Dance Projects (Ontario Arts Council)

Dance Projects (Ontario Arts Council) is sponsored by Ontario Arts Council. This program supports the creation, production, and presentation of live and virtual dance, as well as other initiatives benefiting the professional dance community in Ontario.

Ontario Arts Council - Dance Projects expand to view child pages of 4 expand to view child pages of 3301 Building Audiences and Markets Engaging Communities and Schools Developing Careers and Arts Services expand to view child pages of 3302 expand to view child pages of 3027 Deaf Artists and Artists with Disabilities Artists Living in Regions Outside Toronto General Granting Information expand to view child pages of 3303 Grant Program Deadlines and Important Dates Guide to Operating Grants Guide to Project Programs Information in sign language expand to view child pages of 5 Ontario Arts Council Awards Government of Ontario Awards expand to view child pages of 4065 Premier's Awards for Excellence in the Arts Ontario Arts Foundation Awards and Funds expand to view child pages of 3033 expand to view child pages of 2945 Multi-Year Accessibility Plan 2023-2028 Alternative Services and Application Processes expand to view child pages of 3756 Deaf Artists and Artists with Disabilities Artists Living in Regions Outside Toronto Public Feedback Form / Complaints Guide to Providing Application Support Would you like to be an OAC peer assessor?

expand to view child pages of 6 expand to view child pages of 18 Beverley Johnston honoured with 2025 Oskar Morawetz Award for Excellence in Music Performance Maria Hupfield receives the 2025 OAC Indigenous Arts Award expand to view child pages of 6791 Read our February newsletter expand to view child pages of 2956 Share your photos with OAC expand to view child pages of 7 How does the Ontario Arts Council track its work and impact?

Program Evaluation at OAC Impact of the Arts in Ontario expand to view child pages of 3 Public Feedback Form / Complaints Accountability and Governance Building Audiences and Markets Engaging Communities and Schools Developing Careers and Arts Services Deaf Artists and Artists with Disabilities Artists Living in Regions Outside Toronto General Granting Information Grant Program Deadlines and Important Dates Guide to Operating Grants Guide to Project Programs Information in sign language Earl Lee receives the 2018 Heinz Unger Award.

(Photo: Jag Gundu/Toronto Symphony Orchestra) Ontario Arts Council Awards Government of Ontario Awards Premier's Awards for Excellence in the Arts Ontario Arts Foundation Awards and Funds Circus artist Erin Ball delivers an aerial performance during a workshop hosted by the Kingston Arts Council at the Tett Centre for Creativity and Learning in Kingston.

(Photo: Liz Cooper) Multi-Year Accessibility Plan 2023-2028 Alternative Services and Application Processes Deaf Artists and Artists with Disabilities Artists Living in Regions Outside Toronto Public Feedback Form / Complaints Guide to Providing Application Support Would you like to be an OAC peer assessor? A drum circle recording session that was part of the Ancestral Call to Balance project led by Sandra Desjardins.

(Photo: Sandra Desjardins) Beverley Johnston honoured with 2025 Oskar Morawetz Award for Excellence in Music Performance Maria Hupfield receives the 2025 OAC Indigenous Arts Award Read our February newsletter Share your photos with OAC A large audience watches a film screening during the Christie Pits Film Festival, part of Toronto Outdoor Picture Show’s Cinematic Cities program.

(Photo: Diana Maclean) How does the Ontario Arts Council track its work and impact? Program Evaluation at OAC Impact of the Arts in Ontario Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue perform during the Ottawa Jazz Festival at Confederation Park.

(Photo: Chris Parker) Public Feedback Form / Complaints Accountability and Governance Winter Holidays 2023-2024 | Vacances d'hiver 2023-2024  Grants Advanced Search Box Home  Grants  Dance Projects Toll-free in Ontario: 1-800-387-0058 Canada Dance Mapping Study Why I dance…Pourquoi je danse… Ontario Dances Artist Portal  Guide to OAC Project Programs  Guide to OAC Assessment  Guide to OAC Support Material  Grant Program Deadlines and Important Dates  Recognition Requirements for Project Grant Recipients  Showcase your photos on our website and publications  OAC Geographic Regions Maps (PDF) Until this program opens in Nova , the Ontario Arts Council’s online granting system, program information may change.

