This funding supports the development of individual Alberta visual and new media artists and curators by providing up to $15,000 for one three-month residency (April 1 - June 30) per year at the International Studio & Curatorial Program in Brooklyn, New York.
This funding opportunity is a subsection of our Visual Arts and New Media Individual Project funding opportunity.
The AFA celebrates and supports diversity and is committed to creating equitable, inclusive, and accessible programs for all, free of barriers and discrimination. We recognize the unique contributions all artists make towards our community, and encourage applicants representing diverse communities, including Indigenous peoples, racialized communities, women, people with disabilities, and the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.
To be eligible for individual project funding, you must be a resident of Alberta. This means you:
- are a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or Protected Person with an open work or study permit from inside Canada
- have had your primary residence in Alberta for at least one full year before applying
- ordinarily live in Alberta for a least six months of each year with the exception of attending a formal program of study
Ensembles and collectives are eligible if they are made up of members who meet the individual criteria:
- applicants, including ensembles, must not be incorporated under either provincial or federal legislation
You must be in good standing with the AFA with no open or outstanding projects or reporting requirement to apply.
Applicants can only receive this grant once during their career.
Please note, AFA funding is not assured for any project.
Eligible genres
For the purposes of this funding opportunity, eligible visual arts and new media may include:
- drawing
- painting
- sculpture
- printmaking
- fibre art
- ceramics
- photography
- fine craft
- mixed media
- installation art
- public art
- media and/or computer assisted art
Types of projects
Through this opportunity, you may apply for project funding to support artistic activities in:
- art production
- curatorial production
Art production includes the development, creation, and production of any visual arts work.
Curatorial includes research activities that support or result in the development of a visual arts or new media project.
Eligible expenses
You can receive up to $15,000 to support your residency. You may apply for up to 100% of eligible expenses that are directly related to carrying out your residency.
These expenses may include, but are not limited to:
- residency costs
- international transportation
- local transportation and accommodation
- food, sundries and per diems
- other expenses and supplies considered by the AFA to be reasonable and necessary
Ineligible expenses
Additional expenses and activities that are ineligible for AFA project funding include:
- expenses for equipment such as computers, software, cameras, lighting and audio equipment that can otherwise be rented and/or have a use beyond the life of your project
- applied arts such as gaming, architecture, interior design, commercial photography, graphic arts and design and/or fashion design
- expenses already incurred prior to the application submission, including grant writer fees
We only accept applications through Grant Administration Tracking and Evaluation (GATE) online application system. We must receive your online application through GATE no later than 11:59 pm Mountain Time on the deadline date, unless the deadline falls on a statutory holiday or a weekend when it will be extended until the next working day. Please give the system time to process your application so that we receive notification of your submission before the deadline falls.
- applicants may submit only one application to the AFA for this deadline
- applicants who choose to submit for the ISCP Residency are not allowed to submit another project grant submission at the same time
- the AFA does not accept incomplete applications
- applications must be submitted prior to the commencement of the project
GATE username registration
First-time applicants will require a GATE username and password. Email us at registrationafa@gov.ab.ca to get your GATE login informationat least five business days prior to the application deadline.
Please include:
- your legal name
- the funding opportunity to which you are applying
- your email addressa
Your GATE user name and password will be sent to the email address provided.
For detailed step-by-step instructions, please download the GATE user guide for this funding opportunity.
GATE online forms
- applicant information: legal name and confirmation of your status (minor/Albertan)
- if you are under the age of 18 years at the time of application, a parent or legal guardian must e-sign the Applicant Agreement as the designate for the funding, and be responsible for:
- the completeness and accuracy of the application in full
- receipt and use of funding
- reporting on the use of funds
- serving as contact person for any inquiries relating to the funding
- contact information for primary applicant
- applicant contact information: Street and mailing address for the primary applicant
- general information: Confirmation of the application category as “Art Production”
- project description: a brief project description (20 words) titled “ISCP New York Residency - (Last Name)” and project start and end dates of April 1 and June 30 for the upcoming year
- principal artists: list yourself as an artist
- individual applicant agreement: A declaration of agreement with the statement of conditions e-signed by the primary applicant or designate
- project budget: A project budget detailing expenditures and non-AFA revenues in Canadian dollars The difference between expenditures and revenues will comprise the grant request to the AFA and cannot exceed $15,000.
