Creative Communities Projects

Overview

The Creative Communities Projects program provides funding to Toronto-based professional artists, artist collectives, and non-profit organizations to pursue one-time or time-limited arts projects that enable public participation and engagement in arts and culture. The City of Toronto supports this program through a funding allocation approved annually by Toronto City Council.

Key Deadlines

• Application Deadline: March 16, 2026 (projects must commence after June 1, 2026)
• Application Deadline: August 4, 2026 (projects must commence after November 1, 2026)
• Projects must be completed within two years of the Notification Letter

Eligible Projects

Eligible projects must highlight co-creative processes between artists and communities, offer skill-building experiences that can lead to presentation or exhibition opportunities for participants, and increase access to arts activity for the broader community.

Grant Categories

• Arts Engagement: Projects that engage the community through their art form, work with community members to encourage maximum participation in the arts practice, and recognize that the process of collaboration is as important as resulting artistic products.
• Arts Community Development: Projects that develop artistic communities through the development of art practices, art forms, and/or emerging artistic voices.

Funding Details

The maximum grant available is $15,000. TAC will fund 100% of the project budget up to $8,000. For requests over $8,000, the budget must show revenue from other sources, TAC contribution may not exceed 50% of the project budget, and in-kind contributions may not exceed 25% of the project budget.

What Grants Support

Grants contribute to costs associated with the proposed project, including artistic fees, production and technical costs, marketing and publicity costs, and administrative costs. Artists' fees are the highest priority; this program requires the payment of artists' fees.

What This Program Does Not Fund

• Projects completed prior to the announcement of results (no retroactive funding)
• Organization's ongoing staff or faculty salaries (though in-kind value of permanent staff/administrative resources may be estimated)
• Schools, tuition-funded training programs, curriculum-based programs, or research projects
• Projects with a school as venue during school hours
• Organizations or collectives receiving Operating funding from TAC
• Educational and religious institutions, unless there is clear separation between regular activities and arts activities
• Equipment purchase, capital projects, film/video production, archiving, publishing, awards and award ceremonies, art therapy, fundraising events, and deficit reduction
• Activities occurring outside the City of Toronto

Contact

Kevin Reigh, Senior Manager, Arts Discipline Programs | 416-392-6802 x 227 | [email protected]