Burlington Arts and Culture Fund

Objective:

To nurture the capacity of the arts and cultural sector in Burlington, while fostering creativity, encouraging social cohesion, enhancing quality of life and stimulating cultural and economic development through direct investment.

Project Grants - Overview:

The project grants program is intended to support the creation and presentation of arts and cultural projects that reflect BACF objectives. Project grants are awarded for a term of one year. Each applicant may apply for support for one project per year. Project grants are intended to support a specific event or activity taking place between April 2019 and March 2020. Subsequently, applications for projects that recur must be submitted annually and will be adjudicated based on assessment criteria as set out in this document and on the following:

• Success of the project in the previous year;
• Innovation within the project;
• Availability of funds in the context of funding priorities. 

• An incorporated not-for-profit arts and culture organization or a charitable arts and culture organization;
• An individual artist or arts and cultural collective (defined as three or more individuals) that exhibit high achievement in arts and culture programming;
• A multicultural group that fulfills a significant role in the Burlington community through the arts and culture.

Exclusions from Eligibility

• Academic units of educational institutions;
• Schools, conservatories and other organizations, the primary mission of which is training or education. (The presence of education or training as an ancillary part of an organization's mandate will not result in an exclusion from eligibility);
• Churches and other religious institutions;
• Applicants that have received any form of city funding in the same calendar year are not eligible for BACF funding.

Exclusions from Eligible Costs

• Land,
• Equipment and fixtures,
• Operating costs,
• Physical facilities,
• Furthering a for-profit venture or creating an advantage for a for-profit partner.

For organizations, groups or individuals that receive a BACF project grant in any year and reapply to the project grant program the following year, a final project report must be integrated as part of the subsequent application form.

For Project Grants - the following assessment criteria will be considered:

Artistic Merit (30%) as determined by:

• A comprehensive work plan that is ready for implementation;
• Quality or value of the project and the implementation team/program;
• Distinctiveness of the applicant's activities in relation to comparable activities in Burlington. Does the project provide unique and innovative opportunities for artists, other arts and cultural organizations and the public?
• Qualified, professional leadership;
• Contributions to the development of arts and culture in Burlington;
• Evidence of planning in place to support the proposal and/or ongoing organizational capacity (as per realistic schedules, timelines, planning practices, etc.).

Peer assessment jury members evaluate the artistic merit criteria of BACF proposals. Jury members are comprised of representatives from the arts and culture sector. This includes: arts and cultural professionals, practitioners and/or individuals who are knowledgeable in the arts and culture and maintain high standing in the arts and cultural community. Jury members will be knowledgeable about the City of Burlington context, the broader arts and culture environment and will reflect the cultural diversity of the City of Burlington.

Program Merit and Strategic Initiative (30%) as determined by:

• Clearly articulated outcomes expected from the project. Outcomes should align with the City of Burlington's Strategic Plan for community building through arts and culture via community activities. Does the project:

1. Encourage better collaboration and co-ordination among existing and new cultural partners;
2. Reach out to new and diverse communities to expand Burlington's cultural fabric;
3. Encourage targeted cultural programming that engages newcomers and a more diverse audience with the goal of promoting cultural diversity;
4. Encourage multiculturalism and inclusion;
5. Support new and existing cultural celebrations and initiatives.

Citywide and Community Impact (20%) as determined by:

• Level of public access to the work, activities or services;
• Evidence of growing interest and attendance;
• Level of engagement with other arts and cultural organizations, artists and community groups in Burlington;
• Evidence of promotional and/or outreach strategies in place to encourage wide public participation, awareness and engagement;
• Demonstrated support from the community as determined by partnerships, collaborations, sponsorship support, in-kind support, volunteers, etc;
• The applicant conducts its activities primarily in Burlington and for the benefit of Burlington residents;
• The applicant encourages the participation of all citizens of Burlington;
• The applicant measures the success of the activities and programs of its organization on an ongoing basis and shares the results of these measures with the city and other interested stakeholders.

Economic Impact (20%) as determined by:

• Employment and training opportunities for Burlington artists, cultural workers and contractors;
• Direct and indirect spending in Burlington;
• Attraction of tourists to Burlington;
• The applicant demonstrates initiative and success in generating revenue outside of the Burlington Arts and Culture Fund;
• Evidence of financial stability and accountability as demonstrated through prior financial performance, achievable and balanced budgets, financial management practices and plans;
• Strong and successful relationships and partnerships with the local business and not-for-profit community;
• The ability to demonstrate how grant funding will directly support the project.

