To have your Burlington arts or cultural event listed in this calendar, please submit your information here by the 15th of each month for events that begin or take place in the following month:
The City of Burlington’s Arts and Culture Fund (BACF) provides grants to local artists, multicultural groups and arts and cultural organizations to foster creativity and enrich how Burlington residents experience and engage with arts and culture. The program recognizes and supports diverse identities, perspectives, languages, cultures and artistic practices. This year’s BACF application is now open until 4 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2020.
The BACF is facilitated to nurture the quality and capacity of the arts and culture sector in Burlington. The program is administered by the City of Burlington’s Arts and Culture Section and applications are reviewed in part by a peer assessment jury. City funding provided under this program must be used to further an applicant’s not-for-profit activities. Funding will not be provided for major capital projects including but not limited to the purchase of land, equipment, fixtures or physical facilities. Project grants are intended to support a specific event or activity taking place between April 2020 and March 2021. Applicants that have received any form of city funding in the same calendar year are not eligible for BACF funding.
In order to apply for BACF funding applicants must be located in the City of Burlington and be one of the following:
BACF project funding may not be used for major capital expenses/purposes including:
To nurture the capacity of the arts and cultural sector in Burlington, while fostering creativity, encouraging social cohesion, enhancing quality of life and stimulating cultural and economic development through direct investment.
The project grants program is intended to support the creation and presentation of arts and cultural projects that reflect BACF objectives. Project grants are awarded for a term of one year and each applicant may apply for support for one project per year.
For organizations, groups or individuals that receive BACF funding in any year and reapply to the grant program the following year, a final project report must be integrated as part of the subsequent application form.
Project grants are intended to support a specific event or activity taking place between April 2020 and March 2021. Subsequently, applications for projects that recur must be submitted annually and will be adjudicated based on assessment criteria as outlined in the criteria and guidelines document and on the following:
There are four key areas of evaluation including: Artistic Merit, Program Merit and Strategic Initiative, City-wide and Community Impact and Economic Impact. The applicant’s recent activities as well as proposed ones are taken into account when assessing an application.
Peer assessment jury members evaluate the artistic merit criteria of BACF applications. Jury members are comprised of representatives from the arts and culture sector. This includes: arts and cultural professionals, practitioners and/or individuals who are knowledgeable in the arts and culture and maintain high standing in the arts and cultural community. Jury members will be knowledgeable about the City of Burlington context, the broader arts and culture environment and will reflect the cultural diversity of the City of Burlington. BACF peer assessment jury members are selected and approved by the Arts and Culture Council of Burlington (ACCOB).
City staff evaluates program merit and strategic initiative, citywide & community impact, and economic impact criteria. Final decision on funding allocation is determined by City staff.
Arts and Culture Collective: Three or more artists or cultural professionals whose project is focused primarily on artistic/cultural creation and presentation.
Charitable Arts and Culture Organization: A charitable organization whose mandate or mission is focused primarily on artistic/cultural creation and presentation.
Charitable Organization: To be considered charitable, an organization’s purpose must be exclusively and legally charitable and it must be established for the benefit of the public or a sufficient segment of the public. It must also be registered with the Canada Revenue Agency as having charitable status under the Income Tax Act. Organizations so registered are able to issue tax receipts for charitable donations.
Community Arts and Culture Project: Broadly defined, a community arts and culture project involves a collaborative creative process between a professional practicing artist and the community. It is a collective method of art-making, engaging professional artists and self-defined communities through collaborative, artistic expression. It is as much about process as it is about the artistic product or outcome. A community arts and culture project provides a unique way for communities to express themselves and enables artists, through financial and other support, to engage in creative activity with communities.
Not-for-Profit Arts and Culture Organization: A not-for-profit organization whose mandate or mission is focused primarily on artistic/cultural creation and presentation.
Not-for-Profit Organization: An organization not conducted or maintained for the purpose of making a profit. Instead, it operates to serve a public good. Not-for-profit organizations are specifically incorporated as such. Any surplus generated by a not-for-profit organization is used by the organization for the purposes for which it was established.
Peer Assessment Jury: BACF jury members are arts and culture professionals, practitioners and/or individuals who are knowledgeable in the arts and culture with high standing in the arts and culture community. Jurors evaluate applications based on the artistic merit component of the application and provide feedback to city staff. Peer assessment ensures that the arts and culture community has a voice in how funds are distributed and that applications are evaluated by artists and other cultural experts with knowledge and experience of the specific art forms, art practices and communities involved. BACF peer assessment jury members are selected and approved by the Arts and Culture Council of Burlington (ACCOB).
Professional Artist: Someone who has developed skills through training and/or practice, is recognized as such by artists working in the same artistic tradition, has a history of public presentation or publication, seeks payment for their work and actively practices their art. Short breaks in artistic history are allowed. The source of this definition is the Ontario Arts Council.