Theatre Multi-Year Operating

Application Deadline: March 1, 2024.

For questions about this program, contact Sarah Miller-Garvin, Interim Program Manager, Theatre: sarahmg[at]torontoartscouncil.org


GOALS

Toronto Arts Council provides funding support to outstanding artists and arts organizations that contribute to the cultural life of the City of Toronto. TAC is committed to artistic excellence, innovation, and accessibility, and supports a wide spectrum of artistic endeavour and a range of activity that makes the City of Toronto one of the leading cultural centres in Canada. Through its support, TAC cultivates a richer engagement between artists and audiences and reflects the City of Toronto through the diversity of artists, arts communities and audiences that it serves.

OBJECTIVES

The Theatre Program provides Multi-Year Operating support to professional non-profit theatre organizations engaged in the creation, production and presentation of theatre, and other activities that contribute to the development of theatre, theatre artists, and theatre audiences in Toronto. The program aims to encourage long-term vision and planning and to provide stability for theatre organizations. Funding through this program supports both operations and programming. The City of Toronto supports this program through a funding allocation approved annually by Toronto City Council. In addition to the objectives stated above, the Theatre Program is strongly committed to the development and performance of works by Canadian artists.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

  • be non-profit;
  • be a professional1 Theatre organization;
  • be located in the City of Toronto and have a significant portion of its activities occurring within the City;
  • have been in operation for at least four years;
  • have a demonstrated record of regular, ongoing programming;
  • have received Annual Operating funding through TAC’s Theatre program for at least the two past years.
  • have a viable administrative structure;
  • be governed by a Board of Directors or other body responsible for the organization;
  • have stable artistic, organizational and board leadership with plans in place for any transition;
  • have sound financial management and balanced budgets over time;
  • submit verification of financial results of the last completed fiscal year:
    • for requests over $30,000, audited financial statements are required;
    • for requests of $30,000 or less, if annual operating revenues are $100,000 or more, a review engagement is required (or, if available, audited financial statements);
    • for requests of $30,000 or less, if annual operating revenues are under $100,000, unaudited financial statements that include a balance sheet and a statement of income and expenses is required (or, if available, audited financial statements or a review engagement);
  • demonstrate a range of revenue sources on an annual basis, including earned, government and private sector revenues.

Applicants to the Multi-Year Operating program must speak to the Theatre Program Manager prior to completing an application form to ensure that they are eligible to apply.

Organizations may receive only one grant per calendar year through the Theatre program and may not apply to other TAC discipline programs. However, TAC offers other types of granting opportunities through its Strategic Initiatives envelope, and operating grant recipients may be eligible to apply to one of these programs. Please consult TAC’s website for other granting opportunities. Operating grant recipients may receive a maximum of one additional grant per calendar year and must submit a final report on that project before applying to another program in the Strategic Initiatives envelope.

[1] TAC recognizes that due to systemic barriers within the broader arts community (e.g. limited mainstream presentation opportunities for artists from equity-seeking communities) that some flexibility may be required in interpreting eligibility criteria to take into account equivalent professional experience and contexts. Potential applicants from equity-seeking communities are encouraged to discuss their eligibility with the program manager in advance of submitting an application.


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