RFPs: Established Stream for Professional Festivals and Arts Series (Canada)

Deadline: 15-Apr-2027

The SaskFestivals Established Stream provides multi-year grant support to professional arts festivals and series organizations in Saskatchewan to strengthen community engagement, economic activity, and the professional practice of the arts. The programme supports organizations with an established history of presenting arts programming in Saskatchewan. It aims to increase the impact of festivals within their communities and across the province while supporting Saskatchewan artists and promoting public appreciation of the arts.

About the SaskFestivals Established Stream

The SaskFestivals Established Stream is designed for professional arts festivals and series organizations that have demonstrated a sustained commitment to presenting arts programming in Saskatchewan.

The programme seeks to:

- Strengthen community engagement. - Stimulate tourism and economic activity. - Increase the impact of festivals in local communities and across Saskatchewan. - Advance the professional practice of Saskatchewan artists. - Promote public appreciation of the arts. - Encourage leadership and diversity within the festival sector. Funded organizations are expected to contribute to the cultural and economic vitality of their communities while maintaining strong professional arts practices. How Much Funding Is Available? Funding is provided on a four-year cycle.

The minimum grant request is:

- $20,000 per year - Multi-year support over a four-year cycle Applicants should ensure that their proposed activities and budgets are appropriate for the multi-year funding structure. Strategic Priorities Recipients are expected to align their activities with the strategic priorities of SK Arts and SaskCulture. Organizations should also demonstrate meaningful engagement with the diversity of the communities they serve.

This includes authentic engagement with:

- Indigenous peoples. - Other marginalized groups. - Diverse community members and audiences. The programme encourages organizations to strengthen leadership and diversity within Saskatchewan’s festival sector. Who Can Apply? Eligible organizations must meet a range of organizational, operational, and professional requirements.

Applicants must:

- Have a core mandate to present an arts festival or series. - Have at least five years of operational history. - Have previously received funding through the Development or Established stream. - Be incorporated. - Be based in Saskatchewan. - Have financial and decision-making processes controlled by Saskatchewan residents. - Engage paid professional expertise. - Maintain a strategic plan. - Conduct ongoing evaluation. - Be registered with CADAC. - Provide annual financial statements. - Be in good standing with SK Arts. - Have no overdue reports relating to previous grants. Previous Funding Requirement Applicants must have previously received funding through either the Development Stream or Established Stream. This requirement is intended to support organizations with an established relationship with the programme and a demonstrated history of presenting arts festivals or series. Organizations should ensure that their previous funding and reporting obligations are in good standing before applying. Professional and Organizational Requirements The Established Stream is intended for organizations operating with established professional practices. Eligible applicants must engage paid professional expertise and maintain appropriate organizational planning and evaluation processes.

Organizations must also:

- Maintain a strategic plan. - Carry out ongoing evaluation. - Be registered with CADAC. - Maintain annual financial statements. - Maintain appropriate financial and decision-making processes. - Remain in good standing with SK Arts. These requirements help demonstrate organizational capacity and responsible management of public arts funding. Community Engagement and Diversity The programme places importance on organizations reflecting the diversity of the communities they serve. Applicants are expected to demonstrate authentic engagement with Indigenous peoples and other marginalized groups. This approach supports broader community participation while encouraging leadership, inclusion, and diversity within Saskatchewan’s professional festival sector. Who Is Not Eligible? Certain organizations are excluded from the Established Stream.

Organizations are not eligible if they:

- Receive operational funding from SaskCulture. - Receive operational funding from Sask Lotteries. - Receive operational funding from Creative Saskatchewan. - Receive operational funding from a Provincial Cultural Organization. - Have a core mandate that is not exclusive to presenting an arts festival or series. - Do not compensate artists. - Have outstanding reports for previous SK Arts grants. Applicants should ensure that they meet all organizational and reporting requirements before submitting an application. Arts Festival or Series Mandate An applicant’s core mandate must be to present an arts festival or series. Organizations whose primary mandate extends beyond presenting an arts festival or series are not eligible for the Established Stream. This requirement distinguishes the programme from funding opportunities intended for organizations with broader cultural or operational mandates. Artist Compensation Requirement Eligible organizations must compensate artists. Organizations that do not compensate artists are not eligible for funding through the Established Stream. This requirement reflects the programme’s focus on strengthening the professional practice of Saskatchewan artists and supporting professional arts presentation. Reporting Requirements Applicants must be in good standing with SK Arts and must not have outstanding reports from previous SK Arts grants. Organizations with overdue reports are not eligible until their reporting obligations have been addressed. Applicants should therefore ensure that all previous grant reports