A Plan for a Music Series and Professional Development Program in Far North Ontario

BACKGROUND

Project Summary (Maximum 25 words)

A local music entertainment series supporting Melgund Township, Dryden and Ignace area established and emerging musicians, driven by Art Borups Corners.

**MANDATORY QUESTION TO ANSWER: *Tell us about who you are as an artist, arts professional, group or organization. (Maximum 300 words)**

Include the following aspects in the response: This is the place to tell the story of your artistic journey up until now and to describe what is important to you in your work and why; If the project is for a band, ensemble or curatorial/programming collective, state this clearly and answer this question from the perspective of the group; If this project involves artists that have come together only for this particular project, answer this question from the perspective of yourself as the project leader; Note: An individual may choose to apply on behalf of a group. A personal Nova profile must be used to start and submit an application. In this case, if a grant is awarded, a cheque would be made out in the name of the individual and they would take full responsibility for all aspects of the grant. If you apply using a group profile in Nova, you need to be able to deposit a cheque in the name of the group.

Response:

Art Borups Corners is an interdisciplinary collective rooted deeply in collaboration, community engagement and creative innovation. Initially emerging as an informal gathering of local and regional artists in 2014, our collective organically grew from evenings around kitchen tables and impromptu jam sessions into a productive hub for artistic exchange, experimentation and skill-sharing across art forms. The momentum and vibrancy of our collective culminated toward formalizing ourselves began in 2021-2022, with strategic arts innovation funding from the Canada Council for the Arts Digital Greenhouse.

Our collective unites long-time seasoned creators with new and emerging voices to form a dynamic blend of experience, styles and visions. Grounded in principles of inclusion, accessibility, and creative diversity, our approach emphasizes co-creation, connection-building and encouraging meaningful dialogues through art. Our collective composition and working ethos allow us to explore intersections between traditional crafts, contemporary music, interdisciplinary media arts and experimental approaches, reflecting and celebrating the rich and vibrant contemporary arts community that shapes programs for Melgund Township, one of Ontario’s smallest unorganized communities and its wider region.

Central to our identity as Art Borups Corners is creating spaces where community members—and visitors alike—actively participate in arts experiences, discover new forms of expression and authentically connect with one another. Our projects frequently incorporate multimedia elements, workshops and interactive experiences that stimulate imagination, learning, storytelling and cultural reflection. Over the years, we have successfully delivered several collaborative programs and performances at local, regional, national and global levels, deepening our commitment to further enriching our regional cultural ecology.

With our upcoming 2025 Melgund Township and Region Music Series, we aim to further nurture creative networks, spotlight impactful local talent and offer transformative encounters through music and interdisciplinary arts programming. We celebrate community strength, foster innovation and continually strive to make vibrant artistic practice accessible, meaningful and enduring for all.

**MANDATORY QUESTION TO ANSWER: *Describe the context in which you work. (Maximum 300 words)**

Our artistic practice is situated within the unique context of Far North and Northwestern Ontario, specifically within the geographically interconnected yet distinct rural communities of Dryden, Ignace, and Melgund Township, which includes the smaller unorganized communities of Dyment and Borups Corners as a central, coordinating hub. This region of Far North Ontario, while abundant in natural beauty and characterized by a strong sense of community, faces significant challenges due to its remote location. These challenges include aging populations, limited access for residents and musicians to diverse arts and entertainment experiences, as well as legislation prohibiting the arts as an economic development activity, creating significant barriers and red tape for local artists to engage in professional development, collaboration and involvement in the arts and music sectors. The collective was established in 2021 with strategic arts innovation funding from the Canada Council for the Arts Digital Greenhouse program to specifically address these barriers.

As a collective, Art Borups Corners operates as a vital arts hub for creativity and community connection. It is located in Melgund Township, directly serving the unorganized communities of Dyment and Borups Corners. We maintain strong collaborative relationships with the nearby municipalities of Dryden and Ignace, as well as with collaborating collectives in Manitoba and Minnesota, recognizing the importance of regional arts collaboration in strengthening the arts ecosystem of Northwestern Ontario. Artistic programming is deeply influenced by the rich cultural heritage of this area, drawing inspiration from Indigenous youth artists, a vibrant contemporary music scene, and the unique stories and traditions that define our local communities. We are particularly dedicated to developing and presenting inclusive and participatory music arts experiences and professional development that authentically supports and advances the diverse voices and talents of established and emerging musicians present within the Dryden, Ignace, and Melgund Township areas.