City staff evaluates program merit and strategic initiative, citywide & community impact, and economic impact criteria. Final decision on funding allocation is determined by city staff.

* The 2019 BACF application is now closed.

1. Read the Criteria and Guidelines Document;
2. Download, save and complete the Program Budget Worksheet;
3. Download, save and prepare a Project Work Plan;
4. Ensure that financial statements, the program budget worksheet and project work plan are included with your application form. These documents can be uploaded as attachments in the appendices section at the end of the online application form;
5. Complete and submit the online application. A complete grant application including all required appendices must be submitted. No exceptions will be allowed and incomplete applications will not be accepted.

• The maximum amount awarded for each project grant is $5,000 or up to 50 per cent of the total project budget, whichever is less. The city has discretion with regard to the amount awarded.
• Project grants are intended to support a specific event or activity taking place between April 2019 and March 2020.
• Upon City Council budget approval of the Burlington Arts & Culture Fund, the City of Burlington will draw up an agreement with each awarded applicant.
• Awarded applicants are required to sign an agreement, recognizing their obligations regarding the use of the funds and reporting requirements.
• Once the agreement has been signed by both City staff and the awarded applicant, the City will issue a cheque for 80 per cent of the grant.
• The remaining 20 per cent will be issued on the receipt of the final report, remaining invoices and other documents as identified in the agreement.
• Applicants will not be eligible to receive further BACF funding until all required reports have been submitted to and accepted by the City of Burlington.
• A grant recipient in default of their grant agreement may be required to return funds to the City of Burlington and may be judged as ineligible for future grants.

Arts and Culture Collective: Three or more artists or cultural professionals whose project is focused primarily on artistic/cultural creation and presentation.

Charitable Arts and Culture Organization: A charitable organization whose mandate or mission is focused primarily on artistic/cultural creation and presentation.

Charitable Organization: To 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 are able to issue tax receipts for charitable donations.

Community Arts and Culture Project: Broadly 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 art-making, 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 enables artists, through financial and other support, to engage in creative activity with communities.

Not-for-Profit Arts and Culture Organization: A not-for-profit organization whose mandate or mission is focused primarily on artistic/cultural creation and presentation.

Not-for-Profit Organization: An 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 was established.

Peer Assessment Jury: BACF 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.

Professional Artist: Someone 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.

Burlington Arts and Culture Fund Approved Projects 2018/2019

Project Name: A Lyrical Affair to Remember
Applicant: Daniela Carnevale and Alanna Smith
Funding: $710

A Lyrical Affair to Remember will host its 10th Anniversary Cabaret evening at the Burlington Performing Arts Centre studio theatre in February 2019. This event will feature Lyrical Affair in collaboration with guest performers from the past nine seasons. The project will provide learning and training opportunities for emerging artists and technicians alongside the professional theatre technicians at the Burlington Performing Arts Centre. “The mission is to create these shows to share our talents and expertise with the community while at the same time providing opportunities for additional singers of all cultural backgrounds to join us. Lyrical Affair is unique to Burlington because it provides cabaret performances with a focus on a variety of musical styles including Broadway, jazz, pop and rock to name a few.”

Project Name: Art in Action Studio Tour
Applicant: Art in Action
Funding: $2,300

Art in Action assists artists in becoming self-sustaining entrepreneurs and encourages a social community for artists in Burlington and surrounding areas. For the past 15 years it has successfully provided opportunities for artists to engage the community by demonstrating their skills and providing a venue to highlight their talent. The Art in Action Burlington Studio Tour is free to the public and the only one of its kind in Burlington. Art in Action functions due to financial support and sponsorship from its members and local businesses. This allows Art in Action to sustain itself while providing an ongoing scholarship to any Halton Region graduating student pursuing further education in the arts. Art in Action is proud to say that, to date, it has offered six such scholarships. The successful student also receives free membership and a guest spot on the tour. This exposure has proved to be invaluable to the student and showcases Art in Action as a progressive, inclusive, organization.

Project Name: A Song for Peace
Applicant: Burlington Civic Chorale
Funding: $2,000

The Burlington Civic Chorale (BCC) is planning a three-part project to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War and highlight Canada’s role in worldwide peacemaking. The concert is part of the chorale’s three-concert season providing choral music to the Halton region. Elements include: Commissioning and performing a choral work by an Ontario composer; The text, created by a Burlington writer, which is based on excerpts from the 1957 Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech and lecture of Canadian diplomat and eventual Prime Minister, Lester B. Pearson; Seeking publication of the commissioned work, so that it is accessible to choirs and audiences across Canada and around the world; Boosting the reach of their premiere performance and promoting other performances of the work through a professional video of 12 to 15 minutes that includes behind-the-scenes footage, brief interviews, and the complete performance, to be shared and promoted via social media.

