Ontario Arts Operating Fund

Ontario Arts Operating Fund is sponsored by Ontario Arts Council. Provides ongoing support for Ontario-based, not-for-profit arts organizations and for-profit book and magazine publishers that meet the assessment criteria for ongoing support.

Ontario Arts Council - Ontario Arts Operating Fund 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 Public value and engagement requirements 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 2026 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Awards presented to Jennifer Maruno, Miki Sato and Kat Ashley Naomi Skye honoured with 2026 Pauline McGibbon 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 expand to view child pages of 2761 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 Public value and engagement requirements 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) 2026 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Awards presented to Jennifer Maruno, Miki Sato and Kat Ashley Naomi Skye honoured with 2026 Pauline McGibbon 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  Ontario Arts Operating Fund  Ontario Arts Operating Fund  Guide to OAC Operating Grants  Guide to OAC Assessment  Guide to OAC Support Material  Grant Program Deadlines and Important Dates  Support for Deaf Artists and Artists with Disabilities  Requirements for grant recipients  Showcase your photos on our website and publications  OAC Geographic Regions Maps (PDF) Ontario Arts Operating Fund This program supports Ontario-based not-for-profit arts organizations and for-profit publishers led by, working with and providing services to professional artists across arts disciplines and sectors.

Operating grants are a form of sustained investment in the province’s arts infrastructure. Through the Ontario Arts Operating Fund, the Ontario Arts Council (OAC) aims to: foster a dynamic and inclusive arts ecosystem strengthen community well-being and social cohesion enhance sector sustainability See Introduction to the Ontario Arts Operating Fund for an overview of the program.

Program categories, deadlines and contact information Deadline: March 24, 2026, 1 p. m. ET Toll-free in Ontario: 1-800-387-0058 Toll-free in Ontario: 1-800-387-0058 Francophone Organizations Deadline: March 24, 2026, 1 p.

m. ET Toll-free in Ontario: 1-800-387-0058 Toll-free in Ontario: 1-800-387-0058 Deadline: March 24, 2026, 1 p. m.

ET Toll-free in Ontario: 1-800-387-0058 Toll-free in Ontario: 1-800-387-0058 Deadline: March 31, 2026, 1 p. m. ET Toll-free in Ontario: 1-800-387-0058 Toll-free in Ontario: ​​​​​​​1-800-387-0058 Multi and Inter-Arts Organizations Deadline: March 31, 2026, 1 p.

m. ET Toll-free in Ontario: 1-800-387-0058 Toll-free in Ontario: 1-800-387-0058 Toll-free in Ontario: 1-800-387-0058 Deadlines: March 31 and September 22, 2026, 1 p. m.

ET Toll-free in Ontario: 1-800-387-0058 Toll-free in Ontario: 1-800-387-0058 Deadlines: March 31 and September 22, 2026, 1 p. m. ET Toll-free in Ontario: 1-800-387-0058 Toll-free in Ontario: 1-800-387-0058 Visual Arts Organizations Deadline: March 24, 2026, 1 p.

m. ET Toll-free in Ontario: 1-800-387-0058 Toll-free in Ontario: 1-800-387-0058 Toll-free in Ontario: 1-800-387-0058 Recipients of OAC operating grants in 2025-2026 will be automatically invited to apply to the Ontario Arts Operating Fund. New applicants may only apply in year 1 of the funding cycle for the program category most applicable to their mandate and activities.

Applications are available in Nova , OAC’s online grant application system, about two months before the program’s first deadline. Financial and statistical reports must be submitted through Canadian Arts Data / Données sur les arts au Canada (CADAC) before the deadline. Exception: Publishing organizations upload statistical information directly in their application in Nova.

Grant notification will be available about five months after the category deadline.

To apply, an arts organization must: be an Ontario not-for-profit corporation, a federal not-for-profit corporation or a for-profit publisher have its primary business address in Ontario pay professional fees or provide services to professional artists be led by professional personnel have completed at least two years of sustained, regular, ongoing programming in Ontario as of the application date have a range of revenue sources, such as private and government be governed by a board of directors or an advisory body solely responsible for the organization have community support and involvement demonstrated through one or more of the following: have proof of sound administrative and financial management, including evidence of planning, risk management and succession strategies be registered through CADAC ( Canadian Arts Database / Données sur les arts au Canada ) submit verification of financial results of the last completed fiscal year, according to the grant request amount (new applicants) or most recent grant (returning applicants): over $50,000: audited financial statements (required) $25,001 to $50 000: review engagement (or, if available, audited financial statements) $25,000 and under: unaudited financial statements (or, if available, audited financial statements or review engagement) meet any additional eligibility requirements specific to its category Note: Arts organizations that operate within a multi-purpose institution (such as a library, university or municipality) must demonstrate their independence by providing a separate board or advisory list and financial statements.

