RFAs: Arts Collaboration and Community Development Program (Canada)

Deadline: 02-Sep-26

The Montreal Arts Council supports professional artist collectives and non-profit arts organizations in Montreal to develop creative projects in neighbourhoods where artistic activity is less present. The program provides financial assistance for research, creation, and production projects developed in collaboration with local community partners and rooted in the needs, identity, and characteristics of the targeted territory.

About the Program

The initiative is designed to strengthen artistic vitality across the Island of Montreal by encouraging professional artists and arts organizations to work directly with community actors. Supported projects should connect artistic practice with the local context and create meaningful opportunities for collaboration outside the traditional cultural sector.

The program supports projects that:

- Encourage creative collaboration between artists and community partners. - Respond to the characteristics and needs of a specific Montreal neighbourhood. - Highlight the identity, history, experiences, or strengths of local residents. - Create suitable conditions for professional artistic practice. - Encourage partnerships between the arts and non-cultural sectors. - Support diverse artistic approaches across the Island of Montreal. - Respond to initiatives emerging from priority communities or groups. What Projects Are Supported? Funding is intended for research, creation, or production projects developed with community partners. A proposed project should be rooted in the selected neighbourhood or territory and demonstrate how artistic activity will contribute to local engagement and vitality.

Eligible project costs may include:

- Artist remuneration. - Artistic creation expenses. - Technical production costs. - Rental of spaces for artistic creation. - Rental of rehearsal spaces. - Other eligible costs directly related to developing or producing the project. Projects should demonstrate genuine collaboration rather than simply delivering an artistic activity to a community. Funding Available Financial assistance can cover up to 90% of eligible project costs. The remaining 10% of the financial package must be represented by contributions from the community partner, including: - Services. - In-kind contributions. - Other eligible non-cash support. This structure means applicants should establish a clear partnership with the community organization or actor before submitting their application. Why It Matters Artistic activity is not distributed evenly across Montreal. This initiative seeks to strengthen cultural participation and creative activity in neighbourhoods where artistic vitality is less present. The program can help professional artists and arts organizations: - Develop new artistic work. - Build relationships with local communities. - Explore new creative practices. - Work with partners outside the cultural sector. - Improve access to professional artistic opportunities. - Reflect local identities and experiences through artistic creation. - Establish longer-term community and institutional partnerships. The emphasis on local collaboration also allows artists to develop projects that respond to specific neighbourhood contexts rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach. Who Is Eligible? The program is open to professional artist collectives and non-profit arts organizations that meet the program’s requirements. Professional Artist Collectives

Eligible collectives must:

- Include at least two professional artists. - Have a majority of members residing on the Island of Montreal. - Be represented by a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. - Meet the applicable general eligibility requirements for professional artistic collectives. Individual artists cannot apply independently under this program. Non-Profit Arts Organizations Eligible non-profit arts organizations must: - Have their head office in Montreal. - Meet the applicable requirements for non-profit arts organizations. - Have a board composed mainly of Canadian citizens or permanent residents. - Operate as an eligible arts organization. Community Partnership Requirement A central requirement is collaboration with a community partner. Applicants must provide a confirmation letter from the partner as part of the application.

The partnership should demonstrate that:

- The partner understands and supports the proposed project. - The project is relevant to the targeted community. - The partner is contributing to the project. - The collaboration is meaningful and appropriate to the local context. Applicants should therefore establish the partnership before finalizing their proposal. Geographic Eligibility Projects must take place in areas of Montreal where artistic vitality is less present. The proposed project should have a clear relationship with the selected territory and its residents. Applicants should explain why the neighbourhood is appropriate for the project and how the initiative responds to its local context. Who Is Not Eligible? The following applicants or projects are generally excluded: - Individual artists applying alone. - For-profit entities. - Collectives that do not meet the program’s eligibility requirements. - Arts organizations that do not meet the required organizational conditions. - Organizations focused solely on artistic dissemination. - Organizations focused solely on education. - Projects completed before the Conseil’s funding decision. - Projects that do not meet the required community partnership conditions. - Projects outside eligible areas of Montreal. How to Apply Applicants should develop their proposal around the artistic project, community partnership, and local context.

Step 1: Identify an Eligible Territory

Select a neighbourhood or area of Montreal where artistic vitality is less present and where the proposed project can provide a meaningful artistic and community benefit.

Step 2: Develop the Artistic Project

Define whether the project f