Project Name: Authors in Your Neighbourhood
Applicant: Sylvia McNicoll
Funding: $2,825

Authors in your neighbourhood want elementary students to have a positive interaction with a local writer to foster the love of reading and writing. The project will provide two elementary schools in each of the six wards with a free presentation between September 2018 and March 2019 and each school will be provided with an autographed set of the books that either Jennifer Maruno or Sylvia McNicoll will be speaking on. Following a discussion on the origins, characters, setting of the stories, the students will be inspired to read the work and it will be available for them to read. Approximately 1,200 students will learn more about the author’s writing process, as well as cover design, editing and other publishing process which will increase the depth of their reading enjoyment and encourage them to read the author’s work. Over 40 teachers, librarian-techs, and other teaching assistants will pick up pointers on inspiring proficient writing.

Project Name: Burlington - A City Through the Seasons
Applicant: Robert Todd
Funding: $3,010

The goal of this project is to capture seasonal images of the Burlington’s best sites and use the photographs as part of a touring exhibition. The project will incorporate 16 to 20 of the best images in this exhibition and promote Burlington’s public spaces that are free for everyone to access. The sites will be described in terms of their suitability for those with mobility limitations and will focus on walkable, bike-able and/or transit-friendly locations. The exhibition will be promoted through 8 x 10 photographs in various public locations throughout Burlington to showcase the beauty of its natural environment, architecture, heritage and culture. A guide of these locations will be completed and handed out during the exhibition itself. Both residents and tourists will be able to use this guide on their own to gain access to their favourite locations, based on the compiled images.

Project Name: Burlington Fine Arts Association Annual Juried Exhibition
Applicant: Burlington Fine Arts Association
Funding: $4,104

This project is the first step in building a relationship between the Burlington Fine Arts Association and the Burlington Mall, to bring original art out of the gallery and into a more accessible community venue and consumer space. The Annual Juried Exhibition will be hosted by the BFAA at the Burlington Mall in their new community room. Juried shows are beneficial for the artists because they will receive recognition for their work, have a chance to win a monetary prize, gain exposure and credibility, and learn from the experience of having their work judged by a knowledgeable juror. The community will see the best works that the BFAA has to offer as well as the vast diversity of artists and artistic styles showcased in Burlington. Throughout the exhibition, participating BFAA artists will interact with visitors on site, give live demonstrations and talk about their work and process. The community will learn about creative opportunities available at BFAA and will be able to view original, unique local art.

Project Name: Burlington’s Stars of Tomorrow
Applicant: Symphony on the Bay
Funding: $2,970

As part of its mission to demystify classical music and make it accessible to a broader audience, Symphony on the Bay has a keen interest in providing engaging opportunities for youth and young artists to access resources and performances. Burlington’s Stars of Tomorrow focuses specifically on the needs of two on-going initiatives - A Young Artists Competition and Youth Outreach Program. The Young Artists Competition (YAC) showcases talented youth musicians as featured soloists with the orchestra in a mainstage concert during Symphony on the Bay’s regular season. Symphony on the Bay has conducted this competition annually since 1991. “For the coming season, we plan to broaden the scope of performers to include a category of non-western music. This provides an engaging, culturally diverse musical experience for both performers and the audience. But more importantly, it exposes Burlington’s youth to the rich musical traditions of non-western cultures.”

Project Name: Burlington Welsh Ladies Chorus Concert
Applicant: Burlington Welsh Ladies Chorus
Funding: $500

The Burlington Welsh Ladies Chorus (BWLC) aims to foster creativity, stimulate culture and encourage social cohesion by involving the community in learning songs and singing in different languages without songbooks (as in the Welsh tradition) to entertain the public. “To succeed in our vision of creating an atmosphere of collaboration we look forward to connecting with other musical groups to promote cultural diversity.” The chorus is unique to the area in terms of its composition and delivery. The chorus aims to encourage women in Burlington to join the troupe in learning the esthetics of singing, how to sing in a different language in order to perform and socialize each other.