List of group members or key staff, if applicable

Art Borups Corners – Artistic Director/Lead Organizer
[Member 2 Name] – Musician Liaison
[Member 3 Name] – Workshop Coordinator
[Member 4 Name] – Promotion Assistant

SUPPORT MATERIAL

* Describe how the artistic examples below relate to your project. (Maximum 150 words)

Included below are a series of audio clips. These clips function as representative examples of the musical work created by the musicians who comprise our community art collective. The examples are designed to illustrate the typical sound and style characteristics of our members’ music. Their purpose is to provide tangible audio evidence of the type of musical performance and composition associated with our collective. These excerpts are not intended to be comprehensive. Rather, they serve as illustrative instances. These examples are offered to facilitate a clearer understanding of the musical elements relevant to our project. They represent authentic musical outputs from our collective.

PROJECT PLANS

**MANDATORY QUESTION TO ANSWER: *What are you planning to do, and what do you want to achieve with this project? (Maximum 425 words)**

Include the following aspects in the response: Describe the artistic idea(s), plans and process; Describe the music in as much detail as possible. Include, as applicable: genre, subject matter or themes and content, music selection, instrumentation; If your project includes using artistic material or stories that are not your own, explain how you have gotten or will get the permission to use them (for example, copyright clearance) or indicate if these are in the public domain; If your project involves cultural practices that are not your own, describe how you have made or will make sure that you are engaging with them appropriately; For Rehearsal and repertoire development projects: Describe why you need funding for this time to rehearse (beyond what your group might normally do); Describe any repertoire development process; Include information about your future live or virtual performance plans. Also include related information in the work plan below.

Response:

Our primary plan is to co-develop and deliver a consistent and engaging monthly music series that will rotate between the communities of Dryden, Ignace, and Melgund Township from August through December 2025. This series will feature performances by members of the Art Borups Corners Collective, showcasing our established musical repertoire, alongside the exciting addition of invited area emerging and established professional musicians from both Dryden and Ignace. Musical programming will focus on genres such as contemporary folk and acoustic music, carefully selected to appeal to a broad range of tastes within the target communities. In presenting these performances directly within Dryden, Ignace, and primarily Melgund Township, we aim to significantly enhance the accessibility of live music experiences for local residents, reducing the common barrier of requiring travel to larger urban centers to participate in and enjoy such events.

These workshops will be expertly led by experienced members of the Art Borups Corners Collective, who possess practical knowledge in arts administration and event management. The workshops will be specifically designed to equip local musicians and artists with essential skills in key areas such as the comprehensive planning of small-scale arts series (covering logistics, artist coordination, and basic budgeting), the development of effective promotion strategies tailored for reaching local audiences (including utilizing local media and community networks), and the fundamental aspects of successful event execution (such as volunteer coordination and basic technical considerations). Our overarching goal for this project is to cultivate a stronger and more vibrant artistic community within Dryden, Ignace, and Melgund Township. We aim to achieve this by not only providing enjoyable and enriching musical events but also by empowering local artists with the practical skills and knowledge necessary to independently develop and present their own artistic initiatives in the future, thereby fostering a more sustainable and thriving local arts scene.

* Outline your work plan for this project below.