This includes deadline dates and specific information on eligibility. Be sure to visit this page after the program opens in Nova , but before starting your application. The program supports the creation, production and presentation of live and virtual dance and other initiatives that benefit the Ontario professional dance community.

The program has five categories: Creation : to support artistic costs of choreography and development of new work. There must be some kind of showing (for example, in-studio or virtual, for invited peers, mentors or other guests) of the work or work-in-progress. Production and presentation : to support artistic, production and presentation costs of live or virtual dance for a public.

This includes co-productions, commissions, remounting, and tour preparation (including rehearsal costs). Series and festivals : to support presentation costs of series and festivals that promote professional choreographers and dance companies.

Mentorship – Individuals : mentorship for Indigenous artists training in Indigenous dance practices, including powwow and customary dance (see definition), and for Deaf artists and artists with disabilities.

Training and community development – Ad hoc groups, collectives and organizations : training and community development initiatives, including but not limited to forums, workshops and master classes, equity and access initiatives, and other activities that benefit the professional dance community. Costs can include fees to participating artists.

Category-specific priorities are: Creation; Production and presentation; and Series and festivals: projects that engage professional Ontario-based choreographers. Series and festivals: projects where the applicant does not present their own dance works.

Training and community development – Ad hoc groups, collectives and organizations: training and community development projects that support dance practices where training opportunities in Ontario are limited as compared to other practices. March 12 and September 24, 2026, 1 p. m.

ET The application form will be available in Nova about two months before the deadline. You will find out whether you got a grant about four and a half months after each deadline.

Production and presentation: maximum $20,000 Series and festivals: maximum $15,000 Mentorship – Individuals: maximum $2,500 Training and community development – Ad hoc groups, collectives and organizations: maximum $7,500 Due to the number of applications received and the limited funds available, grants awarded may be smaller than the amount requested.

The OAC will not fund 100 per cent of a project in the Production and presentation and Series and festivals categories.

Applications to these categories must include a range of revenue sources professional dance artists who are Ontario residents Ontario-based ad hoc groups and collectives of dance artists or arts professionals with expertise in dance incorporated not-for-profit dance companies, dance series, dance festivals and other dance organizations with a head office in Ontario other not-for-profit organizations or ad hoc groups and collectives such as non-arts organizations or organizations and ad hoc groups or collectives working in another arts discipline supported by OAC You must demonstrate that you have engaged the appropriate professional dance expertise to carry out the project, for example, the expertise of dance professionals directly involved in the project, and/or the expertise of an advisory committee that includes dance professionals.

Only Indigenous artists, Deaf artists and artists with disabilities can apply as individuals to the Mentorship – Individuals category.

Dance companies that receive an operating grant of $30,000 or under from Dance Organizations: Operating, and that are led by Indigenous artists, artists of colour, Deaf artists or artists with disabilities, can apply to the Training and community development – Ad hoc groups, collectives and organizations category. Read the Guide to OAC Project Programs for more eligibility information.

organizations that receive an OAC operating grant through one of the following programs, except for dance companies that receive an operating grant of $30,000 or under and are led by Indigenous artists, artists of colour, Deaf artists or artists with disabilities: Dance Organizations: Operating Ontario Arts Operating Fund (Dance Organizations category) organizations that receive another OAC operating grant, except organizations mandated to serve one or more OAC priority groups choreographers who direct organizations that receive OAC operating funding a member of an ad hoc group or collective that applies for the same activity at the same deadline in this program dance studios, dance schools or other training organizations dance students or students enrolled full-time at an educational institution colleges, universities and municipalities elementary or secondary public or private schools schools run by First Nations or Indigenous Education Authorities artists’ fees (choreographers, dancers, outside eye/elder/dramaturge, composers, musicians, theatrical designers and technicians) fees for mentors, teachers, gurus, Elders, knowledge-keepers and other cultural carriers fees for professional dance artists participating in Mentorship, training and community development projects production costs (costumes, set and other staging requirements) publicity, marketing, promotion and audience development activities travel, transportation and accommodation costs for key artists, collaborators and teachers if they are not residents of your city, town or First Nation childcare and other dependant care fees enabling individuals to take part in the project (this does not include regular, ongoing expenses) expenses related to making the project accessible to audience members and project participants (other than the applicant) who are Deaf or have a disability Note: Applicants to this program who identify as Deaf or as having a disability may apply for supplementary funds for their own accessibility expenses through Accessibility Fund: Project Support .

