Pilot Program À Vos Plumes!

This pilot program offers professional development opportunities to emerging writers from Black communities so they can break into the world of literature and enrich it with their diverse voices, high quality literature and greater cultural influence.   

Who is this program for?

Emerging artists from black communities. 

What are the program’s objectives?

   This program aims to:   

• provide emerging authors with the skills they need to write and publish their book 
• teach emerging authors different literary styles and technical tools 
• prepare participants to present their work to a publishing company 
• showcase emerging authors from black communities by offering an opportunity for them to read to the general public 

What assistance is provided?

Personalized support in workshops around the following themes:

• literary skills development
• illustrations as well as creation and design of a cover
• publication and dissemination
• intellectual property

How long does the support last?

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

When must the project be carried out?

September 2024 to February 2025

What are the general eligibility criteria?

• Identify as an Afrodescendant or be from a black community
• Be aged 18 or older
• Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
• Have a literary project underway
• Must reside on the Island of Montréal
• Be recognized as a professional artist by peers
• Have produced at least one literary work in a professional context
• Be available to participate in the program in-person for its entire duration
• The training is offered in French only, so bilingualism is an asset if your native language is English. However, projects in English are accepted

Can I submit an application in English?

Yes, the application can be submitted in English.

How many applications will be approved?

Five applications will be approved.

Who is ineligible to apply?

• Collectives and organizations
• Alliances, associations, service organizations or artists’ agents
• Individual artists who do not meet the eligibility criteria
• Incomplete applications
• Applications received after the submission deadline

Ineligible applications will be automatically rejected 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.

How do I apply?

To apply, you must complete the application form and include the following:  

• CV
• project synopsis (1 page maximum)
• presentation of the project idea (1 page maximum)
• impact of the project on today’s world (½ page maximum)
• the author’s unique contribution to the project (1 page maximum)
• timeline for the literary project
• estimated budget
• an excerpt or sample chapter (optional)

How are applications evaluated?

The files will be reviewed by a committee of peers from the partner organizations. The selection will take the comparative value of the application files into account.

The grant offered by the Conseil will be paid through the Fondation Dynastie.  

Accepting payment of the grant constitutes, for the artist, an undertaking to complete the activities covered by the grant and to respect the conditions attached to it.

Selected artists agree to participate in the entire support process and to be available throughout the identified period.

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 Conseil’s Board of Directors in connection with the management, evaluation or decisions related to their application.

The Conseil staff is  available to answer questions about the application evaluation process and decisions.