Include the following aspects in the response: As applicable, include activities such as: rehearsal, beginning of marketing campaign, confirmation of artists involved, concerts, arts education events. Activities can overlap: For co-productions, make it very clear who is responsible for which aspects of the project. For Concert series: repetitive activities can be captured in one row of the work plan (for example, Publicity/Marketing – Begins approximately 2 months before for each concert). Do not list events that are not eligible for funding through this grant (for example, paid gigs and engagements, community education programs, youth orchestras, fundraisers in partnership with other charities). Note: Single performances/concerts, Concert series, and Music festivals categories may also include rehearsal and repertoire development costs; Public presentations cannot be earlier than four and a half months after the deadline to ensure that OAC is recognized in promotional materials, at the event etc. of any awarded projects. Public presentations before this time should only be included in the work plan if they provide needed context to the activities for which you are seeking funding (for example, an earlier performance of the same material); Costs related to activity that takes place before the application deadline and/or outside of Ontario are ineligible (i.e. will not be covered by this grant). These activities may still appear in this work plan and their associated expenses in the budget, but be sure to include other sources of revenues to cover these costs.

Response:

Start Date	End Date	Project Activity/Task(s)	Location of Activity	Person(s)/Organization(s) Involved
Aug 2025	Aug 2025	Music Series Performance	Dryden, ON	Art Borups Corners Collective, Local Musicians
Sep 2025	Sep 2025	MUSIC CLINIC	DYMENT, ON	Art Borups Corners Collective
Sep 2025	Sep 2025	Music Series Performance	Ignace, ON	Art Borups Corners Collective, Local Musicians
Oct 2025	Oct 2025	MUSIC CLINIC	DYMENT, ON	Art Borups Corners Collective
Oct 2025	Oct 2025	Music Series Performance	Melgund Township, ON	Art Borups Corners Collective, Local Musicians
Nov 2025	Nov 2025	Music Series Performance	Dryden, ON	Art Borups Corners Collective, Local Musicians
Dec 2025	Dec 2025	Music Series Performance	Ignace, ON	Art Borups Corners Collective, Local Musicians

Do you plan to involve other people or organizations in your project?

Yes, we plan to involve local professional musicians from Dryden and Ignace in the music series.

MANDATORY QUESTION TO ANSWER: * Why have you chosen, or how will you choose, the people and/or organizations you will work with? How will you work with them and what will they contribute to the project? (Maximum 400 words)

Include the following aspects in the response: Specify: if you already have a relationship with your chosen collaborators; how you have or will determine their interest in participating in your project; if your choice of collaborators includes representation from one or more OAC priority groups; For applicants who program, describe your process for selecting artists (for example, inviting applications, call-for-scores, programming committee, attendance at conferences or showcases).

Response:

**MANDATORY QUESTION TO ANSWER: * How will this project contribute to your development (or to your group’s overall goals)? (Maximum 200 words)**

Writing tip: Consider your artistic and career development (for example, the importance of this project at this time.

Response:

This project represents a significant step in the artistic and organizational development of the Art Borups Corners Collective. Increased access to music-related events has been identified as a key area of interest by local musicians and residents. Undertaking a music series that spans multiple communities – Dryden and Ignace, in addition to our home base in the unorganized communities of Melgund Township (Dyment and Borups Corners) – musicians and organizers will gain invaluable experience in managing a larger-scale, multi-location music entertainment series. The professional development component of the project will further enhance the internal and community capacity and expertise such as administration, community engagement, and effective event planning, activation and sustained delivery. Furthermore, planned collaborations with local area musicians, primarily from Dryden and Ignace will allow the communities to build new, strengthened and meaningful relationships within the regional arts community, incubating a more connected and supportive network for future music events. This project directly aligns with the overarching goal of fostering a more vibrant, accessible, and sustainable music scene within this immediate geographical area of Far North Ontario, allowing us to expand our impact and better serve the cultural needs of rural and unorganized communities.

MANDATORY QUESTION TO ANSWER: *What audiences, participants, communities, partners and artists do you intend to reach? What immediate and ongoing benefits do you expect the project will have for them? (Maximum 450 words)

Include the following aspects in the response: Include and explain any benefits to OAC priority groups; Describe your current audience; Describe potential audiences that you plan to reach through your proposed project; Be clear about what is unique or important about what you are offering. Or, how this will address a gap by providing a particular experience to audiences in your area; If your project includes musicians who do not live in Ontario (for example, composers, creators and performers), speak to why it is important that this content/artist(s) be available to your audience; For rehearsal/repertoire development projects, also speak about your intended future audience for the music with emphasis on live or virtual performance (for example, tours, performances of the work(s) by you or other artists, recordings); Note: Community may refer to geographic, cultural, musical genre, etc.

