Grassroots

The Conseil des arts de Montréal invites artists’ collectives and arts organizations to explore more of the Island of Montréal, bringing art to the environments that need it the most to help local artistic projects emerge. 

This program for Montréal artists is intended to support research, creation, or production projects that are:  

• rooted in participating artists’ communities 
• designed to foster relationships with different local communities 
• based on creative collaborations with key partners in the target area

Who is this program for?

Professional artists’ collectives and non-profit organizations. 

What are the program objectives?

This program is designed to:

• help artists put down roots in their communities and improve conditions and spaces for creation
• support multi-disciplinary artistic projects in areas of Montréal with less artistic activity
• encourage collaboration between the arts community and fields beyond arts and culture
• encourage initiatives, projects, or partnerships involving priority groups

What does it involve?

• Artistic projects must be in dialogue with either the target area or its inhabitants, so proof of a partner, collaborator, or place of residence in the area must be provided. 
• There is no obligation to publicly present artistic projects. 
• Project proposals from collectives and organizations based in less central areas will be prioritized, but collectives and organizations that normally work in central areas are encouraged to submit proposals that explore new communities, spaces and places

What type of assistance is provided?

• The financial assistance provided can cover up to 90% of the project’s costs to a maximum of $10,000. 
• Contributions in kind or in the form of services from a partner may constitute 10% of the financing package.
• Assistance may cover artist remuneration and support, creation and technical costs, and rental of space for creation or rehearsal.

How long does the support last?

This is a one-time, non-recurring grant.

Who meets the general conditions for eligibility?

For artists’ collectives

Status and conditions

• Groups of artists of any number (minimum: two)
• The person in charge, or the person who submitted the application, must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada.
• The group must be made up of professional artists.
• A majority of the group’s members (50% +1), including the person who submitted the application, must reside on the Island of Montréal.

For arts organizations

Status and conditions

• Must be a non-profit organization or artists’ cooperative that pays no dividends
• Must be headquartered on the Island of Montréal
• Board of directors must be composed mainly of Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada
• The organization’s main activities must be in the creation, production, or dissemination of arts and culture

Professional requirements

• Must possess recognized, demonstrable competence
• Must be managed by qualified individuals
• Must present activities of recognized artistic quality
• Must employ professional artists and/or cultural workers

Are there any special eligibility criteria?

Projects must include a letter of confirmation from collaborators or partners (for example: a community organization involved in the creative project, a creative/production residency, a local business involved in the artists’ approach, etc.). 

What types of projects are eligible?

• Research and creation for in situ projects 
• Research, creation, or production residencies 
• Artistic collaboration or research, creation, or production partnerships with fields other than the arts 
• Projects involving artistic collaboration or partnership, in research, creation or production, with sectors other than the arts (e.g. social, economic, community, school, tourism, health, etc.).  
• Co-creation projects with residents that aim to nourish the artist’s creative process. 

What is the timeframe for completing the work?

The project must be carried out according to the timetable set out in the application and cannot be completed before receiving the Conseil’s decision. 

How many applications will be accepted?

The number of applications accepted into this support program will depend on the budget, the number of applications received, and how well each project meets program criteria. 

Who is not eligible to apply?

Applicants

• Individual artists 
• Collectives and organizations that do not meet the general conditions for eligibility 
• Artists’ collectives that are incorporated as a for-profit or non-profit company, or general or limited partnership 
• Presenting organizations exclusively 
• Art agents 
• Instructional, educational or professional organizations 
• Public or parapublic organizations representing governments or municipal corporations 
• Organizations registered as partnerships 

Activity sectors 

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

Projects

• Previously created and disseminated workBroadcast projects
• Projects completed before CAM renders a decision (please allow eight to ten weeks from the application deadline)
• Promotional or commercial recording projects (albums, CDs, demos, etc.)
• Cultural mediation projects
• Co-creation projects with residents aimed more at a cultural mediation process

Applications

• Incomplete applications 
• Applications received after the deadline

The evaluation committee will automatically reject ineligible applications.

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.

Who should submit the application?

• For collectives: the person in charge of the collective.
• For an organization: a duly authorized representative.

Can I submit an application in English?

Only collectives can submit applications in English. Please note that application form questions are in French.

What information and documents must be included with the application?

• Project description
• Schedule
• Confirmation letter from community partner(s)  
• List of participants (artists, designers, other important collaborators)
• Brief curriculum vitae for each artist (maximum 2 pages per CV)
• Budget

How are applications evaluated?

Applications are evaluated by a multidisciplinary committee of peers. All projects will be assessed in light of their relative value in terms of CAM’s target objectives and strategic priorities.

What are the evaluation criteria?

Quality 40%

• Uniqueness and merit of the artistic project
• Relevance of collaborators or partners
• Significance of the artistic approach in terms of the target territory
• Quality of previous work by members of the collective or organization

Project impact 35%

• Characteristics of the Montréal area where the project will take place
• Evidence that the project is rooted in the target area(s)
• Anticipated impact on one of the priority groups
• Collaboration with fields other than the arts

Project management and financial stability 20% 

• Project feasibility and practical aspects of the proposal
• Reasonableness of the proposed budget and financial soundness
• Efforts to compensate artists and cultural workers
• Financial health of the organization or collective

Green transition 5%

• Integration and implementation of environmentally responsible practices, such as concrete actions to reduce the project’s ecological footprint in terms of creation, production, promotion, waste management, and team and equipment transportation; efforts to include eco-design, digital sobriety, and energy efficiency, etc.

What is the response time?

After the application is received, CAM will need eight (8) to ten (10) weeks to process it and render a decision.

How will I be informed of the decision?

The person responsible for the application will receive an email invitation to view the results on the ORORA platform. Decisions are never 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. 

However, all organizations, collectives and artists wishing to share their concerns with us agree not to communicate with members of the evaluation committee or the Conseil’s Board of Directors about the management or evaluation of their application, or about decisions related to their application. 

The grant is paid in two instalments, 80% at the start of the project and 20% on submission of the final report.   

Payment times may vary depending on the internal processing time of Ville de Montréal departments, which are beyond the control of the Conseil des arts de Montréal.   

What are my obligations?

Applicants who accept payment thereby agree to fulfill the activities the grant is intended to cover and comply with all associated terms and conditions, which will be communicated upon acceptance of the application.

The collective or organization agrees to: 

• carry out the project as planned  
• notify the Conseil as soon as possible if unable to carry out the project in the fiscal year for which the grant was awarded. In this situation, the recipient may be asked to reimburse the grant in full or in part 
• if required, submit activity and financial reports at the required intervals.  
• if applicable, to include in his report photos, videos or any other relevant visual element free of rights related to the project carried out that can be used for promotional purposes for the Council 

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.