Grants for Individuals & Collectives: Stream 1 & 2 Winter 2025

Artists and their work are the foundation of our arts community. Working as individuals or collectives, artists pursue work that develops their practice, advances creative thought, contributes to an art form and provides our community with a reflection of itself. Through the three distinct streams of the Individuals & Collectives program the EAC supports a wide range of art forms and practices, fostering experimentation, professional development, creative collaboration and public presentation. 

Stream 1 supports an Individual artist to work on creation, experimentation, or research activities. Grant amounts are fixed at $5,000 to support subsistence and any additional costs to the individual while they take the time to pursue artistic work. 

Thirty-nine (39) applications were recommended for Stream 1 funding for a total of $195,000.

Learn more about the successful Stream 1 applicants below: 

Andrew MacDonald-Smith will take meaningful next steps for his solo cabaret My First Hundred Years, in the form of script/​musical expansion and research into future touring opportunities. 

Angela Welch will engage in the research of Caribbean traditions and folklore surrounding death/​grief, delving into cultural narratives/​practices to deepen her understanding and enhance her skills as a storyteller and researcher. 

Anna Pratch will create a neo-bouffon piece, supported by dramaturg Christine Lesiak, who will also direct the work through its development. 

Belinda Cornish will begin researching women working in wildlife rehabilitation, and experiment with gathering video footage to develop a performative documentary. 

Billy will explore how large-scale Black-led cultural movements emerge and sustain themselves, applying global insights to develop strategies for curating impactful, year-round artistic experiences that elevate Black artists and storytelling in Edmonton. 

Brett Dahl will research and write the first draft of a new queer play My Own Darling Boy inspired by true events. 

Cynthia Führer will continue her engagement with sculpture in a four-month full time figurative sculpture project exploring themes and images investigated in previous oil paintings. 

Daria Polianska will research the lore of the plants and trees encountered in the Whitemud Creek Ravine to later incorporate into a collection of essays about the immigration journey from Ukraine to Canada. 

Dekani Syed will create The Void, a manga aimed to defy female stereotypes and showcase a powerful female character. The goal is to inspire girls to be the next generation of warriors. 

Diana Tayler will pursue concentrated research and skill development in stop motion animation that will take place over six weeks, building on the momentum of creative research she pursued during a New Music Edmonton mentorship program in 2024. 

Dr. Kamaljeet Gill will research, compile, and document compositions in Raga Yaman and Kafi, exploring various rhythmic cycles – Teental (16 beats) ​‚Ektaal (12 beats) Jhaptaal (10 beats) — while creatively expanding them. 

DUCO will pursue an investigation into the inherent properties of birch bark and the techniques required to sculpturally contrast it with industrial, man-made materials to form long lasting works of art. 

Dwayne Martineau will experiment with different video techniques that will steer his body of work during his next phase of exhibitions and collaboration opportunities. 

Elisabeth Belliveau will explore and experiment with advanced metal casting strategies and professional construction methods for the creation of new mobiles. She will also spend time researching the history of mobiles, and approaches to creating them, storing them, and shipping them for exhibitions. 

Emilie Cecilia LeBel will research and build resonant vessels, and create new compositions that feature acoustic instruments, electronics, and tactile transducers on resonant vessels. 

Groove With Ivan aka Grooviàn will conduct an in-depth study of Afro x Brazilian movement traditions to understand how they recharge the soul and foster creative expression. Ivan will collaborate with Mestrona Renata to refine and integrate her teachings into his evolving practice. 

Jeongmin Ahn will focus on researching waste left behind after fast-food consumption, with the creation of oil paintings depicting waste as found in mall food courts and fast-food restaurants. 

Jimmy Burnett will create Pronoia, an experimental hip-hop and indie music project that explores how the universe can work in your favor rather than against you. 

Kablusiak will create multiples of different art objects, including Dolls, Ookpiit, Wall Hangings, and 3D printed keychains. Some of these works will be exhibited later this year at Katuaq Cultural Centre in Nuuk, Greenland, as well as at Norberg Hall’s booth at Art Toronto. 

Kev Liang will explore new designs, synthetic materials, and color applications for tarpaulins and 3D printed objects to create multimedia works that investigate identity, masculinity, and diasporic experiences. 

Leslea Kroll will write the first draft of the one-act play titled Mercuria. The play will be an absurdist satire on inaction in the face of the present global climate emergency. 

LINDSEY WALKER will write songs to be considered for a new album. She will also be using film photography to help generate ideas. 

Mac Brock will write a first draft of Goners, a new queer apocalyptic dramedy play and engage dramaturg Sarah J Culkin in continuing to a second draft. 

Madison Dewar will continue her exploration of mokuhanga (Japanese water-based woodcut) to build on the skills she learned during a recent residency in Japan. 

Megan Klak will gain stone carving experience by carving new abstract sculptures in marble at the Bergen International Sculpture Park, run by sculptor Morton Burke. 

Melanie Kerr will develop a first draft of a play based on the world and narrative history written by Jane Austen in Pride & Prejudice, showcasing the detrimental and far-reaching repercussions of silencing women. 

Mona Sahi will create an interactive installation that features sand-covered ground embedded with sensors that activate when stepped on. Each activation will trigger projected visuals and a collection of sounds evoking war; the digitally designed soundscape — featuring collision-like noises reminiscent of explosions — will evoke the hidden threats still lurking beneath the surface. 

Natesa Medlicott-Kappo will expand her studio practice through research and material explorations in textile materiality and film while working with a mentor to grow in her work. 

Neil Chase will adapt his feature screenplay, Terra Alpha One, into a TV series pilot script. 

Nicole Arendt will refine her existing work and explore innovative compositional approaches as part of a broader evolution in her artistry. 

