Last Call for Artists!
Arts Applications Close January 31
Applications open November 1, 2023
Deadline for applications January 31, 2024
Application results out March 15, 2024
Projects must be completed by December 31, 2025
Funding of up to $20,000 per application is available for artists who are Japanese Canadian Descendants or Survivors. Funding is for the creation of new work and is not intended to fund work-in-progress or pay for tours or production of existing works. Both established and emerging artists who have attained Professional Practice in the Arts may apply.
Applications will be accepted in any artistic discipline including but not limited to: dance, literary arts, media arts, music, theatre, visual arts and/or interdisciplinary pursuits.
Please note that while the primary applicant must be a Descendant or a Survivor, we encourage collaborative projects with artists who don’t qualify under those definitions.
Note to Applicants
It is recommended that you not wait until the last minute to apply. Please set up an account ahead of time to ensure that there are no hiccups that will delay the application. Visit https://jclegaciesfund.com/register to set up an account if you have not already done so.
In terms of filling out the application, it is recommended that you download and use the Application Worksheet prior to filling in the online application. Once you are happy with the application fields, you can copy and paste into the online portal.
Please make sure you read the guidelines carefully as there are specific guidelines related to who can apply, what will be funded, and what will not be funded. Be sure to read the FAQs below and feel free to reach out by email if you have specific questions. We will be happy to answer your questions and help navigate any issues you may have with your account registration of application.
Frequently Asked Questions
I’d like to research and write a screenplay but won’t be ready to produce a staged version until further down the road. Can I apply for funding to just write the screenplay?
Yes, you can. The finished screenplay will be considered the artistic work, and it is your decision what to do with it once it is complete.
I am not a Descendant but would like to apply for Arts funding. Is there a way to apply?
The primary applicant must be a Descendant but they can apply for a project that involves collaboration with a non-Descendant. The grant must be applied for and managed by the Descendant but the work itself can be a collaboration.
I have a large project in mind that requires additional funding but I will not receive confirmation on the success of my other grant applications before the cut-off date. Will this disqualify me from funding?
You cannot submit a proposal that requires additional funding if that funding is not in place before the funding deadline closes. You must submit a project proposal that stands on its own merits and meets the guideline regardless of whether additional funding is secured in the future.
I want to apply to produce a short film and will be doing my own editing. Can I apply for funding to purchase a high-end computer in order to do the editing.
Capital purchases (e.g., equipment that lasts longer than the project) will not be funded.
I have a film project in mind that will be primarily created in Canada but involves filming in several countries. Does it qualify for funding?
As long as it is a Canadian project and the bulk of the creative work is done in Canada it should still be eligible. Like all applications, though, it will be subject to scrutiny by the Assessment Team and evaluated on both its merits and its adherence to the criteria.
I have received funding for a Family Sharing & Healing project and would like to go deeper with it. Can I apply under the Arts stream to take the project to another level.
You can apply for Arts funding, but it must be for a separate project. We will not fund the same project under different streams.
I have a dance piece that I created last year. Can I use the funding to finance a tour of my work?
The Arts stream of the Community Fund is primarily aimed at the creation of new works. While some of the budget may be directed at costs like touring, book printing, etc., the bulk of the grant should be directed at the creation of the work, which must be new and not pre-existing. Applicants must propose projects that can be created and produced with a specific and tangible outcome and within the timeframe allotted.
Can two artists apply separately for the same project, or different aspects of the same project?
No. Each project can only receive funding from one application.
Visit jclegaciesfund.com/funding-streams/arts to read the full guidelines, set up an account, and to apply.