Eligibility for organization project funding 

Organizations must: 

• Be registered and governed as a not-for-profit organization in Alberta or Canada. 
• Maintain up-to-date information and documentation in their organizational profile in the EAC online portal, SmartSimple. Please note that organization profiles were recently updated, so ensure your information is current and accurate.
• Apply only to either Connections & Exchanges Initiatives or Invent & Adapt. 

Connections & Exchanges Initiatives projects: 

• Must be a new initiative focused on outward-facing artistic work that contributes to Actions in the Connections & Exchanges plan.
• Meet one or more of the following EAC funding strategy priorities:
  • Demonstrated commitment to the fair and professional payment of Edmonton artists and arts workers; 
    
  • Effective pursuit of their primary mandate(s) to support, engage, produce or present work by and for Indigenous communities and/​or equity-deserving groups; 
    
  • Provision of accessible or low-cost public programming to a wide range of Edmontonians; 
    
  • Effective operational management of Edmonton arts facilities that are accessible and available for the use of multiple artists, audiences, and communities.

Invent & Adapt projects: 

• Are available only to organizations that have received 2026 annual funding (Programming or Operating) from the Edmonton Arts Council. 
• Must be focused on preparing, planning, and/​or implementing transformative internal work for the organization. 

WHAT IS NOT SUPPORTED

• Activities that are already funded through other Edmonton Arts Council programs (including Operating or Programming, or previous iterations of project grants). 
• Organizations focused on education, religious outcomes, competitions, demonstrations, capital construction development, or fundraising. 
• Direct spending on capital projects or acquisitions. 
• Organizations in arrears with the City of Edmonton. 
• Activity supported by the City of Edmonton through other sources. 
• Any activities or expenses paid before the application deadline. 
• Activity that is not of benefit to the City of Edmonton, its artists and arts workers, or broader community.

Connections & Exchanges

Connections & Exchanges: A 10-Year Plan To Transform Arts and Heritage In Edmonton is the City of Edmonton’s award winning 10-year arts and heritage plan. It seeks to infuse culture, arts, and heritage into every aspect of civic fabric, support cultural makers and interpreters, and grow Edmonton’s arts and heritage audiences. Through the ambitions that we strive towards, the aims we use to chart progress, the actions that define our approach and the measurement framework that validates it all, this plan guides the development of Edmonton’s arts and heritage landscape through extraordinary transformation to 2029. 

Investment Framework and Funding Strategy

The Investment Framework and Funding Strategy was approved by the EAC Board of Directors to guide funding from 2025 – 2027 and focuses on four funding priorities. Consider if your project meets one or more of the following: 

• Demonstrated commitment to the fair and professional payment of Edmonton artists and arts workers; 

• Effective pursuit of their primary mandate(s) to support, engage, produce or present work by and for Indigenous communities and/​or equity-deserving groups; 

• Provision of accessible or low-cost public programming to a wide range of Edmontonians; 

• Effective operational management of Edmonton arts facilities that are accessible and available for the use of multiple artists, audiences, and communities. 

RESOURCES

This document links to third-party resources that your organization may find helpful as you plan your application: 

DOWNLOAD RESOURCES PDF

Please visit the Resources section of our website for more information on profile and application expectations: 

• Video resources
• Funding FAQ

DRAFT APPLICATION ASSISTANCE

The EAC offers an opportunity for organizations to have their draft application reviewed before the deadline. The review process could include: 

• Clarifying the intentions of the project, in alignment with the Connections & Exchanges 10-year plan. 
• Help to clarify a project’s outcomes or goals in relationship with the organization’s programming/​planning.
• Reviewing budget and support materials.

Important details:

• Your draft application must be complete in SmartSimple at least 24 hours before your scheduled meeting, or your meeting may be rescheduled. 
• There are a limited number of meetings available before each deadline. Be sure to book early; the first-come, first-served meeting spots are limited and tend to fill up quickly. 