Project Name: Emerging Artists Series
Applicant: Rotary Club of Burlington Lakeshore
Funding: $2,600

Canada’s Largest Ribfest Emerging Artists Series is a showcase of local Burlington talent. The program aims to grant emerging artists the best opportunity to launch their career on a featured space at a professional-level. Three of the city’s most up-and-coming artists will be invited to showcase their talent. Canada’s Largest Ribfest Emerging Artists Series offers exposure to new and diverse audiences, networking and connection opportunities, artist relations, hospitality, stage management experience and knowledge to support the career development of the city’s emerging artists. Through the Emerging Artist Series, Canada’s Largest Ribfest will foster the career development of three of Burlington’s emerging artists, providing them with the opportunity to receive a total of six hours of featured space, professional-level airtime.

Project Name: Halton Freedom Celebration
Applicant: Halton Black History Awareness Society
Funding: $5,000

The multicultural 2018 Halton Freedom Festival incorporates a Freedom Celebration Festival at Spencer Smith Park on Saturday, August 4, 2018, a HBHAS Black History Speakers' Forum on August 2 and an HBHAS Emancipation Art Exhibition from July 10 to September 1 at the Helson Gallery, Halton Hills Cultural Centre. The second annual Halton Freedom Celebration Festival is a free festival open to the public and will include musical and dance acts, youth and children's events and artistic/musical and historical forums, an extensive marketplace of cultural cuisine, community and cultural association partners, genealogists, historians/authors and cultural/community contributors.

Project Name: The Healing Portraits Project
Applicant: Meraki Arts Collective
Funding: $3,500

The Healing Portraits Project will make an open call to the Burlington arts community, and match three artists with a different set of newcomers to Burlington (individual or group, with or without a translator) in particular, people who have come to the city displaced by violence in other parts of the world. The artists will create an artwork inspired by their story. The collective will capture the story of three artworks that inspire healing, meaning, beauty, and memory in the form of a video. The video itself will be an artwork for both participants and the public to reflect on how art inspires, reflects, connects, teaches, and heals. The Healing Portraits Project seeks to bring together local artists, refugee or newcomer families and connect with the community at large. The final product includes any 3 pieces of art (i.e. painting, sculpture, photography, etc.) that will be based on the stories, feelings, and images that come out of the meeting mediated by an art therapist between the artists and the newcomers. The project will capture the creative process on video to produce a short-film that tells the story of how these pieces of art came about. This short video will be presented together with the artworks themselves.

Project Name: Meet Me at the Brant Inn
Applicant: KooGle Theatre Company
Funding: $2,000

Meet Me at the Brant Inn is a multi-year project to create a musical production about the historical Brant Inn. The Brant Inn located on Burlington lakeshore became one of North America’s most noted and successful nightspots. Some of the biggest names in show business graced the stage at the Brant Inn during the great depression, during the second world war and into the 50’s - where thousands, from all over North America would attend on a nightly basis. Lena Horne, Andy Williams, Ella Fitzgerald, Fats Waller, Benny Goodman, Liberace, Tommy Dorsey, Lawrence Welk, Louis Armstrong, Guy Lombardo, Johnny Mathis, and Duke Ellington to name a few – were headliners. Many local and Canadian bands were also showcased at the Brant Inn.

The story of The Brant Inn, which is a huge part of Burlington’s fabric, will be built by gathering stories from those who were fortunate enough to experience it. “The first year we will be meeting with as many people to hear their stories and work directly alongside a videographer who will record their stories with permission. These stories will potentially be used on stage throughout the musical via video projection of actual interviews that we have recorded with Burlington residents. These true stories will also help shape the storyline of the musical allowing Burlington residents to be directly involved in its creation.”

Project Name: One Burlington Festival 2018
Applicant: Roderick Nisan
Funding: $5,000

The One Burlington Festival will consist of different local exhibitors of different faiths and community organizations having cultural booths and different stage productions of songs and dance produced by the local participating cultural organizations. The festival will create concrete opportunities for positive interaction among the participating communities by supporting inter-cultural and inter-religious dialogue and understanding in a friendly, family-oriented environment. The festival provides attendees an enjoyable, informal experience of learning about local cultural and religious communities and the uniqueness of their neighbours. “It is in the discovery of the uniqueness of our cultural neighbours that we realize and come to understand the similarities of the values that we share.”

