Canadian Grants For Aboriginal Artists
There are tens of millions of dollars in grants out there. Many of them just happen to be restricted to Aboriginals.
Here are links for Aboriginal Artists in Canada.
Call for Submissions – Aboriginal Art Acquisition Program
https://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1406225107308/1406225250778
The Ontario Arts Council currently offers more than 65 granting programs to individual artists, collectives, ad hoc groups and organizations in twelve sectors.
http://www.arts.on.ca/Page3499.aspx
A call for proposals will be issued in late May 2015. Interested artists and arts organizations will be invited to submit proposals for project funding up to $75,000. This initiative precedes the release of the much-anticipated report from Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and seeks to help artists and Canadians alike reflect upon, and help repair historic injustices.
http://canadacouncil.ca/aboriginal-arts-office/reconciliation
CCA has over 100 grants. Many are available to only to Aboriginal Artists. Click below to review available grants.
http://canadacouncil.ca/council/grants/find-a-grant
Apply to one of a myriad of funding programs that support culture, history, heritage, sport and official languages in Canada.
http://canada.pch.gc.ca/eng/1427741123839/1427741204915
The James Bartleman Aboriginal Youth Creative Writing Award recognizes Aboriginal youth for their creative writing talent.
Every year up to six Aboriginal students each receive the award of $2,500.
http://www.citizenship.gov.on.ca/english/citizenship/honours/bartleman.shtml
Funding and awards
Interested in finding out about funding programs and awards that might be available to you or your community? Check out the links below.
http://www.mtc.gov.on.ca/en/aboriginal/aboriginal_funding_awards.shtml
http://www.ontario.ca/aboriginal/programs-and-funding-aboriginal-peoples
Ontario Media Development Corporation (OMDC) Funding Opportunities
Ontario Media Development Corporation (OMDC), an agency of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport is the central catalyst for the province’s cultural media cluster including book publishing, film and television, interactive digital media, magazine publishing and music industries.

The RBC Aboriginal Student Awards Program was launched in 1992 to assist Aboriginal students to complete post-secondary education, and provide an opportunity for RBC to strengthen its relationship with the Aboriginal community. Selected students are awarded up to $4,000 each academic year for two to four years to use towards tuition, textbooks, supplies and living expenses.
http://www.rbc.com/careers/aboriginal_student_awards.html?_ga=1.99548254.131489215.1438111738
Apply for funding
We support programs that provide emerging artists with mentorship, apprenticeships and exposure to new and diverse audiences throughout their career. Need support for your program? Applications for RBC Emerging Artists Project grants are accepted year-round.
http://www.rbc.com/community-sustainability/community/emerging-artists/index.html
Miziwe Biik
Aboriginal Employment and Training
LEE AWARDS Bursary Program for Canadian Aboriginal High School Students in Grades 9, 10, 11 and 12.
http://www.miziwebiik.com/lee-(secondary)-awards.html
With the goal of supporting artistic creation and its dissemination among the population of Montréal, the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec (CALQ) is proud to implement its program offering Support for Aboriginal Professional Artists and Writers. |
http://www.calq.gouv.qc.ca/regions/06prog_autochtones_en.htm
Scholarships & Bursaries
The Aboriginal Bursaries Search Tool is a searchable list of 767 bursaries, scholarships and incentives across Canada.
http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1351185180120/1351685455328
The Aboriginal Multi-Media Society is an independent Aboriginal communications organization committed to facilitating the exchange of information reflecting Aboriginal culture to a growing and diverse audience. This is a great list of opportunities!
http://www.ammsa.com/content/ontario-scholarships
Indspire is the largest funder of Indigenous education outside the federal government: to date, Indspire has disbursed almost $65 million through close to 20,000 bursaries and scholarships to Indigenous students.
a charitable organization dedicated to raising funds to deliver programs that provide the tools necessary for Indigenous peoples, especially youth to achieve their potential. Through the Building Brighter Futures: Bursaries and Scholarship Awards programs, Indspire has provided more than $54 million to over 16,000 bursar and scholarsip awards to Canadian Indigenous students nationwide. All Canadian Indigenous individuals who are First Nation (status or non-status), Inuit or Métis and enrolled in full-time in a postsecondary institution are eligible to apply.
https://secure.indspire.ca/indspire-scholarship-faay
The Banff Centre is the largest arts and creativity incubator on the planet. Our mission is inspiring creativity. Over 8,000* artists, leaders, and researchers from across Canada and around the world participate in programs at The Banff Centre every year. Through its multidisciplinary programming, The Banff Centre provides them with the support they need to create, to develop solutions, and to make the impossible possible.
http://www.banffcentre.ca/programs/financial-aid/
- RBC Aboriginal Student Awards Program
- Union of NB Indians (UNBI) Scholarship
- National Union for Aboriginal Canadians
- FAAY Scholarship
- Aboriginal Education Incentive Awards
- Fine Arts Bursary Award Program
- Canadian Aboriginal Writing and Arts Challenge
The YVR Art Foundation currently administers three programs:
- Youth Scholarships
- Mid-Career Artist Scholarships
- Masterpiece Study Program Grants