Group project grants range from $1,000 to $4,000, and are designed to support a group of artists to collaborate in making and showcasing art. We plan to support up to three group projects this year, and each group may have a maximum of four artists.
The budget for a group project may not exceed $1,000 per individual for groups of 2 to 4 and up to a maximum of $4,000 total for groups of 4. The total grant awarded will be divided and distributed equally among the artists collaborating within a group. Some examples of a group project could include a live performance, a group exhibition, or a video production.
Applications for the annual Downtown Eastside Small Arts Grants Program are now closed. The video below gives you a great idea of what kinds of projects we support.
Do you live or work in the downtown eastside?
Our grants are only for emerging artists living 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.
The boundaries are the rail yards and port lands to the north, Malkin Street to the south, Richards Street to the west and Clark Drive to the east.
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO
- All artists in a group must complete and submit a grant application by the deadline! You’ll need to answer some questions about your experience making art, your connection to the Downtown Eastside, and your idea for a project.
- The Volunteer Advisory Committee will not accept applications, in person, by mail, or by email after final deadlines. There are no exceptions.
Attend an information session
We run several information sessions to support you with your application. Check our events page for details of upcoming information sessions.
Have questions?
We would love to be in touch with you. Contact the DTES Small Arts Grants office by phone (604) 665-2213 or email at dtesartsgrants@gmail.com.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
All grant decisions are made by a volunteer Community Advisory Committee made up of artists who live and work in the Downtown Eastside.
You will receive a decision about your application in January, and a cheque in February or March. Projects cannot begin until the grant decision is made. Please note, not all applicants receive funding.
Everyone who receives a grant must write a final report. You will be asked to describe what went well with your project and what could have been done better. We do not ask you to submit receipts, but we do ask for a simple account of how you spent your grant money. A Final Report Template will be provided to you.
All projects must be completed and final reports submitted by June 30.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR GROUP PROJECT GRANTS
- Applicants must demonstrate an original art practice. Each group member will be required to submit a sample of their work.
- Groups will need to clearly demonstrate the role of each artist within the project, and how their project will be developed and showcased collaboratively.
- Preference will be given to those applicants who have neither received nor applied for government funding within the past three years (e.g. BC Arts Council, Canada Council, Creative BC).
- Preference will be given to new projects or those applicants who have been funded for fewer than three years in a row.
- Please note that if you apply for an Individual grant, you will not be eligible to apply for a Group grant, and vice versa. Artists applying for more than one grant will be disqualified.
- Grants are for art projects that begin after the grant decision is made (January) and end by June. Grants may not be used for retro-funding (e.g. if the event date is in February, we won’t be able to fund).
- Your artwork must follow acceptable community standards. DTES Small Arts Grants do not support works that exploit an individual’s vulnerability. For example, when photographing, ask yourself: “Would I like to be photographed or videotaped in this situation?”
- The budget for a group project may not exceed $1,000 per individual for groups of 2 to 4, up to a maximum of $4,000 total for groups of 4. The total grant awarded will be divided and distributed equally among the artists collaborating within a group, and the grants may range from $500 - $1,000 per person. Groups must tell us in an application how they will use the grant money.
- Artists may build capital costs directly related to the proposed project into their group budget. A capital cost is a one-time purchase of a necessary item or equipment that will be used for this and future art projects and does not get ‘used up’ (like paint or clay) in the process of making the art. A grinder or a camera would be an example of a capital cost. Capital costs may not exceed $200 per group member.
- Although DTES Small Arts Grants does not require groups to submit receipts, we do ask for a simple account of how you spent your grant money in an expense report. This information is useful for us in designing an effective granting program.
- Grants are not intended to pay for food, rent, or studio rent. Artists cannot pay themselves a salary, however, they may hire others to help them achieve the goals of their project (e.g. web designers, printers, actors, lighting technicians, recording engineers).
- Group projects must be presented to the public. The project funder will need to be acknowledged. Possible wording includes, “This project was (partially) funded by the DTES Small Arts Grants Program and Vancouver Foundation”, or “The artists appreciate funding received from the DTES Small Arts Grants Program and Vancouver Foundation”. Contact the Coordinator for approved logos.
- Group members may develop a web page on the vancouverfoundationsmallarts.ca website to showcase their project(s). They must have a contact phone number with voicemail, and be working towards having their own email address for online communication.
- Your group must write a Final Report. A template will be included with your grant payment. The Final Report is meant for groups to share stories about your project and to describe what went well with the project, and what could have been done differently. Images and/or video documentation of your group’s artwork (whatever its form) and the public presentation of it must also be included in your Final Report
- All projects must be completed and your group’s Final Report submitted by June 30 in order to be eligible to re-apply the following year. Final Reports must include images and/or video of your project presentation.
Additional information
- Successful applicants who have not been funded before will be required to provide their S.I.N. card to begin processing payment.
- Vancouver Foundation staff appreciate the opportunity to make site visits. In some cases, we may ask to highlight your project for use in our communications and publications.