Book your Draft Application Assistance meeting here:
https://​out​look​.office​.com/​b​o​o​k​/​A​r​t​s​D​e​v​e​l​o​p​m​e​n​t​I​n​v​e​s​t​m​e​n​t​s​1​@​e​d​m​o​n​t​o​n​a​r​t​s​.​c​a​/​s​/​c​3​I​S​-​p​W​x​l​E​K​5​e​4​P​V​-​k​f​y​m​Q​2​?​i​s​m​s​a​l​j​s​a​u​t​h​e​n​abled

REVISION REQUESTS

In the two weeks following the application deadline, if your application requires an update or additional information, you may receive a Revision Request by email. If this information is mandatory, you will be informed and if not completed it may result in your application being withdrawn from assessment. You must log in to the SmartSimple portal to see the details of your Revision Request, as well as the deadline for submission. Revisions Requests are given no more than one week to complete. Instructions for accessing Revisions Requests are provided as a PDF in the email notification. Revisions that are incomplete after the deadline will be contacted with a notice of withdrawal where applicable. 

Please add support@​edmontonarts.​ca to your safe senders list to ensure you don’t miss notifications from SmartSimple, and ensure you are checking your email to see if your application requires attention. 

FEEDBACK

As part of our commitment to offering clear and relevant insight into the assessment process, we believe direct dialogue is the most meaningful way to connect with applicants. Applicants may request feedback on their applications once the assessment process is complete, and decisions are finalized. When results are released, the notification email will include a booking link to schedule a meeting to discuss your application.

Feedback will be provided through these conversations only; no written feedback will be issued. Meetings will be facilitated by the EAC’s Arts Development and Investment staff, who will support transparency, help build relationships with organizations, and assist you in understanding your next steps. We encourage all applicants — successful or not — to take advantage of this opportunity, especially if you are preparing a future application for a similar project. 

The deadline for submissions is June 1, 2026 by 11:59 AM (noon).

Please note, the deadline is 11:59 AM (noon), not PM. Late applications or those that do not include all required information will be considered incomplete and will not be assessed.

Apply through the EAC’s online portal, SmartSimple:

Organizations seeking project funding must register in the Edmonton Arts Council online portal (eac​.smart​sim​ple​.ca).

UPDATE YOUR ORGANIZATION PROFILE IN SMARTSIMPLE

*Please note that the Organization Profile has been recently updated, and organizations need to review their profiles for completeness before applying for this funding opportunity.

The organization profile requires: 

• The registration of at least two (2) organization contacts that will be engaging with the EAC. 
• General organization information, such as: 
  • Artistic Discipline(s)
  • Mandate, Mission, Vision and/​or Values 
  • Objectives and Strategic Goals 
  • Online Presence (such as website, articles on your work, etc.) 

• Documentation supporting the organization’s operational status including legal name, provincial registration, board member information, and policy documentation. 
• If the organization operates and/​or manages a publicly accessible space used for arts activities, a section with specific questions about that space will need to be filled out in the profile. 

Once a profile has been completed, applications are available in SmartSimple under the ​“Open Opportunities” icon of your Organization Profile, a minimum of 30 days before the application deadline.

For technical support needs, email support@​edmontonarts.​ca, or call 780−424−2787.

If this is your first application to Edmonton Arts Council, we encourage you to contact us at grants@​edmontonarts.​ca.

ASSESSMENT PROCESS

Once an application is submitted, the EAC reviews the submission for eligibility and completion. If the application needs additional information, the organization may receive a revision request. Any applications deemed ineligible will not move forward to assessment, and applicants will be notified. 

Then a panel of diverse, knowledgeable members from the community will review the applications and conduct their assessment. These assessment panels will provide evaluation, context, and recommendations to the EAC on the organization’s work and impact. 

Assessors will use: 

• The submitted application; 
• The program guidelines; 
• The specific assessment criteria and intentions of the program; 
• An assessment form focused on criteria related to the intentions of this funding. 

The assessors will make recommendations to the EAC. Following assessment, EAC staff summarize all relevant information when presenting investment outcomes for approval. Decisions made through this process are final. 

The process will take 12 – 16 weeks. Thank you for your patience! 

For more on assessment, please review the 2024 Investment Framework.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Assessment will be based on what is outlined in these guidelines, as well as:

• The merit of the goals of the project. 
• The feasibility of the project plan, timeline, and budget. 
• The anticipated impact of the project.
• The alignment of the project within the context of the Edmonton arts ecosystem.

REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

For applications connected to a specific project, the applicant will be expected to assess the outcomes of the project with respect to the goals that they articulated in their application, and confirm that the budget was spent as submitted in your application – a written overview is acceptable, and receipts are not required. 

Final reports are under the My Action Items section of your SmartSimple homepage and are due three (3) months after the stated Project End Date.

PROJECT AMENDMENTS

The EAC understands that projects may not go as planned. Key contributors may need to change; activities may need to shift, or a short extension may be required to complete the activities and outcomes of the project.

If your requested extension is within a reasonable timeframe (i.e. within a calendar year of your original proposal), and there is no change to the artistic intentions or personnel on your project, your amendment request is likely to be approved. If there is going to be a material change to the artistic intentions or contributors on your project, ensure that you provide clear reasoning. Grants are evaluated based on artistic qualities, and any fundamental changes may impact the distribution of your funds. 

If you believe you may need to request a Project Amendment, email grants@​edmontonarts.​ca with the following information:

Your Name:

The Application ID of your successful grant:

The original Project Start and End Dates as stated in your application (in MM/DD/YYYY format):
Start Date:
End Date:

The proposed Project Start and End Dates for your extension (in MM/DD/YYYY format):
Start Date:
End Date:

A brief reasoning for your extension request with details as to why your project is being re-evaluated or delayed.

Please note that if your Project Amendment is approved, your Final Report will be due three (3) months after your new Project End Date.

Through the Connections & Exchanges Initiatives stream, the Edmonton Arts Council supports organizations in engaging in new outward‑facing artistic work. This includes developing unique programming, creating innovative artistic activity, fostering meaningful collaborations, and adding to the diversity of opportunities to engage audiences in Edmonton’s arts sector. Through this program, the EAC is advancing the artistic work of organizations while empowering the arts community to collectively implement Connections & Exchanges, the City of Edmonton’s 10‑year plan for arts and heritage.

Organizations may request up to $25,000 for their project. 

Eligible Connections & Exchanges Initiatives projects must:

• Be a new initiative focused on outward-facing artistic work that contributes to Actions in the Connections & Exchanges plan. 
• Have a defined start date (after the application deadline) and end date.
• Meet one or more of the following EAC funding strategy priorities:
  • Demonstrated commitment to the fair and professional payment of Edmonton artists and arts workers; 
  • Effective pursuit of their primary mandate(s) to support, engage, produce or present work by and for Indigenous communities and/​or equity-deserving groups; 
  • Provision of accessible or low-cost public programming to a wide range of Edmontonians; 
  • Effective operational management of Edmonton arts facilities that are accessible and available for the use of multiple artists, audiences, and communities.

WHAT IS A GOOD FIT

Projects must be new initiatives, rather than a continuation, advancement, or expansion of an existing program, project, or planned activity for the organization. 

Connections & Exchanges contains 55 Actions contributing to the implementation of the plan. In addition to meeting the EAC funding strategy priorities, the EAC has identified Actions in Connections & Exchanges suited to activation by the arts community. These Actions include but are not limited to:

2.1 Engage with organizations that support community-based artistic programming and cultural expression and engage youth through local arts and learning activities. 

4.1 Work with public and private partners, arts organizations and festivals to improve access by: Piloting ticketing and transportation programs to diversify audiences; Expanding arts experiences for young people; Supporting partnerships with culturally-specific media to engage newcomers; Supporting partnerships with cultural associations, and human and social services. 

6.1 Work with City Administration, cultural agencies, post-secondary institutions and businesses to develop incubation hubs for interdisciplinary and cross-sector artistic creation, production and presentation. 

6.2 Work with arts venues to improve affordability for artists and organizations to support production and presentation. 

6.3 Convene the arts community to share expertise, promote collaboration and networking. 

8.1 Dissemination and artistic exchange of work through tours, exhibitions and digital technologies. 

Examples of projects that might fit within Connections & Exchanges Initiatives:

• An organization supports a tour of landscape themed paintings by local visual artists to various small cities in Alberta (Action 8.1).
• A performing arts organization pilots a program to offer discounted youth pricing and memberships (Action 4.1).
• A group of arts organizations across disciplines come together to form a networking and professional development community with a common cause (Action 6.3).
• An arts venue offers rehearsal space for emerging artist collectives representing equity-deserving communities, to improve access to affordable arts space (Action 6.2).
• Two Edmonton-based organizations of different disciplines take an already created multidisciplinary work featuring Edmonton artists on tour to central Canada for a week (Action 8.1).

