Canada Council Announces New Funding for Indigenous and Equity-Seeking Groups

The following is partially excerpted from a release issued by the Canada Council for the Arts.

The federal government has announced $7.8 million in new emergency support for Indigenous and equity-seeking groups and organizations via the Canada Council for the Arts. This new federal funding is in addition to other essential measures taken by the Canada Council and other funders to offset the devastating impact of COVID-19 on the arts sector.

A long-standing commitment to Indigenous and equity-seeking groups

The current pandemic has severely impacted the entire arts community due to the suspension of activities. The pandemic has also revealed systemic inequities, disparities and barriers that have persisted in society. The arts sector is not exempt from these sad realities.

For several decades, the Council has adopted a targeted approach in its work with artists, arts groups and arts organizations from Indigenous, culturally diverse, Deaf and disability and official language minority communities. The approach lies at the heart of the Council’s commitments to the arts sector; it is intended to foster a sector that fully reflects Canada’s diversity and recognizes the cultural sovereignty of the First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples in Canada. The ultimate goal is to identify and eliminate potential obstacles that might impede these communities’ access to Council support. Additional funding to ensure their artistic presence is now more essential than ever, and the Council is committed to maximizing the impact of the new funding.

The Council will contact arts groups and organizations eligible for the new funding in the coming weeks.

Eligible groups and organizations

Eligible recipients are arts groups and organizations whose activities are negatively impacted by COVID-19, who have self-identified as belonging to one of Council’s designated priority groups, and who are one of the following:

• groups that applied for and received Council funding between April 2017 and June 2020;

• organizations that applied for Council funding between April 2017 and June 2020 and whose project was recommended but not successful; or

• organizations that applied for and received Council funding between April 2017 and June 2020 and did not receive phase 1 funding.

The allocation of amounts will be based on a formula and not on peer assessment.

Further information on eligibility and how the additional funds will be administered will be posted on the Council’s COVID-19: Information and support for the arts sector page. You can also contact the Council about the new funds at covid19@canadacouncil.ca.