Indigenous Artists in Schools

Overview of the Indigenous Artists in Schools program:

Indigenous Artists in School program supports Indigenous artists to lead hands-on creative activities for children and youth in schools, with a focus on teaching artistic expression from an Indigenous cultural perspective. These projects are designed to enrich learning environments by bringing Indigenous knowledge, arts practices, and cultural values into classrooms through direct student engagement.

Benefits of the Indigenous Artists in Schools program:

• Maximum grant amount of $15,000 to create projects that:
  • Fosters cultural revitalization, community healing, and intergenerational knowledge sharing
  • Connects schools and communities with Indigenous creative practices
  • Builds relationships between artists, Elders, teachers, and learners
  • Encourages culturally grounded art-making experiences
  • Respects Indigenous artistic protocols and local governance

Eligibility criteria of the Indigenous Artists in Schools program:

• To apply, you must be First Nations, Metis, or Inuit and based in Ontario. You can apply as:
• Individual Indigenous Artists or Arts Professionals
• Must be emerging, mid-career, or established
• Must reside in Ontario
• Ad Hoc Groups or Collectives
• At least 50% of members must be Indigenous
• All members must be professional artists or arts professionals
• At least 50% must live in Ontario (or both, if only two members)
• Indigenous-Led Organizations
• Ontario-based not-for-profit Indigenous arts or non-arts organizations, centres, or councils
• Must be led by Indigenous individuals
• Culture Carriers
• Recognized First Nations, Metis, or Inuit knowledge holders within their communities
• Indigenous-Run Schools in Ontario
• Schools operated by First Nations or Indigenous Education Authorities
• May apply to bring in Indigenous artists for in-school projects
• Co-Applicants
• Both must be Indigenous
• Grant will be split evenly between them