Response:

Our primary target audiences for this project are the residents of Melgund Township (Dyment and Borups Corners), the Ignace and Dryden areas, encompassing a diverse cross-section of our communities, including families, seniors, youth, and individuals with a general interest in experiencing live music and engaging in local cultural events. We also aim to directly engage local established and emerging professional musicians and artists residing within these three communities, who will participate as performers in the music series and as attendees.

The immediate benefits we anticipate for musicians and audiences include significantly increased access to high-quality live musical performances right within our own communities. This will eliminate the often substantial barriers associated with traveling to larger population centers to attend such events, making the arts more readily available to a wider segment of the population. For the participating local musicians and artists, the music series will provide valuable paid performance opportunities, offering a platform to showcase their talents and connect with local audiences. The professional development workshops will offer immediate benefits by equipping attendees with practical and directly applicable skills in entertainment series administration, promotion, and event management, enhancing capacity for future artistic and professional growth within the region.

On an ongoing basis, we expect this project to cultivate a platform for deeper appreciation for live music and the arts within Dryden, Ignace, and Melgund Township, fostering a stronger sense of local cultural identity and community pride. Supporting local musicians and providing accessible arts experiences, we aim to contribute to a more vibrant and engaged cultural sector in the area, potentially inspiring future participation in music events and encouraging the development of a more robust and sustainable arts ecosystem for years to come. This initiative directly addresses the recognized need for increased arts opportunities in our geographically isolated rural area, striving to create a more connected and artistically rich music community for all ages.

**MANDATORY QUESTION TO ANSWER: *What are your plans to reach your intended audience, participants or community? (Maximum 225 words)**

Include the following aspects in the response: If someone else is responsible for publicity, marketing and outreach, make this clear. Still describe their plans and strategies. For rehearsal/repertoire development projects, describe how you will eventually market to your intended future audience.

Response:

Our strategy for audience outreach and engagement within Melgund Township, Ignace and Dryden will be comprehensive and tailored to the specific characteristics of each community. A key component of our plan involves engaging with organizations, local media outlets, including community newspapers and local radio stations in both Dryden and Ignace, to effectively promote the music series schedule, and to highlight participating musicians. The Art Borups Corners Collective will leverage its established and trusted community networks, built over years of delivering local programming. We will design and distribute visually appealing posters and informative flyers, ensuring they are placed in high-traffic and easily accessible locations throughout each community, such as local libraries, community centers, various organizations and businesses. We will actively seek to establish partnerships and collaborations with existing local organizations and community leaders in Dryden and Ignace, enlisting support in promoting the series through established networks and communication channels. Recognizing the significant role of grassroots communication in rural northern communities, we will encourage community members to share information about the music series with their friends, neighbors, and family, cultivating a sense of local ownership and excitement for the events. We will utilize existing online platforms and social media presence to further promote the series to a broader audience within Northwestern Ontario, while specifically emphasizing a local focus and accessibility for Dryden, Ignace, and Melgund Township residents.

Music Production and Presentation Projects Program Guidelines and Criteria:

Purpose

This program supports the development and presentation of all genres of live and virtual music by Ontario-based professional musicians, ad hoc groups, collectives and organizations. The program has six categories:

Rehearsal and repertoire development (including first-stage opera workshops)
Single performances/concerts
Concert series
Music festivals

Note: For recording projects, please see the Music Recording Projects program; for music creation projects (composing/songwriting), please see the Music Creation Projects program.