Project Name: Orchestra BST40 by STARS
Applicant: Student Theatre Active Representatives Society
Funding: $1,000

The Student Theatre Active Representatives Society (STARS) is a volunteer-run organization and registered charity that supports local youth arts organizations and initiatives by providing funding and volunteers to help foster the arts in Burlington. STARS supports youth arts productions in Burlington and youth participation in arts events in the Burlington area. This includes supporting arts festivals in Burlington, such as Beyond the Flounder; supporting arts productions in Burlington, such as those staged by Burlington Student Theatre; supporting youth participation in arts events such as the Rotary Music Festival; and, supporting youth participation in educational activities such as theatrical skills development workshops. The Orchestra BST40 by STARS project will support professional and semi-professional musicians and technicians to support a musical theatre production performed by Burlington youth at the Burlington Performing Arts Centre.

Project Name: PROSPECTS: An Evening of Dance and Discussion
Applicant: Form CDT
Funding: $2,000

PROSPECTS: An Evening of Dance and Discussion is a series of three dance performances. The performances are a mixed program comprised of five pieces of choreography around the same theme. There will be one longer work by Form CDT, a shorter work by Form CDT and then three guest choreographers. PROSPECTS creates the opportunity for local guest choreographers to present their choreography around a specific theme and invites the audience to give their feedback. All of the choreographers will talk about their choreography with the audience and participate in a post-performance social gathering and talk back.

Project Name: Redleaf Choir Project
Applicant: Redleaf Cultural Integration
Funding: $2,600

Redleaf Choir Project (RCP) promotes art and culture by providing individuals with a learning opportunity to practice and improve their singing skills. The program welcomes people from diverse backgrounds, especially newcomers and seniors. The project will take place at the Burlington Senior Centre and run from April 2018 through March 2019. The instructor and choir members will meet every second week to teach and learn new songs including basic singing skills. This project provides a life-long learning opportunity for people continuing to learn as they age and promotes a healthy lifestyle. It is also an effective way to build connections through the learning process. Redleaf Cultural Integration is also planning to reach out to other performing groups from diverse cultural backgrounds, to exchange experiences, and collaborate with them to perform together to promote multiculturalism.

Project Name: Rhythm 'n' Art Truck
Applicant: Kinga Zak
Funding: $ 2,400

This project that will foster creativity in Burlington through an engaging, novel approach to arts and culture. The first phase occurs in September 2018 and the second phase will be ongoing throughout the remainder of the year. In September, surprise, live dance performances will be presented in busy, public spaces by a group of hired professional, multicultural dancers. Led by a main facilitator, these dancers will be united in rhythm and unique in movement. Dancers will be wearing colourful hand painted costumes inspired by diverse cultures. This visual extravaganza will highlight diverse identities, perspectives, languages, cultures and artistic practices. The main facilitator will educate participants and invite the public to participate, dancing together to celebrate their uniqueness. The pop-up aspect of this project will take place from July through September 2018. These collaborative performances will be held in six highly-populated public locations – one in each ward.

Project Name: The Tragical Comedy of Mr. Punch
Applicant: Tottering Biped Theatre
Funding: $1,500

The Tragical Comedy of Mr. Punch is a graphic novel penned by one of the world's foremost English fantasy/sci-fi writers, Neil Gaiman, with images by Dave McKean. In receiving permission to adapt this piece through Gaiman/McKean's agent, the perfect opportunity to undertake a collaboration project between Tottering Biped Theatre (TBT) and Theatre Beyond Words (TBW) arose. This is a layered, complex novel that suggests mask work, puppetry, and shadow theatre in its form: allowing the transmission of decades of physical theatre knowledge to pass from a company that has represented Canadian physical theatre internationally for decades (TBW) to a young and keen professional physical theatre group (TBT) in the process of adapting the work. It is a legacy project with the potential to deepen Canadian physical theatre while at the same time developing a piece with the potential to tour.

Project Name: With Glowing Hearts
Applicant: Burlington New Millennium Orchestra
Funding: $2,000

A celebratory yet poignant concert presentation in honour of Canada’s heritage and the War Veterans who make Canada proud. This concert will feature some of Canada’s most talented performing artists including Mark Masri, Simone Caruso, Sarena Paton, Gavin Hope, Sarah Campbell Mills, the McMaster University Choir - a fitting tribute to the True North Strong and Free. Attendees will hear songs and narrative with respect to Canada’s contribution to world peace and free society. Some of the narrative will be presented with choral and orchestral. The mission of the Burlington New Millennium Orchestra is to present unique high caliber concerts to the people of Burlington featuring gifted performing artists from the local, national and international arts communities. BNMO will foster collaborations with other local arts groups and engage younger audiences through selective outreach programming.