Indigenous Arts & Culture Fund - Activation Stream

Overview of the Indigenous Arts & Culture Fund - Activation Stream program:

Toronto has been an important site for gathering, trading and celebration for Indigenous people for thousands of years. It is the treaty territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit and its land and waters have been stewarded by the Haudenosaunee, the Huron Wendat and the Anishinaabe. Toronto continues to be home to many diverse Indigenous peoples, whose artistic and creative contributions are vital to the fabric of the city. The fund aims to spark new relationships between Indigenous artists, arts and culture professionals and potential partners at both the grassroots and institutional levels. The fund has two key streams: Incubation and Activation Steams. Activation funding supports projects and initiatives that have the potential to spark lasting impact and opportunities for Indigenous-led arts and culture projects in Toronto. Priority is given to projects that demonstrate ongoing impact on the arts and culture landscape in Toronto.

Benefits of the Indigenous Arts & Culture Fund - Activation Stream program:

• Funding for Indigenous-led artistic and cultural projects
• Support for developmental, pilot, and incubation activities
• Funding for major cultural presentations, exhibitions, festivals, collaborations, and residencies
• Opportunities to expand economic impact and visibility for Indigenous creatives
• Capacity-building, knowledge-sharing, and skills development opportunities
• Projects assessed by Indigenous community members
• Long timeline: up to two years to complete funded projects

Eligibility criteria of the Indigenous Arts & Culture Fund - Activation Stream program:

• Eligible Applicants
• Open to Indigenous (Status and Non-Status First Nations, Inuit, Metis) people, including:
• Individual artists, arts and culture leaders and professionals
• Groups and collectives
• Non-profit Indigenous organizations
• Eligible Activities
• Projects that create economic or market development opportunities for Indigenous artists, arts leaders and professionals, and Indigenous creative enterprises
• Knowledge sharing and exchange
• Arts and culture presentations, exhibitions, gatherings, creative collaborations that demonstrate clear economic benefits, transformative impact and/or new opportunities for visibility.
• Not Eligible
• Students whose project or initiatives are related to their school work
• Non-residents of Toronto
• Organizations whose central office is located outside of Toronto
• For-profit organizations
• Groups, collectives or organizations that are non-Indigenous controlled (less than 50 per cent Indigenous board, executive staff and/or membership).