Olga Zaitseva-Herz will explore Ukrainian immigration to Canada through music, developing a plan for future performances integrating historical narratives, songs, and contemporary storytelling at venues such as the Ukrainian Cultural Village. 

Paige Harris will undertake a six-month intensive exploration of sculptural ceramics, focusing on personal and artistic growth. The intention is to create a body of three unique sculptural works each month. 

Scott Portingale will create a series of visual sequences designed for the half-dome format — such as planetariums. Through this project, he will explore the unique challenges and creative opportunities of producing art for the concave screen. 

Simon Abbott will develop the score for a new musical; Mrs. Smith. The hope is for the project to be developed for professional presentation by theatre companies in the future. 

Stuart Beatch will explore the intersection of video games and art music by creating songs for voice and piano, adapting video game-themed poetry by Canadian writer James Pepler. 

Timiro Mohamed will create three creative nonfiction essays and a collection of poems informed by research and exploration in new literary genres. 

Veronika Marks will create a series of paintings dedicated to artist-based research in mental health, addiction, and spirituality. These works will reflect the complex realities of psychosis, mysticism, and altered perception 

Will Bauer will undertake research with the goal of creating a new type of art experience that enhances static visual artwork with interactive audio ​“memories” that are uniquely retrieved through the viewer’s body movements. 

YELRIHS will expand her body of work by researching traditional Asian percussion instruments, integrating them into her electronic music compositions and performances. 

With funding from Stream 2 of the Individuals & Collectives program, artists and arts professionals may receive support to pursue mentorship, attend a residency, or other forms of professional development. Projects may be individual or collective, and grants are available up to $10,000 based on projected expenses, including artist subsistence. It is not necessary for an application to Stream 2 to be connected to a specific work, but receiving mentorship, attending a residency or professional development may be directed towards potential future work.

Eighteen (18) applications were recommended for funding in Stream 2 for a total investment of $124,741.

Learn more about the Stream 2 recipients:

Ainsley Hillyard will receive mentorship from playwright Beth Graham, developing a script-first approach to storytelling with support from Deaf consultant Connor Yuzwenko-Martin. 

Alyx will participate in a residency where they will continue to develop and revise the first draft of their manuscript of Fusang, a solarpunk novel that focuses on the current climate crisis. 

Amy Leigh travelled to Saugatuck, MI to attend the Paper and Book Intensive, hosted at Ox-bow School of Art & Artists’ Residency. During the intensive she had the opportunity to participate in classes taught by master-level printmakers, papermakers and book-art practitioners. 

Bree Taylor attended the Horror Writing residency at the Banff Centre where they worked on a queer horror novella tentatively titled Rot Begets with mentorship from author Jessica Johns. 

Cassandra Paige will attend a two-week intensive acting course for film and television actors at Six Degrees Performance in Calgary, Alberta. 

Jacob Do is attending the spring semester of the Tribeca Jazz Institute, a mentorship program with New York City’s top jazz musicians. 

Jessica Marsh will participate in a year-long series of professional development initiatives in Canada and abroad to refine her expertise in label operations and artist management. 

Josh Harnack will participate in a three-week residency at Château d’Orquevaux in France where he plans to create a series of 7 – 10 fine art paintings inspired by the château’s surroundings, allowing for exploring cultural exchange, artistic growth, and international collaboration to expand his creative practice. 

Krista Leddy will explore making larger textiles with more complicated patterns in her woven sashes as a way of continuing traditional and contemporary Métis stories in textile art with the purchase of a floor loom. 

Lorelle will participate in a one-month art residency at A.I.R Vallauris in Vallauris, France where she will be learning from other artists, visiting historical institutions, and creating and showcasing her ceramic art. 

Mark Segger will study with master vibraphonist Mattias Stahl for four months, expanding his practice as an improvising drummer/​percussionist to include vibraphone improvisation. 

Michelle Robb will undertake a dramaturgy apprenticeship at Workshop West Playwrights’ Theatre during their 2025 – 2026 season, assisting with their script reading service, the Edmonton Playwrights’ Circle, the Springboards Festival, and reading and auditing workshops of scripts-in-process. 

Nancy Nickolson will attend an artist residency at the Gushul Studio in Blairmore, Alberta. During the residency, she will be creating a new generation of heirloom paintings, intertwining references to local flora and fauna on location along with traditional patterns from Ukrainian textiles, home interiors, and folk tales. 

Nanyen Lau will participate in an erhu masterclass and in ME & Lau Chinese Orchestra rehearsals and performance in Toronto, ON. 

Natasha Riddell will travel to the UK to train in the ​“Theatre of the Funny Creation School” intensive at the Battersea Arts Centre with Spymonkey, a world-renowned authority on physical theatre performance. 

Reid Contreras Woelfle will undertake an online mentorship with composer Victor Baez, founder and artistic director of Sounds of Now Vienna (SONV) Contemporary Music Festival, culminating in the creation of a new composition for the 2025 SONV Festival, which will also be showcased by the Playtpus ensemble. 

Taryn Kneteman will take a 16-week online course with hands-on practice to introduce programmable, motorized movement to objects in her sculpture and video installations. 

Xi (Cici) Zhao will focus on exploring advanced musical techniques in Chinese Zither Recitation (Qin-Yinsong) with the goal of developing Yinsong tunes, Qin melodies, exclusive notation, and presentation materials for educational, transmission, and volunteer purposes. 

Read about the Winter 2025 Individuals & Collectives Stream 3 recipients here.

Interested in applying for an Individuals & Collectives grant? The Fall 2025 deadline is October 1, 2025 at 11:59 AM (noon) and applications will open one month before the deadline.