Priorities

The program’s priorities are to support:

activities that engage Ontario and Canadian professional musicians with appropriate fees, and support the work of Ontario and Canadian composers and songwriters, unless restricted by genre (for example, early music)
projects that advance the development of music in Ontario
projects that enhance the range of live and virtual music activity available to the public
original work by Ontario-based composers and songwriters used in rehearsal and repertoire development, and second-stage opera workshops
activities that, in addition to the above, may contribute to arts education, public participation and community involvement in the arts in Ontario

Eligible applicants

Individuals: Professional musicians and music programmers, including composers, songwriters, and curators, who are Ontario residents. An individual may choose to apply on behalf of a group. A personal Nova profile must be used to start and submit an application. In this case, if awarded, a cheque would be made out in the name of the individual and they would take full responsibility for all aspects of the grant.
Ad hoc groups and collectives: Bands, ensembles, orchestras, opera companies, choirs, other music producers, presenters and festivals. These must operate on a not-for-profit basis (i.e. administrative, production costs and artistic leadership fees are covered with remaining proceeds going to the artists involved in the activity). Most members must be professional musicians, except in the case of professionally-led community orchestras, community choirs, and choral training groups. All must be comprised of a minimum of two professional musicians, songwriters, composers, music programmers/curators, or arts administrators. In the case of community orchestras, community choirs and choral training groups, the professional artistic leadership must be one of the collective members. The other members may include professional artists and/or professional or volunteer administration (i.e. not the non-professional choristers).
Note: A collective must be able to deposit a cheque issued in the name of the group, as opposed to the name of an individual artist or other entity.
Incorporated not-for-profit organizations: Professionally-led music presenters and producers of concerts, series and festivals, including opera companies, orchestras, bands, ensembles and choirs who have a head office in Ontario. Non-music arts organizations may request support for music presenting activity provided that one or more persons must take a music curatorial leadership role. An artistic director or leader may volunteer services or receive an honorarium or contracted salary. For organizations where the primary activity is self-presentation, most members must be professional musicians, with the exception of community orchestras, community choirs, and choral training groups.

Read the Guide to OAC Project Programs for more eligibility information.

Ineligible applicants

colleges, universities, schools and municipalities
religious institutions
record companies/labels, managers, agents and lawyers
organizations that receive a grant in the Music Organizations: Operating program
organizations that receive an operating grant in other OAC programs, with the exception of organizations mandated to serve one or more of the OAC priority groups
volunteer-run series or festivals not organized by professional artists, music curators or artistic leadership (see the Ontario Arts Presenters Projects program)

What this program funds

rehearsal and repertoire development and live and virtual music where the applicant is responsible for production and presentation costs, including artist fees, venue rental, the virtual platform, and ticket sales.
- Co-productions are also eligible (See Music Definitions)

Eligible activities:

rehearsal and repertoire development
- intended for future public performances; this may include new repertoire, set-list, concert program, stage or virtual show or first-stage opera workshop, as well as preparation for an upcoming tour
- rehearsals can also be in preparation for a recording, but there should also be live and/or virtual opportunities for performance planned
- first-stage opera workshop: the initial exploration of a new work in development, with minimal staging, movement, and props. At least a draft of an entire act of the new opera must be complete before the deadline date. Public presentation at the end of the first stage workshop is not required

Note: Primary creation activity (composing/songwriting) is not eligible

single performance/concert: presentation or production of a single music concert or performance for which professional musicians are paid
concert series – presentation or production of a minimum of two concerts or performances in a season that takes place over an extended time period
music festival – presentation of music concerts or performances that takes place in a concentrated time period
opera production (see Music Definitions)

In the case of projects proposed by non-music-mandated organizations, a distinctive curated artistic vision must be reflected in programming with a music series or festival as its primary purpose.

Eligible expenses:

artistic fees
Note: For community orchestras, community choirs, and choral training groups, only professional artistic costs are eligible for support (for example, conductor, accompanist, section lead and royalty fees). For these applicants, no other costs listed below other than professional artistic costs are eligible to be covered by this grant.
production costs
venue and equipment rental
purchase of small-scale equipment, software, electronics and similar materials required to carry out the project (maximum $500)
marketing, publicity, promotion and administrative costs
audio/visual recording costs directly associated with virtual presentations that are part of the proposed project
modest audio/visual recording costs for documenting activity when a live presentation is the proposed project activity (i.e. archival recording).
childcare and other dependant care fees enabling individuals to take part in the project (this does not include regular, ongoing expenses)
expenses related to making the project accessible to audience members and project participants (other than the applicant) who are Deaf or have a disability
- Note: Applicants to this program who identify as Deaf or as having a disability may apply for supplementary funds for their own accessibility expenses through Accessibility Fund: Project Support.