GENERAL

• A project title;
• A short project description (30 words);
• Project start and end date (after the application deadline); 
• Grant amount requested (up to $25,000).

ORGANIZATION BACKGROUND: SMARTSIMPLE PROFILE INFORMATION 

This information will be directly imported into your application from your organization’s profile in SmartSimple. Please ensure your organization’s profile is up-to-date and submitted before completing your application.

• Organization or event name 
• Website and online presence 
• Primary and secondary discipline 
• Mission, Mandate, Vision & Values 
  
• Objectives and goals 
• Festival activities (if any) 
• Primary and Secondary Mandate and Objectives 
• Primary and Secondary Activities 

FACILITY OPERATION

This information will be directly imported into your application from your organization’s profile in SmartSimple. If your organization manages or operates any arts facilities, please ensure the following details are included in your profile: 

• The name and address of each facility. 
• The type of facility and the activities it is commonly used for. 
• Information about any long-term partners or groups that also use the space.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

• Grant amount requested (up to $25,000);
• Project primary discipline (drop down menu); 
• Project secondary discipline (check all that apply); 
• Describe what the organization wants to achieve through this project (250 words); 
• Provide a project plan, including a clear timeline (250 words); 
• Provide the names and roles of any additional project collaborators, and their fees and wages; 
• List the ways in which the public can be involved with this project (if any), and the cost of doing so; 
• If this project makes use of a space that the organization owns or leases, describe the use of this space; 
• Other information not already shared. 

IMPACTS

• Key Performance Indicators – identify at least two ways in which the organization plans to measure the success of the project. Include information on how it plans to measure these results, and what it predicts the outcome to be. 
• What are the anticipated benefits of the project with respect to the organization’s mission, mandate, activities and/​or strategic goals? (250 words) 
• Keeping in mind that the EAC looks at a project’s impact on artistic discipline, participating artists/​arts workers, the Edmonton arts sector and the Edmonton public, what does the organization anticipate the impacts of this project to be? (250 words)

BUDGET

A balanced budget that shows:

• Revenues (including the amount requested in this grant application); 
• Expenses;
• This information will be entered directly into the online form. Use the​“notes” section of each line to identify or explain each revenue and expense. 

If the budget incorporates in-kind expenses and revenues, they should be labelled as such and must be entered in both the revenue and expense sides of your budget. Up to 10% of the total grant amount may be requested for overhead costs in support of the project. An organization may request up to $25,000 in support through this program. 

Please also upload budget supporting documents (PDF), including but not limited to: 

• Quotations from suppliers; 
• Standard fee schedules; 
• Correspondence that confirms rates; 
• Confirmation of other grants or funding support of the project. 

Do not upload a spreadsheet of your complete budget – this must be filled in through the table in the application form. 

SUPPORTING MATERIAL

Supporting Material is required and important for the accurate assessment of your application. To support your application, you may upload up to 10 audio/​visual/​PDF files and up to 5 direct links to external websites related to your organization. 

• These must include samples of your artistic work, but may also include letters of support, reviews, interviews, scope‑of‑work documentation for consultants or service contractors, etc. 
• For each item uploaded, you are required to provide a description of the material which could include creation date, medium, location, names of artists, etc. 
• Uploaded video or audio files should total no more than 10 minutes in length, and all files should be less than 2GB in size. Uploads are preferred to links whenever possible, so that access for assessors is as simple as possible. 
• Links must be direct and public. These links should go directly to the support material specified, rather than to a landing page or home page requiring further navigation by assessors. 

Please do not provide links that go through file‑sharing sites, such as Spotify, Google Drive, Dropbox, etc., or online portals that require an account to access. This is for the privacy of assessors, as well as to have direct access. 

