Professional Development for Arts Professionals Program (Canada)

You may be eligible for Application Assistance to pay someone to help you with the application process if you are experiencing difficulty and self-identify as:

• an artist who is Deaf, hard of hearing, has a disability or is living with a mental illness
• a First Nations, Inuit or Métis artist facing language, geographic and/or cultural barriers.

Funding Information

• Grant amount: Up to $10 000

Eligible Activities

• Professional development activities or sharing expertise with other Canadian arts professionals, including but not limited to:
  • mentorships
  • internships
  • specialized training
  • taking or giving workshops
  • research
  • participation in conferences, seminars or other significant events

Ineligible Activities

• In addition to the criteria set out in the applicant profiles, the following activities and expenses are not eligible for grants from the Canada Council:
  • activities proposed by someone under 18 years old
  • activities that are illegal according to the Criminal Code of Canada
  • artistic activities that are led by non-professionals (this does not apply to new and early career artists)
  • activities that are carried out to satisfy the course requirements of an educational institution
  • activities that directly support the delivery of an educational program or course
  • activities that are funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) (unless applying to a component of Creating, Knowing and Sharing: The Arts and Cultures of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples)
  • self-publishing or author-subsidized publishing of literary works (unless applying to a component of Creating, Knowing and Sharing: The Arts and Cultures of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples)
  • activities carried out by organizations that have not paid, or do not pay, fees or royalties to artists according the standards of the arts practice or sector
  • fundraising activities
  • capital expenditures, unless explicitly eligible
  • contests and competitions (including prizes and awards), except practices in:
    • powwow
    • hip-hop and urban arts – such as street dance battles, poetry slams, etc.
  • any expenses incurred due to COVID-19-related measures, including quarantine expenses
  • contributions to endowment funds

Eligibility Criteria

• Types of potential applicants to this component include:
  • arts professionals (those who play non-artistic roles such as administrators, technicians, etc.)
  • cultural connectors

For more information, visit Canada Council for the Arts.