For recording projects, please see the Music Recording Projects program. For creation projects, please see the Music Creation Projects program.

Project requirements:

Projects must pay fees to professional musicians.
Projects must have a range of revenue sources with the exception of rehearsal and repertoire development, and second-stage opera workshops.

What this program does not fund

Ineligible activity:

creation/composition/songwriting
fundraising activities (including benefit concerts)
productions involving a significant number of amateur performers, with the exception of community and children’s choirs and community orchestras
tours where presenters are paying a guaranteed fee to the applicant (please see opportunities through OAC’s Touring section)
music videos and high cost audio/visual productions for the purposes of future dissemination that are not part of the proposed project (for example, marketing, commercial release)
performances given as part of religious services
artist professional development, training, with the exception of projects where professionals may be hired as clinicians to work with an organization containing a complement of amateur musicians/singers (for example, children’s choir)
award ceremonies
activities that take place outside of Ontario

Ineligible expenses:

expenses for activities that take place outside of Ontario
major capital expenditures, including buying, leasing or renovating buildings and purchase of major equipment (for example, purchase of sheet music, risers, instruments, computers)

Activity timing

The activities for which you are requesting funding:

cannot start before the deadline
cannot finish before you receive your grant results
must be completed no more than two years after you receive the grant results

Note: All public presentation(s) (live and virtual) must occur after grant notification (four and a half months after the deadline).

Evaluation Rubric – Activity Projects

View American Sign Language (ASL) version of this page

In the project grant assessment process, the Ontario Arts Council provides a rubric to assessors to guide them in rating applications. The rubric below is for activity grant programs, which use three assessment criteria: artistic merit, impact and viability.

The rubric is used along with the context and priorities of each grant program as they are described on the program web page. This means that some items listed may not be relevant depending on the program or proposed activity.

Artistic Merit (33.4% of total score)

Rating: Excellent (5)

The bio(s)/CV(s) demonstrate that the applicant has the relevant professional or organizational background and experience to lead the project.
The main artistic idea of the project is highly relevant (to the public or arts sector), distinctive, interesting or compelling. Note: Assessors consider the location and environment in which the applicant works.
Artistic examples present work that is highly compelling, distinctive, and exciting, and it is clear how they relate to the project.
The applicant and artistic collaborators demonstrate that they have the artistic skills necessary to complete the project at a very high artistic level. Note: Assessors consider the career stage or history of the applicant and artistic collaborators.
The applicant or key collaborators bring extensive and appropriate cultural knowledge to their artistic roles in the project. Note: Where relevant, assessors consider the rights of Indigenous peoples to practice, revitalize, transmit and maintain control of their cultural material, practices and stories, as outlined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
The choice of artistic collaborators is highly relevant to the proposed artistic activity, it is clear what they will bring to the project, and they have appropriate cultural knowledge.

Rating: Very Good (4)

The bio(s)/CV(s) demonstrate that the applicant has the relevant professional or organizational background and experience to lead the project.
The main artistic idea of the project is relevant (to the public or arts sector) and interesting. Note: Assessors consider the location and environment in which the applicant works.
Artistic examples present work that is interesting and distinctive, and it is clear how they relate to the project.
The applicant and artistic collaborators demonstrate that they have the artistic skills necessary to complete the project at a high artistic level. Note: Assessors consider the career stage or history of the applicant and artistic collaborators.
The applicant or key collaborators bring strong and appropriate cultural knowledge to their artistic roles in the project. Note: Where relevant, assessors consider the rights of Indigenous peoples to practice, revitalize, transmit and maintain control of their cultural material, practices and stories, as outlined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
The choice of artistic collaborators is relevant to the proposed artistic activity, it is clear what they will bring to the project, and they have appropriate cultural knowledge.

