Downtown Eastside Small Grants
Our small grants are designed to help Downtown Eastside (DTES) artists purchase materials, develop their skills, increase their visibility, and take their art to the next level!
Introduction Content
The Downtown Eastside Small Arts Grants program is intended to help you, as an emerging artist working and living in DTES, to advance your art practice. Your art can range from painting, music, theatre, writing, photography, pottery, textiles, jewelry making, carving, animation, dance, mixed-media, performance, video, and more. Successful grantees will have the opportunity to attend workshops, receive expert advice, and participate in a year end group show.
Grants may range from $500 – $1,000. A grant is money we give you to help make art – don’t need to pay the money back. You’ll need to check that you live, work, or volunteer in the designated area (see map below), and then apply with some information about your experience and your idea for a project. All grant decisions are made by a Volunteer Advisory Committee made up of artists who live and work in the Downtown Eastside.
For more information, visit our How to Apply page.
Do You Live or Work in the Downtown Eastside?
Our grants are only for emerging artists living, work, and/or creating art in the DTES which includes areas of Gastown, Victory Square, Chinatown, Strathcona, the industrial area, and the Oppenheimer and Thornton Parks as shown on the map.
Which Grant Type is Best For You?
You can apply as an individual artist or as a group of collaborators, but not both. Read below to see which is the best fit for you.
Individual Grants
Individual grants range from $500 to $1,000 and are designed to support one artist to develop their skills and showcase their work.
Group Project Grants
Group project grants are available for two to four people. Applications can be made for $2,000 to $4,000. The award is split between all the members, with a maximum of $1000 per group member. The Group Project is designed to support a group of artists who would like to create a project together – collaborate on a painting, band performance/recording, film, dance, theatre, multimedia, or group exhibition.
Learn MorePast Artists
Browse the incredible artwork of some of our past grant recipients, and get inspired for your own project!
Browse Past ArtistsExplore Videos
Meet some of our featured DTES artists over the years in our video series.
Explore VideosApply Now
Applications are now open! Visit our How to Apply page, or click the link below to start the online application process.
Apply Now