What this program does not fund events or activities that take place outside of Ontario projects eligible in the Touring Projects , Multi and Inter-Arts Projects or Media Artists Creation Projects programs multi and inter-arts activities travel, transportation and accommodation costs related to touring projects related to a graduate degree or thesis competition-based dance except for urban and powwow dance amateur, student or pre-professional productions major capital expenditures, including buying, leasing or renovating buildings and purchase of major equipment The activities for which you are requesting funding: cannot start before the deadline cannot finish before you receive your grant results must be completed no more than two years after you receive the grant results Final report requirements If you receive a grant, you must complete the project and submit a final report in Nova .

See Terms and Conditions – receipt of OAC project grant funds for more information on reporting obligations.

In your final report, you will need to provide: a description of the project undertaken and its outcomes, including details on any approved or minor changes to what had been outlined in the application If the budget you submit shows a surplus of more than $250 (revenues as compared to expenses), you may be required to repay the surplus amount to OAC.

documentation and/or an explanation of how you followed or will follow OAC’s Recognition Requirements for Project Grant Recipients This should include samples of any promotional or other materials produced for the project that show the OAC and Government of Ontario logos. Read logo guidelines Complete and submit an application in Nova , OAC’s online grant application system.

You will be able to do this approximately two months before the deadline.

Before applying, be sure to: read the Guide to OAC Project Programs for basic eligibility requirements and other restrictions create or update your profile in Nova Your application will include: basic information about the project your answers to application questions The OAC will not fund 100 per cent of a project in the Production and presentation, and Series and festivals categories.

Applications to these categories must include a range of revenue sources such as other grants, box-office sales, registrant fees and so on. artistic examples: you must submit 3 video examples (maximum 3 minutes each). Do not include any work produced while you were a student.

This video may help: Preparing Effective Support Material for Theatre, Dance and Performance-Based Multi and Inter-Arts support documents: applicant’s résumé/bio and bios of any artist who is confirmed at the deadline date. Letters of support/reference or letters of agreement/confirmation are not required. Only applicants to the Mentorship, training and community development categories may submit a letter of support.

Complete instructions and requirements are in the application in Nova . For information on how assessors rate applications see the Guide to OAC Assessment and the Evaluation Rubric – Activity Projects . For details on creating a profile or submitting an application in Nova , see the Nova User Guide .

Program-specific definitions Dance school : trains students for a professional career in dance through a multi-year dance instruction curriculum of no less than 10 hours per week. Courses are accessible to Ontarians through a competitive audition/admission process. The school earns revenue in various ways, including student tuition fees.

Dance schools are not eligible for funding through the Dance Projects program. For dance schools, please see the Ontario Arts Operating Fund (Dance Organizations category) or contact the dance program officer. Multi- and inter-arts activities : practices, initiatives and events that have two or more artistic forms present in equal balance in the creation, production and presentation of work.

Artistic forms may remain separate or be combined to create new, unified forms. Multi and inter-arts activities involve bringing art forms together in ways that make the activity unique and therefore are not eligible for funding in OACs discipline-based programs in Theatre, Dance, Music, Visual Arts or Media Arts. For multi- and inter-arts activities, please see the Multi- and Inter-Arts Projects program.

Student : An individual enrolled in a full-time undergraduate program at a college or university, or studying dance at a private studio, dance school or dance training organization. Students are not eligible to apply to this program.

Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming 121 Bloor Street East, 7th Floor For more than 60 years, the Ontario Arts Council (OAC) has played a vital role in promoting and assisting the development of the arts for the enjoyment and benefit of Ontarians. The OAC reached 27. 4 million people through events and arts education activities across the province in 2021-22.

In 2024-25 , OAC invested its grant program budget of $52. 2 million in 204 communities across 123 Ontario ridings, providing 1,969 grants to individual artists and 1,030 grants to organizations.