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Rating: Good (3)

The bio(s)/CV(s) demonstrate that the applicant has the relevant professional or organizational background and experience to lead the project.
The main artistic idea of the project is relevant (to the public or arts sector) or interesting. Note: Assessors consider the location and environment in which the applicant works.
Artistic examples present work that is interesting, and it is clear how they relate to the project.
The applicant and artistic collaborators demonstrate that they have the artistic skills necessary to complete the project. Note: Assessors consider the career stage or history of the applicant and artistic collaborators.
The applicant or key collaborators bring appropriate cultural knowledge to their artistic roles in the project. Note: Where relevant, assessors consider the rights of Indigenous peoples to practice, revitalize, transmit and maintain control of their cultural material, practices and stories, as outlined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
The choice of artistic collaborators is mostly relevant to the proposed artistic activity, it is somewhat clear what they will bring to the project, and they have appropriate cultural knowledge.

Rating: Fair (2)

The bio(s)/CV(s) do not demonstrate that the applicant has the relevant professional or organizational background and experience to lead the project.
The main artistic idea of the project is not particularly relevant (to the public or arts sector), distinctive, interesting or compelling. Note: Assessors consider the location and environment in which the applicant works.
Artistic examples present work that is not particularly interesting or distinctive, and it is somewhat unclear how they relate to the project.
The applicant and artistic collaborators have not sufficiently demonstrated that they have the artistic skills necessary to complete the project. Note: Assessors consider the career stage or history of the applicant and artistic collaborators.
It is unclear whether the applicant and key collaborators bring appropriate cultural knowledge to their artistic roles in the project. Note: Where relevant, assessors consider the rights of Indigenous peoples to practice, revitalize, transmit and maintain control of their cultural material, practices and stories, as outlined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Similarly, they consider the rights of cultural groups to maintain control over their stories, artistic material and practices.
The choice of artistic collaborators is not particularly relevant to the proposed artistic activity, it is unclear what they will bring to the project, and it is unclear whether they have appropriate cultural knowledge.

Rating: Poor (1)

The bio(s)/CV(s) do not demonstrate that the applicant has the relevant professional or organizational background and experience to lead the project.
The main artistic idea of the project is not relevant (to the public or arts sector), distinctive, interesting or compelling. Note: Assessors consider the location and environment in which the applicant works.
Artistic examples present work that is not particularly interesting or distinctive, and it is not at all clear how they relate to the project.
The applicant and artistic collaborators have not demonstrated that they have the artistic skills necessary to complete the project. Note: Assessors consider the career stage or history of the applicant and artistic collaborators.
The applicant and key collaborators do not appear to bring appropriate cultural knowledge to their artistic roles in the project. Note: Where relevant, assessors consider the rights of Indigenous peoples to practice, revitalize, transmit and maintain control of their cultural material, practices and stories, as outlined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
The choice of artistic collaborators is not relevant to the proposed artistic activity, it is unclear what they will bring to the project, and they do not appear to have appropriate cultural knowledge.

Impact (33.3% of total score)

Rating: Excellent (5)

The project appears highly likely to help the artistic or career/organizational development of the applicant and artistic collaborators, with particular considerations for OAC priority groups.
The application clearly identifies the communities, audiences and participants who will benefit from the project and clearly explains why it will be highly relevant and meaningful to them.
The project offers specific opportunities for access and engagement to artists, artistic collaborators, audiences or participants from one or more OAC priority group.
The application clearly explains how the project will enable artistic collaborators to contribute in vital and meaningful ways.

Rating: Very Good (4)

The project appears very likely to help the artistic or career/organizational development of the applicant and artistic collaborators, with particular considerations for OAC priority groups.
The application clearly identifies the communities, audiences and participants who will benefit from the project and clearly explains why it will be relevant to them.
The project, when appropriate, offers general opportunities for access and engagement to artists, artistic collaborators, audiences or participants from one or more OAC priority group.
The application clearly explains how the project will enable artistic collaborators to contribute in important and meaningful ways.

Rating: Good (3)

The project appears likely to help the artistic or career/organizational development of the applicant and artistic collaborators, with particular considerations for OAC priority groups.
The application identifies the communities, audiences and participants who will benefit from the project and explains why it will be relevant to them.
The project, when appropriate, offers general opportunities for access and engagement to artists, artistic collaborators, audiences or participants from one or more OAC priority group
The application explains how the project will enable artistic collaborators to contribute.

