general partnership or as an association
• Collectives interested in presenting or organizing festivals and events
• Collectives interested in representing artists or offering services to them

Cultural magazines

• Cultural magazines that publish fewer than three issues per year, are distributed free of charge or available only in electronic format

Organizations

• Organizations dedicated to teaching, education, and professional training

What types of projects are ineligible?

• Projects completed before receiving the Conseil’s decision (allow approximately six to eight weeks following the application deadline)
• Sound recording projects (albums, CDs, demos, etc.) of a promotional nature
• Projects that are essentially promotional, including video clips
• Projects whose main focus is cultural mediation
• Projects dedicated primarily to teaching or bringing in influential artists
• National or international prospection projects
• Capital projects or projects to acquire specialized equipment

What activity sectors are ineligible?

• Artists, collectives and organizations working exclusively in variety arts or comedy

What applications are ineligible?

• Incomplete applications
• Applications received after the deadline

Ineligible applications will not be considered by the evaluation committee.

What types of projects are eligible?

Submitted projects must meet program objectives.

They may take the form or be a combination of:

• Research and creation
• Production
• Dissemination* (for organizations only)   
• Artistic collaboration, coaching and mentoring
• Development of its arts practice
• Artistic collaboration and guidance
• Production of arts events

* If the project involves hosting D/deaf people and/or people with disabilities, please refer to the Support Fund for Accessibility Costs.

When must the project be carried out?

The project must be completed within the timelines set out in the application schedule.

Note that your project must not be completed before receiving the Conseil’s response letter.

Please note that applications through ORORA are currently out of function. The form will be available as of January 12, 2023.

What information and documents must I include in my application?

You must complete your profile and attach the following information:

• List of links to excerpts or complete versions (depending on the discipline) of works, a portfolio or activities related to the application. Please provide no more than four (4) links
• If desired, appendix (presented as a single PDF document) comprising any supporting documents that you feel are relevant to your application.

IMPORTANT: All information required to properly assess your application must be included in the official documents and not as an attachment.

What is the response time?

It will take six to eight weeks from the deadline for the Conseil to process the application and the Board of Directors to reach its decision.

How are applications evaluated?

Applications are reviewed by a jury of peers composed primarily of artists and/or cultural workers who are D/deaf or living with a disability, joined by permanent members of the sectorial evaluation committees.

What are the evaluation criteria?

Evaluators are encouraged to analyze each application using common criteria. Some criteria are not considered due to the nature of the projects (mandate, project phase, etc.). For example, the dissemination strategy only applies to a dissemination project and festival/event project.

Artistic merit: 70%

• Relevance of artistic process and practices
• Uniqueness and authenticity of the approach
• Artistic leadership exercised by artists who are D/deaf or have disabilities
• Quality of previous work

Project impact: 15%

• Impact on D/deaf artists and/or artists with disabilities
• Recognition of artists and cultural workers who are D/deaf and/or living with disabilities

Dissemination and service projects:

• Strategies implemented to attract audiences
• Relationship with communities

Project feasibility: 15%

• Ability to complete the project
• Presentation of realistic budget estimates and key steps involved

What is the decision-making process?

Five-step process

1. The professional responsible for the program, under the authority of management, receives the applications and determines their eligibility
2. The peer evaluation committee evaluates the applications and makes its recommendation
3. Management proposes the allocation of grant amounts
4. Committee chairs approve peer evaluators’ recommendations and proposed grant allocations; and recommendations to the board of directors finalized
5. The Board of Directors meets to make a final decision and award the grant

Can I receive additional funding for 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 or to create, produce or disseminate their art. Reimbursement of part of these costs by the Conseil des arts de Montréal may serve as a way to offset the financial disadvantage (examples: assistance with writing a grant application, interpreting, adapted transport, specialized support , etc.).

Applicants who must pay accessibility costs to cover the cost of writing a grant application or for the successful completion of their project may include these costs directly in their application for financial assistance by completing the appropriate sections.

The assistance granted will be added to the amount requested for the art project.

Accessibility costs will automatically be granted for all successful applications.

The amount paid will be analyzed by the Conseil team based on the funds available and the justifications behind the expenses.

How will the grant be paid?

The grant amount will be sent in one payment (100%) after the decision letter has been sent.

The amount of the accessibility costs may be paid separately.

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, artists’ collective or arts 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. In this situation, the recipient may be asked to reimburse the grant in full or in part.
• if requested, submit activity reports and financial statements at the required times
• if applicable, include in the report photographs, videos or any other relevant, royalty-free visuals that the Conseil may use for promotional or archival purposes