Please do not submit images as PDF files; directly upload images in JPEG or PNG format.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Assessment will be based on all the text in these guidelines, and on: 

• The artistic merit of the project; 
• The feasibility of the project plan, timeline, and budget; 
• The impact of the project on the:
  • Artists and Arts Workers 
  • Artform / Artistic Discipline 
  • Arts Sector in Edmonton 
  • Edmonton Public 

• The project’s alignment within the Edmonton arts ecosystem. 

What does Invent & Adapt support?

Through Invent & Adapt, the Edmonton Arts Council supports organizations in preparing, planning, and implementing transformative internal advancement. This includes reimagining processes, renewing management and governance structures, and strengthening systems to build capacity for long‑term stability and sustainability. Through this program, the EAC is committed to fostering the thoughtful, strategic evolution of organizations within a diverse, vibrant, and sustainable arts community.

Organizations may request up to $30,000 for their project. 

Eligible Invent & Adapt projects:

• Are available only to organizations that have received 2026 annual funding (Programming or Operating) from the Edmonton Arts Council. 
• Must be focused on preparing, planning, and/​or implementing transformative internal work for the organization.

WHAT IS A GOOD FIT

Examples of work that might align with Invent & Adapt Funding: 

• An Indigenous dance company seeks to establish a centralized booking service for their participating artists. 
• An emerging art gallery is seeking to transition from a fully volunteer-run model to a structure that includes paid staff. Their working volunteer board will collaborate closely with a paid curator and a paid administrator, to establish clear roles, responsibilities and appropriate oversight. 
• Due to audience feedback, a musical ensemble that has been heavily focused on Western baroque and classical music is working to change their mission to include classical music from China and Korea. 
• A theatre company that presents locally wants to expand its organizational capacity to undertake a province-wide tour. 
• A local literary publication seeks to amplify marginalized voices and will engage in consultation with stakeholders and an independent specialist to develop policies regarding equity, diversity, inclusion and access to integrate into their editorial processes, outreach strategies and organizational culture. 

GENERAL

• Project title;
• Short project description (30 words); 
• Project start and end date (must be after the application deadline); 
• Grant amount requested (maximum of $30,000).

ORGANIZATION BACKGROUND: SMARTSIMPLE PROFILE INFORMATION

This information will be directly imported into your application from your organization’s profile in SmartSimple. Please ensure your organization’s profile is up-to-date and submitted before completing your application. 

• Organization or event name 
• Website and online presence 
• Primary and secondary discipline 
• Mission, Mandate, Vision & Values 
• Objectives and goals 
• Festival activities (if any) 
• Primary and Secondary Mandate and Objectives 
• Primary and Secondary Activities

FACILITY OPERATION

This information will be directly imported into your application from your organization’s profile in SmartSimple. If your organization manages or operates any arts facilities, please ensure the following details are included in your profile: 

• The name and address of each facility. 
• The type of facility and the activities it is commonly used for. 
• Information about any long-term partners or groups that also use the space.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

• What strategic priority is your organization currently addressing that will be assisted by receiving this funding? 
• Describe the self-assessment or other reflective process that your organization has gone through to identify the need you have outlined above. (Additional documentation can be uploaded as supporting material.) 
• Describe the project. 
• Provide the names and roles of any additional project collaborators and their fees and wages. 
• Provide a project plan, including a clear timeline. 
• How will this project assist your organization in developing its capacity, resilience and/​or stability within the Edmonton arts ecosystem? 
• Other relevant information not already shared.

IMPACTS

• Provide the key performance indicators that you will use to measure your organization’s progress towards its goals (optional). 
• What are the anticipated benefits of the project with respect to the organization’s mission, mandate, activities, and/​or strategic goals? 
• What does the organization anticipate the impacts of this project to be, in reference to: 
  • Artistic discipline
  • Participating artists and arts workers 
  • The Edmonton arts sector, and/​or 
  • The Edmonton public

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Assessment will be based on all the text in these guidelines, and on:

• The merit of the proposed goals; 
• The feasibility of the project plan, timeline, and budget;
• The impact of the project on the:
  • Artists and Arts Workers
  • Artform / Artistic Discipline
  • Arts Sector in Edmonton 
  • Edmonton Public

• The project’s alignment within the Edmonton arts ecosystem.