Rating: Fair (2)

It is unclear whether the project will help the artistic or career/organizational development of the applicant and artistic collaborators.
The application does not clearly identify the communities, audiences and participants who will benefit from the project or does not clearly explain why it will be relevant to them.
It is unclear whether the project offers opportunities for access and engagement to artists, artistic collaborators, audiences or participants from OAC priority group.
The application does not clearly explain how the project will enable artistic collaborators to contribute.

Rating: Poor (1)

The project does not appear likely to help the artistic or career/organizational development of the applicant and artistic collaborators.
The application does not identify the communities, audiences and participants who will benefit from the project.
The project appears inaccessible to artists, artistic collaborators, audiences or participants from OAC priority group.
The application does not explain how the project will enable artistic collaborators to contribute.

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Viability (33.3% of total score)

Rating: Excellent (5)

The project plan is clear, detailed and realistic, includes all the major activities required for the project, and sets aside enough time and resources for each phase.
When needed, collaborators are included who are well-chosen to ensure that the project can be completed.
Plans for raising enough funds to complete the project, including in-kind donations if relevant, are detailed and realistic, and include a mix of revenues, when needed, that are appropriate to the project, applicant and community.
Projected fees and other expenses are clearly explained, make sense, and compensate artists appropriately.
If the project uses someone else’s artistic material or stories, the applicant has permission to use them, or has a clear and realistic plan to obtain permission.
There are strong plans with enough resources to ensure the project reaches the intended audience or participants.

Rating: Very Good (4)

The project plan is clear, and realistic, includes all the major activities required for the project, and sets aside enough time and resources for each phase.
When needed, collaborators are included who are well-chosen to ensure that the project can be completed.
Plans for raising enough funds to complete the project, including in-kind donations if relevant, are realistic and include a mix of revenues, when needed, that are appropriate to the project, applicant and community.
Projected fees and other expenses are clearly explained, make sense, and compensate artists appropriately.
If the project uses someone else’s artistic material or stories, the applicant has permission to use them, or has a clear and realistic plan to obtain permission.
There are good plans with enough resources to ensure the project reaches the intended audience or participants.

Rating: Good (3)

The project plan is somewhat clear and realistic, includes most major activities required for the project, and sets aside time and resources for each phase.
When needed, collaborators are included who are well-chosen to ensure that the project can be completed.
Plans for raising enough funds to complete the project, including in-kind donations if relevant, are somewhat realistic, and include a mix of revenues, when needed, that are appropriate to the project, applicant and community.
Most projected fees and other expenses are explained, make sense and compensate artists appropriately.
If the project uses someone else’s artistic material or stories, the applicant has a mostly realistic plan to obtain permission.
There are reasonable plans with some resources to ensure the project reaches the intended audience or participants.

Rating: Fair (2)

The project plan is unclear or unrealistic, does not include most major activities required for the project, or does not set aside enough time and resources for each phase.
When needed, collaborators are included but are not suited to ensure that the project can be completed.
Plans for raising enough funds to complete the project, including in-kind donations if relevant, are not realistic, and do not include an appropriate mix of revenues for the project, applicant and community.
Projected fees and other expenses are not explained clearly, and do not compensate artists appropriately.
If the project uses someone else’s artistic material or stories, the applicant has an unclear or unrealistic plan to obtain permission.
There are unrealistic plans with inadequate resources to ensure the project reaches the intended audience or participants.

Rating: Poor (1)

The project plan is unclear and unrealistic, does not include major activities required for the project, and does not set aside enough time and resources for each phase.
Collaborators are not included when needed to ensure that the project can be completed, or they are included but not suitable for the work required of them.
There are no clear plans for raising enough funds to complete the project.
Projected fees and other expenses are not explained and do not compensate artists appropriately.
If the project uses someone else’s artistic material or stories, the applicant does not have a plan to obtain permission.
There are no plans and no resources to ensure the project reaches the intended audience or participants.