Professional Orchestra Program: Annual and Multi-Year Funding

NOTE: The updated application forms will be available two months before the deadline date.

Deadline

1 February 2011

Program Description

The Professional Orchestra Program is intended to:

recognize and support artistic excellence and achievement in orchestral music
advance the creation, development and production of Canadian works, while continuing to advocate for the vitality of the international repertoire
promote Canadian artists
encourage innovative education and outreach programs that attract and serve new audiences for orchestral music, including young audiences
stimulate the appreciation and enjoyment of orchestral music in Canada
encourage the use of best management practices within the orchestra field, and
foster mutual understanding, co-operation and collaboration among creators, performers, administrators, audiences of diverse cultural backgrounds, of other disciplines and of artistic forms in development

This program provides multi-year (three-year), annual and project funding to professional Canadian orchestras. Grants contribute to the development and presentation of orchestra repertoire, with particular concern for excellence in the presentation of Canadian music and in the performance of music works by Canadian artists. The annual component of the program provides support for one year (2010-11). The multi-year component provides support for three fiscal years; however, multi-year applications will not be accepted this year.

The project funding component of this program has its own guidelines and application form.

Eligibility

Applicant organizations must:

be a Canadian professional, non-profit orchestra and have a board of directors in place at the time of application
have completed at least three full years of professional activities
receive significant support from other levels of government, the public and the private sector
engage professional artistic and administrative personnel
demonstrate a significant and strong commitment to Canadian creation/repertoire as part of their ongoing annual programming.

Orchestras must have received project grants in each of the last two competitions and meet the basic eligibility criteria in order to apply for annual funding. The decision of the peer assessment committee to award an annual grant for the first time will be based on the organization’s performance against the criteria within a national comparative context, the ability of the orchestra to demonstrate that it fulfills a distinctive role within its community, and the availability of funds.

This Canada Council program is accessible to Aboriginal arts organizations and arts organizations from diverse cultural and regional communities of Canada.

Grant Amount

The Professional Orchestra Program awards grants using a competitive process. The peer assessment committee recommends funding priorities and a grant amount to the Canada Council for the Arts for the applicant’s proposed activities. Recommendations are based on the program’s assessment criteria and available funds.

Retroactive funding is not available.

CADAC Financial Reporting

The Canada Council for the Arts is collecting financial information through a new national online database called CADAC (Canadian Arts Data/Données sur les arts au Canada). This system will enable arts organizations applying for operating funding from public funders who are members of CADAC to submit their financial information in the same format.

The following are member partners: the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, the British Columbia Arts Council, the Canada Council for the Arts, the City of Vancouver, the New Brunswick Department of Wellness, Culture and Sport, the Manitoba Arts Council, the Ontario Arts Council, the Saskatchewan Arts Board and the Toronto Arts Council.