The City of Burlington's Arts and Culture Fund (BACF) provides grants to local artists, multicultural groups, and arts and cultural organizations to:
The program recognizes and supports diverse identities, perspectives, languages, cultures and artistic practices. Funding must be used to further an applicant's not-for-profit activities and grants are intended to support a specific activity or event taking place over the upcoming year.
How to apply |
The BACF is currently closed. Please subscribe to this page and watch our news and notices for updates on when we will accept applications for 2023 and how to apply. |
Eligibility |
To apply for BACF funding, you must be in the City of Burlington and be one of the following:
Exclusions from eligibility
Exclusions from eligible costsBACF project funding may not be used for capital expenses or purposes, including:
The program will not support:
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Overview of grants |
The BACF is meant to support the creation and presentation of arts and cultural projects that reflect BACF objectives.
Adherence to guidelines and standardsBACF projects must adhere to all municipal, regional and provincial COVID-19 health and safety guidelines at the time of the application and implementation of the project. Projects must also adhere to municipal, provincial and federal regulatory compliance standards such as building codes, City bylaws, fire regulations, etc. Re-applying for a following yearIf you receive BACF funding in any year and re-apply to the grant program the following year, you must provide a final project report as part of your subsequent application form. You must also submit an application each year for projects that recur annually. These projects are decided on based on our normal assessment criteria and:
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Funding |
The maximum amount awarded for each project grant is $7,000. The City has discretion regarding the amount awarded and all decisions are final. Awarded applicants must sign an agreement, recognizing their obligations. Once the agreement is signed, we will issue a cheque for 80 per cent of the grant. The remaining 20 per cent will be issued upon receipt of the final report, as well as remaining invoices and other documents outlined in the agreement. Applicants will not be eligible to receive BACF funding until all required reports have been submitted and accepted by the City. If you are in default of your grant agreement, you may be required to return funds to the City and you may be ineligible for future grants. |
Adjudication and assessment criteria |
There are four key areas of evaluation, including:
The applicant's recent activities, as well as proposed ones, are also considered during assessment. Applications are reviewed, in part, by a peer assessment jury. Jury members evaluate the artistic merit criteria of BACF applications. They are selected and approved by the Arts and Culture Council of Burlington. Members are made up of representatives from the arts and culture sector, including:
Artistic meritArtistic merit scoring is determined by:
Program merit and strategic initiativeProgram merit and strategic initiative scoring is determined by clearly articulated outcomes expected for the project. Outcomes should align with the City's Strategic Plan community building through arts and culture. Does the project:
City-wide and community impactCity-wide and community impact scoring is determined by:
Economic impactEconomic impact scoring is determined by:
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Approved projects |
View and subscribe to our news and notices for updates and details on BACF approved projects. |
Glossary of terms |
View our BACF glossary of terms. Arts and Culture CollectiveThree or more artists or cultural professionals whose project is focused primarily on artistic or cultural creation and presentation. Charitable Arts and Culture OrganizationA charitable organization whose mandate or mission is focused primarily on artistic or cultural creation and presentation. Charitable OrganizationTo be considered charitable, an organization's purpose must be exclusively and legally charitable and it must be established for the benefit of the public or a sufficient segment of the public. It must also be registered with the Canada Revenue Agency as having charitable status under the Income Tax Act. Organizations so registered can issue tax receipts for charitable donations. Community Arts and Culture ProjectBroadly defined, a community arts and culture project involves a collaborative, creative process between a professional practicing artist and the community. It is a collective method of artmaking, engaging professional artists and self-defined communities through collaborative, artistic expression. It is as much about process as it is about the artistic product or outcome. A community arts and culture project provides a unique way for communities to express themselves and enable artists, through financial and other support, to engage in creative activity with communities. Not-for-Profit Arts and Culture OrganizationA not-for-profit organization whose mandate or mission is focused primarily on artistic or cultural creation and presentation. Not-for-Profit OrganizationAn organization not conducted or maintained for the purpose of making a profit. Instead, it operates to serve a public good. Not-for-profit organizations are specifically incorporated as such. Any surplus generated by a not-for-profit organization is used by the organization for the purposes for which it is established. Peer Assessment JuryBACF jury members are arts and culture professionals, practitioners and/or individuals who are knowledgeable in the arts and culture with high standing in the arts and culture community. Jurors evaluate applications based on the artistic merit component of the application and provide feedback to city staff. Peer assessment ensures that the arts and culture community has a voice in how funds are distributed and that applications are evaluated by artists and other cultural experts with knowledge and experience of the specific art forms, art practices and communities involved. BACF peer assessment jury members are selected and approved by the Arts and Culture Council of Burlington. Professional ArtistSomeone who has developed skills through training and/or practice, is recognized as such by artists working in the same artistic tradition, has a history of public presentation or publication, seeks payment for their work and actively practices their art. Short breaks in artistic history are allowed. The source of this definition is the Ontario Arts Council. |