Canada Council for the Arts Touring Fund

Canada Council for the Arts Touring Fund
Name	Canada Council for the Arts Touring Fund
Type	Arts funding program
Founded	1970s
Headquarters	Ottawa, Ontario
Region served	Canada
Parent organization	Canada Council for the Arts

Canada Council for the Arts Touring Fund

The Touring Fund is a program administered within the framework of the Canada Council for the Arts that supports travel and touring for Canadian artists and arts organizations. It aims to enable performances, exhibitions, and presentations across provinces and territories, fostering exchanges between communities such as those in Toronto, Vancouver, Montréal, Calgary, and Halifax. The Fund intersects with national policies and institutions including Canada Council for the Arts, Department of Canadian Heritage, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, National Arts Centre, and provincial arts councils such as Ontario Arts Council.

Overview and Purpose

The Touring Fund provides financial support to facilitate the mobility of artists and arts organizations so that creative work can reach diverse settings from large venues like Roy Thomson Hall and Place des Arts to community spaces in Whitehorse, Iqaluit, and Corner Brook. It complements initiatives by institutions such as Canada Dance Festival, Fort York National Historic Site, Stratford Festival, Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, and Canadian Opera Company by reducing geographic and economic barriers to touring. By enabling tours that connect urban centers like Edmonton and Winnipeg with rural and Indigenous communities including those in Nunavut, Yukon, and First Nations territories, the Fund supports cultural exchange linked to national celebrations like Canada Day and major events such as the Calgary Stampede.

Eligibility and Application Process

Eligible applicants typically include nonprofit arts organizations, collectives, presenters, and Indigenous groups registered or operating in jurisdictions such as Ontario, Québec, British Columbia, Alberta, and the Northwest Territories. Applicants must demonstrate commitments comparable to those required by agencies such as Canada Council for the Arts, Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, and BC Arts Council. The application process requires submission of project proposals, budgets, itineraries, and letters of support from venues such as Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto, Art Gallery of Ontario, or municipal cultural offices in Vancouver and Montréal. Deadlines and program streams align with federal funding cycles overseen by institutions like Parliament of Canada and administrative offices in Ottawa.

Funding Priorities and Grant Types

Priority areas reflect national objectives comparable to those articulated by Canadian Heritage and emphasize tours that advance access to performing arts, visual arts, multidisciplinary projects, and Indigenous cultural practice associated with organizations like Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, Métis National Council, and Assembly of First Nations. Grant types include project-based touring grants, travel subsidies for individual artists linked to presenters such as Juste pour rire, and support for co-presentations modeled on collaborations between entities like National Ballet of Canada and regional presenters. The Fund encourages cross-provincial and cross-territorial activity that mirrors partnerships between institutions like Banff Centre and international festivals such as the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Selection Criteria and Assessment Process

Assessment panels draw on peer-review models used by bodies like Canada Council for the Arts and provincial councils, with reviewers experienced in sectors represented by SOCAN, Canadian Actors’ Equity Association, and discipline-specific organizations such as Dance Umbrella and Canadian Stage. Criteria include artistic merit comparable to standards at Tarragon Theatre, feasibility demonstrated with venue confirmations from places like Centaur Theatre, and community engagement plans akin to outreach programs at National Gallery of Canada. Panels evaluate budget realism, audience development strategies resembling initiatives by Mirvish Productions, and equitable access considerations reflecting commitments in reports by Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.

Impact and Notable Supported Tours

The Fund has enabled tours that brought major Canadian works and artists to venues from Quebec City to Yellowknife, contributing to the national presence of companies such as Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Cirque du Soleil, Punchdrunk, and ensembles affiliated with Canadian Music Centre. It has supported Indigenous-led tours comparable to projects by Tanya Tagaq and A Tribe Called Red (The Halluci Nation), interdisciplinary collaborations reminiscent of residencies at Banff Centre, and regional showcasing that increased visibility for artists later recognized by awards like the Governor General's Awards in Visual and Media Arts and the Polaris Music Prize. The Touring Fund’s investments have facilitated partnerships with presenters including Canada Dance Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, and community festivals across provinces.

Administration and Governance

Administration follows models used by national arts funders, with oversight by the parent council’s executive and advisory committees paralleling governance structures at Canada Council for the Arts and reporting aligned with federal accountability to Parliament of Canada and audits similar to standards of the Office of the Auditor General of Canada. Advisory panels and peer assessors often include representatives from institutions such as Canadian Heritage, provincial arts councils, and major presenting organizations like Luminato Festival and Danforth Music Hall. Governance emphasizes transparency, equity, and alignment with national cultural policy developments influenced by bodies such as Canadian Conference of the Arts.

Category:Arts organizations based in Canada