Arts Circulation and Touring Program – Canada

Grants received in this program are intended to enhance professional and artistic opportunities and exposure of B.C. artists, collectives, and arts organizations regionally, nationally, and internationally.

Assistance through this program is available to arts and culture organizations, collectives and to individual art practitioners through three categories outlined below.

Grants are not available through this program to support projects that are solely or primarily focused on the creation or development of new works or programming or for self directed or produced activities.

Categories

• Category 1: Outbound Activity
  • The circulation and touring of artistic and cultural works originating from the applicant to specific venues (Venues can include: a theatre, gallery, library, museum, festival site or space, community centre, or any other space or site where the activity is taking place) or events inside or outside of British Columbia.
• Category 2: Inbound Activity
  • The hosting, presentation, and circulation of artistic and cultural performances, exhibitions, and works originating inside or outside of the province to specific venues or events held in British Columbia by the applicant.
• Category 3: Digitization and Translation – PILOT
  • The digitization of artistic and cultural works for the purposes of dissemination to and access by the identified communities the applicant serves.
  • The translation of literary, dramatic, other written artistic works, critical arts writing, or public programming materials originally created by B.C. artists, arts practitioners, and arts and culture organizations, for the purposes of publication, presentation, or greater access by the identified communities the applicant serves.

Funding Information

• Maximum request amount is $25,000.

Eligible Projects

• Category A: Outbound Activity
  • Activity Options:
    • Outbound circulation and touring of artistic and cultural works both inside and outside of the province
    • Single Artistic touring or travel opportunities
    • Participation in events focused on the promotion, planning or networking development of work for the purposes of future circulation and touring opportunities
  • Examples include (but are not limited to):
    • Southern B.C.-based applicants touring their artistic and cultural performances, exhibitions, or works to Northern B.C.-based hosting organization.
    • B.C.-based applicants touring their artistic and cultural performances, exhibitions, or works to international hosting organizations.
• Category B: Inbound Activity
  • Activity Options:
    • Hosting, presentation, and circulation of artistic and cultural performances, exhibitions, and works from all disciplines within British Columbia.
    • Bringing in Artists or Artistic Leadership for the purpose of planning for the presentation or hosting of work, including research into and development of possible tours/circulation engagements.
    • Bringing in Artists or Artistic Leadership for the purpose of Networking development opportunities related to the presentation/hosting of work.
  • Examples include (but are not limited to):
    • Eligible B.C.-based applicants hosting artistic and cultural performances, exhibitions, or works that originate from artists or arts and cultural organizations located elsewhere in B.C.
    • Eligible B.C.-based applicants hosting artistic and cultural performances, exhibitions, or works that originate from artists or arts and cultural organizations located anywhere outside of B.C.
• Category C: Digitization and Translations – PILOT
  • Activity Options:
    • Digitization of artistic works for the purposes of dissemination to and access by the identified communities the applicant serves or by the general public
    • Translation of literary, dramatic, or other written artistic works for the purposes of publication or presentation
  • Examples include (but are not limited to):
    • Hiring someone to complete the digitization of a series of analogue works to provide or increase online access to the applicant’s history of artistic works or programming.
    • Digitizing programming history or artistic works in order to preserve knowledge for future study by artists and cultural workers.
• All Categories:
  • Only activity taking place after the application is submitted will be eligible for support.
  • The focus of this program in all categories is supporting the mobility and circulation of artistic and cultural works and programming.
  • Applications for collaborative projects can be submitted, but specific phases or separate components must be clearly described by each applicant, as the same project activities and expenses cannot be funded through multiple grants.

Eligibility Criteria

• The BC Arts Council’s designated priority groups include applicants and arts and cultural practitioners who are:
  • Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, or Inuit) Peoples
  • Deaf or experience disability
  • Black or people of colour
  • Located in areas outside greater Vancouver or the capital region
• To be eligible, you must:
  • Be a Canadian citizen or Permanent Resident who ordinarily resides in B.C. and has lived in the province for at least 12 months immediately prior to submitting an application.
  • Be recognized as professional by other practitioners working in a similar discipline.
  • Be committed to working full-time at your practice when financially possible.
  • Demonstrate professional status by submitting a CV or resume that indicates the following:
    • Have completed appropriate and relevant training in your discipline at a level that would be recognized as professional by other practitioners working in similar disciplines. Training may be through post-secondary institutions, traditional knowledge transfer, or apprenticeship with a qualified practitioner.
    • Have a minimum two years of professional practice in your field following basic training.
    • Meet discipline-specific criteria outlined below:
      • Performing Artists: A demonstrated body of previous professional work for which you have received professional fees.
      • Visual or Craft Artists: At least two professionally curated shows or exhibitions for which you have received professional fees.
      • Visual Arts Critics or Curators: Curated two or more exhibitions or published two or more works of critical writing for which you have received professional fees.
      • Media Artists: Directed, created, or held creative control on at least one project subsequent to basic training for which you have been paid professional fees. This may include student works which have been professionally exhibited or screened. o
      • Creative Writers: At least one book (or equivalent – 40 pages of poetry or 120 pages of prose) professionally published.
      • Arts Administration, Publishing, Producer, Artistic Support Staff: Two or more years of full- or part-time paid employment (permanent or contract) in arts or cultural administration or artistic support at an arts organization, or at a professional book or periodical publisher.
      • D/deaf, Disability and Mad Arts: A demonstrated body of work in or across any artistic practice for which you have received professional fees.
      • Community-Engaged Arts Practice: Facilitated two participatory arts projects in a community setting or learning environment.
      • Multi- and Interdisciplinary Practice: A demonstrated body of professional public work that integrates multiple fields of practice, and for which you have received professional fees.
      • Museum or Indigenous Culture Centre Professionals: Two or more years of full- or part-time paid employment (permanent or contract) in a museum or Indigenous Cultural Centre.
      • Production and Technical Personnel: Two or more years of full- or regular part-time paid employment (permanent or contract) in arts and cultural production or as a technician in an arts and cultural institution, organization, or venue.
  • Have completed and submitted any overdue final reports on previous BC Arts Council grants by the intake closing date for this grant program.
  • Have received at least one grant through the First Peoples’ Cultural Council ‘s Indigenous Arts Program and have submitted any outstanding final reports for that grant.

For more information, visit BC Arts Council.