Envol Award

Who is eligible for this award?

Professional artists, organizations and collectives of culturally diverse artists whose works or activities are representative of the diversity of dance practices across Greater Montréal. The definitions of culturally diverse artist, culturally diverse artists’ collectives and culturally diverse arts organizations can be found in the Conseil des arts de Montréal glossary.

What are the program objectives?

Dance is embodied in a diverse array of artistic practices, and this award was created to promote and showcase them. At its core, recognizing various expressions and incarnations of dance through the lens of cultural diversity is a matter of fairness, ensuring that all artists have access to the same resources and the same opportunities to achieve recognition, to grow and thrive, and to make their contribution to society.

The Envol Award aims to:

• highlight the meaningful contribution of cultural diversity practices in dance
• recognize actions that promote the diversity of dance practices
• provide tangible support to the recipient
• raise public awareness about the representation of cultural diversity in dance

What is the value of the award?

The Envol Award is a $10,000 prize offered by the Conseil des arts de Montréal to the winning organization or individual.

What do the partners contribute?

The Conseil des arts de Montréal is proud to partner with Les Prix de la danse de Montréal for this annual award.

What types of projects are eligible?

Presentation, creation and production, festivals and events, and service organizations. The Envol award honours a significant contribution or remarkable achievement made over the past season (July 1 to June 30).

How many awards are given?

Only one award is presented per year.

What are the general eligibility conditions?

Status and conditions

Individual artists

• Reside on the Island of Montréal
• Meet the definition of professonal artist
• Individual artists do not need to be choreographers, but may have made their mark in dance as dance rehearsal directors, lighting designers, composers, musicians, costume designers, playwrights or hold any other role related to the creation and presentation of dance.

Artists’ collectives

• Have a designated member responsible for the application
• Be a group of artists, regardless of the number (minimum of two)
• Have two thirds of its members who are artists with Canadian citizenship or permanent residence; the proportion of members of the collective residing outside Canada may not exceed one third
• Have a majority of members (50% +1) who reside on the Island of Montréal, including the person responsible for the application
• All members must meet the Conseil’s definition of professional artist

Arts organizations

• Be a non-profit organization or artists’ cooperative that pays no dividends
• Be headquartered on the Island of Montréal
• Have a board of directors whose members are mainly Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada
• Have the main mandate to create, produce and present work in the field of dance or have the mandate to bring together and represent artists or cultural workers working in dance
• Meet the definition of a professional arts organization

Professional requirements

• Possess a level of recognized and demonstrable competence
• Be managed by qualified individuals
• Have presented activities of a recognized artistic quality
• Be staffed by professional artists and/or cultural workers

What is the eligibility period?

The significant contribution or remarkable achievement must have taken place during the last season (July 1 to June 30).

Who is ineligible to apply?

Applicants

• Collectives and organizations that do not meet the general conditions for eligibility
• Collectives that have the role of presenter or that organize festivals or events
• Public or para-public organizations representing governments or municipal corporations

Projects

Activity sectors

• Organizations working exclusively in variety arts or comedy
• Applicants working exclusively in cultural mediation

Applications

• Incomplete applications
• Applications received after the deadline

Ineligible applications will not be considered by the evaluation committee.

Can specific populations receive additional financial support to submit their application or complete their project (accessibility costs)?

Yes. Accessibility costs refer to costs that certain individuals, particularly those who are D/deaf and/or living with a disability, must pay to take advantage, in the same way as others do, of the services and programs offered by an institution for research, to create, produce or disseminate their art. Reimbursement of part of these costs by the Conseil des arts de Montréal may offset the financial disadvantage.

The Support Fund for Accessibility Costs is a financial assistance measure that complements the Conseil’s other programs. The deadline to apply for support for accessibility costs is the same as that for the program being applied to.

Artists, collectives or organizations that have obtained financial assistance from the Conseil to carry out a project can also file an application for accessibility cost support up to three months after the decisions related to the successful project have been sent out, provided the project is not completed before the deadline to send out decisions for accessibility cost support applications.

Support is divided into three components:

• component 1 – Financial support to submit a grant application or to apply for one of the Conseil’s initiatives
• component 2 – Financial support for accessibility costs for a project funded by the Conseil
• component 3 – Financial support for presenter organizations for accessibility costs to welcome audiences for a project funded by the Conseil

For more details, please see this additional information on the Support Fund.

Can I submit more than one application in the same year?

Applicants can only apply once per competition.

Applicants that have never received the award may apply for each call.

Who should submit the application?

• For an individual artist: the artist (or a duly authorized representative)
• For an arts organization: a duly authorized representative
• For an artists’ collective: an artist responsible for the collective who will receive the prize (cheque) on the group’s behalf

You may also submit a nomination package on behalf of an artist, collective or organization. In such cases, please contact Dominic Simoneau, the person responsible for the award, at 514-280-3587.

Can I submit an application in English?

Individual artists and artists’ collective can submit their application in English. Please note, however, that the questions on the form are in French only.

What information and documents must I include in my application?

For individual artists, artists’ collective and organizations:

• a pitch of 750 words or less or 3 to 5 minutes in audiovisual format explaining why the application is relevant for the award
• artists’ CVs
• 1 or 2 letters of support or press kit or portfolio, if applicable
• links to excerpts or full versions of works, critics, interviews, etc.

For arts organizations only:

• letters patent and general regulations of the organization for first-time applicants or if changes have been made since the last application

How are applicants evaluated?

Applications will be evaluated by a selection committee composed of professionals recognized for their expertise in the dance sector and their familiarity with the dance community and the issues addressed by the award.

The Conseil ensures that the composition of each jury is representative, in keeping with its vision of fairness.

All applications will be evaluated on merit; the comparative value of the proposals will be taken into consideration.

What are the evaluation criteria?

The evaluation committee will take into account the objectives of the award and the following criteria:

The quality and relevance of the contribution or artistic achievement

• quality and originality of the artistic contribution or proposal
• the relevance of the artistic contribution or proposal to the objectives of the award

The impact of the contribution or artistic achievement on the dance community

• contribution to promoting cultural diversity in Montréal’s dance community
• impact on Montréal audiences
• exemplary nature of the artistic contribution or proposal with respect to cultural diversity practices in the Montréal dance community

What is the response time?

Within four to eight weeks of the application date. This information remains confidential until the Prix de la danse de Montréal awards ceremony.

How will I be informed of the decision?

The winner will be notified of the decision by email. No decisions will be communicated by phone.

Can I appeal the decision?

The Conseil’s decisions are final and not subject to appeal. However, Conseil staff are available to answer any questions regarding decisions. Equity, ethics and proximity are an integral part of our values, and listening and empathy will always be a priority in our customer relations. With the aim of improving the way we work, we are now providing you with a feedback form, which you can find here.

In addition, organizations, collectives, artists and their representatives agree at all times not to communicate with members of the evaluation committees or members of the Council’s Board of Directors in any matter relating to the management, evaluation or decisions related to their application.  

The Conseil des arts de Montréal staff are available to answer questions about the application evaluation process and decisions. 

How is the award paid?

The $10,000 is awarded in a single payment after the meeting of the Conseil’s board of directors, which may take place after the Prix de la danse are unveiled at the awards ceremony.