Important: Applicants must meet all eligibility criteria at the time they submit the application. Exception: Financial statements can usually be submitted after the deadline (see Financial Statements in the Guide to OAC Operating Grants).

are organizations that wish to apply to the program without having received an OAC operating grant the previous year may only apply in year 1 of the funding cycle for the program category most applicable to their mandate and activities must contact the program officer to discuss eligibility and suitability at least two months before the deadline must have at least $100,000 in total revenues for the last completed year, and in projected revenues for the current and request years The following organizations may not apply: municipalities, colleges and universities school boards, schools administered by a First Nation and Indigenous administered schools other ineligible organization types (see Category-specific eligibility criteria ) Organizations may receive only one grant from this program per fiscal year.

ongoing operating expenses, including costs of artistic and community programming, administration, artist fees and staffing major capital expenditures, including buying, leasing or renovating buildings and purchase of major equipment debt repayment and deficit reduction programs and activities for primarily religious or political purposes activities outside of Ontario, aside from touring and circulation of programming that would be eligible in OAC’s other programs Category-specific eligibility criteria Francophone Organizations Applicants must be Francophone, operate primarily in French, actively support the vitality of Ontario’s Francophone artistic community, and submit their application in French.

Magazine publishers must be significantly devoted to the publication of original fiction, poetry, or critical commentary on the arts, culture and society. Titles devoted to reportage, political advocacy, religion, spirituality, self-help, or the promotion of commercial enterprises are ineligible.

Scholarly magazines and journals, publications directed primarily at an organization’s membership (such as newsletters), and publications that lack financial and editorial independence are also ineligible.

In each of their two most recent fiscal years: magazine publishers must have published at least two issues (print or online) or posted original content online at least 40 times book publishers must have published at least two eligible books, and at least 50% of published titles must have been Canadian-authored and written by authors who are neither shareholders nor owners of the publishing firm Applicants must pay artists according to fee standards set by the Canadian Artists Representation/Le Front des artistes canadiens (CARFAC) or the Independent Media Arts Alliance (IMAA).

Organizations primarily working in the commercial media industry are ineligible. Multi and Inter-Arts Organizations Applicants must have a multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary mandate. It may specifically refer to two or more artistic disciplines, or to a broader range of disciplines within a multi or interdisciplinary context.

For-profit music publishers are ineligible. Visual Arts Organizations Applicants must pay artists according to fee standards set by the Canadian Artists Representation/Le Front des artistes canadiens (CARFAC) or the Independent Media Arts Alliance (IMAA). They must primarily engage and support contemporary visual artists or arts workers.

Complete and submit an application in Nova , OAC’s online grant application system. You will be able to do this about two months before the deadline.

Before applying, you must: read the Guide to OAC Operating Grants read the Guide to OAC Assessment and the Evaluation Rubric – Ontario Arts Operating Fund contact the program officer to discuss eligibility and suitability at least two months before the deadline (new applicants only) create or update your profile in Nova register for an account with CADAC ( Canadian Arts Database / Données sur les arts au Canada ) (new applicants only) Your application includes: your answers to the application questions support material: website (required), online publications and artistic examples (optional) financial and statistical information submitted through CADAC financial statements for your organization’s last completed year, uploaded to CADAC Complete instructions and requirements are in the application in Nova.

Information on previous OAC operating programs Guide to OAC Operating Programs 2025-2026 (PDF) Evaluation Rubric – Operating Programs 2025-2026 (PDF) FAQ – 2025-26 Operating Funding Framework (PDF) Arts Organizations in Communities and Schools: Operating 2025-2026 (PDF) Arts Service Organizations: Operating 2025-2026 (PDF) Dance Organizations: Operating 2025-2026 (PDF) Literary Organizations: Operating 2025-2026 (PDF) Media Arts Organizations: Operating 2025-2026 (PDF) Multi and Inter-Arts Organizations: Operating 2025-2026 (PDF) Music Organizations: Operating 2025-2026 (PDF) Public Art Galleries: Operating 2025-2026 (PDF) Publishing Organizations: Operating 2025-2026 (PDF) Theatre Organizations: Operating 2025-2026 (PDF) Visual Arts Artist-Run Centres and Organizations: Operating 2025-2026 (PDF) 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.