The Canada Council helps individual artists, groups and arts organizations engage in projects and activities. Grants are available for Canadian citizens or permanent residents who have specialized training -- though not necessarily in an academic setting -- and are recognized as professionals by other artists and arts practitioners in the field of practice.
In April 2017, the Canada Council launched a new structure for its funding programs, which introduced six non-disciplinary, outcomes-based programs:
- Explore and Create
- Engage and Sustain
- Creating, Knowing and Sharing: The Arts and Culture of First Nations, Inuit and Metis Peoples
- Supporting Artistic Practice
- Arts Across Canada
- Arts Abroad
This new structure is centered on activities that are common and integral across the arts sector, including but not limited to creation, production and presenting works as well as professional development, residencies, touring, travel and the development of the sector, both in Canada and internationally.
In its granting programs, the Canada Council also welcomes those who have been working outside of the boundaries of what has been traditionally funded. This includes:
* Groups that have been marginalized - for example young artists and artists from culturally diverse and Deaf and disability arts communities
* New and emerging arts practices and disciplines - such as digital arts and contemporary circus arts.
The following results begin in 2017-18, the first year of the Canada Council's new granting structure. Note: Figures are in Canadian dollars.
2017-18:
- $202.7 million awarded in grants in Canada
- $2.6 million awarded in grants outside of Canada
- 1809 arts organizations were supported ($158.2 million awarded)
- 346 arts groups were supported ($8.3 million awarded)
- 2280 individual artists supported ($38.9 million awarded)
- 600 communities where grants were awarded
2018-19:
- $242.7 million awarded in grants in Canada
- $3.3 million awarded in grants outside of Canada
- 2032 arts organizations were supported ($184.8 million awarded)
- 442 arts groups were supported ($12.0 million awarded)
- 2851 individual artists supported ($49.2 million awarded)
- 711 communities where grants were awarded
2017-18: USD 155.4 million (CAD 202.7 million)
2018-19: USD 186.0 million (CAD 242.7 million)
It should be noted that as part of the 2016 federal budget, the Canadian government announced that the Canada Council for the Arts will see its annual budget of $182 million double over five years to reach $360 million in 2021.