- project expenses: A listing of project expenditures in Canadian dollars
- project revenue: A listing of non-AFA revenues in Canadian dollars
- the difference between expenditures and revenues will comprise the grant request to the AFA with the funding not exceeding $15,000
Attachments
The GATE attachment section indicates that not all attachments are required for submission. This is because they are only required for certain types of projects (e.g. marketing plan for a marketing project). It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that all attachments noted in the guidelines are submitted with their application.
Please submit the following attachments:
- an artistic resume of no more than four pages that includes a list of exhibitions and other relevant artistic history
- a detailed description of the project, including an outline of the objectives, planned activities, timelines, and expected results and impact on the applicant’s artistic development
- in keeping with oral traditions, project descriptions are welcome as oral submissions no longer than 3 minutes in length
- one complete file containing no more than 10 images of completed work done within the last five years
- your file must be in PDF format and no larger than 4MB in size
- refer to Helpful Resources section for instructions on how to prepare your images for upload
- one media file sample is also permitted when applicable to your application (see Format requirements below)
Applicants may be asked for additional information.
Format
- all video and audio files must be Windows compatible, MP3 and MP4 files are preferred
- wherever possible, support material should be uploaded as an attachment into GATE (up to 4 MB)
- for video and audio files too large to include as attachments in GATE, they may be submitted via email to vaAFA@gov.ab.ca as email attachments or downloadable links
- please format your subject line: <your first initial, last name and project number> , eg. "H.Lee VIPG-56-172631"
- please ensure link contains downloadable files (MP3 or MP4 preferred)
- alternately, please mail a hard copy CD or USB to 10708 – 105 Ave, Edmonton, AB, T5H 0A1
- please include your first initial, last name and project number on the CD or USB
- support material must be submitted or postmarked no later than 11:59 p.m. Mountain Time on the deadline date
This funding is administered at the discretion of the AFA board on a project-by-project basis.
Staff convene an expert panel to consider all eligible grant applications submitted to each grant deadline. The expert panel assesses the merit of each application both on its own terms and in relation to all other applications received for a given deadline.
Assessment of a project is based on the following general criteria:
- the impact of the project on both the applicant and the artistic genre in Alberta
- the artistic, educational or promotional merit of the project
- the appropriateness of the project budget showing commitment from all partners as applicable
- the ability of the applicant to carry out the proposed project
Assessment also takes into account the applicant's:
- artistic and technical ability to carry out the proposed project
- level of training, experience and expertise
- performance and achievements to date
- personal objectives
All expert panel recommendations are reviewed by the AFA board and all decisions are final. Funding is not assured for any project.
Learn more about expert panels and how the AFA adjudicates funding requests for all programs.
Grant recommendations are made to the AFA board of directors. Successful recipients will be notified upon board approval, generally between four to six months from the application deadline.
We gather general comments about the applications and share them on the Adjudication page. The expert panel does not record specific comments about individual applications.
Funding is intended for the purposes described in your application. By accepting funding, you agree to undertake the project as proposed in your original project description.
If you do not receive the full grant amount requested, you are still required to complete the project as proposed if you accept the grant:
- you must return the grant funds if the project cannot be completed as proposed
If you require a change to your project including outcomes, location or an extension to your final report due date:
- you must submit a request in writing for approval by the AFA
- the request must be submitted prior to the change being made and/or before your final report is due
- the AFA may consider a single extension per funding opportunity
Funding recipients are responsible for informing the AFA of how funds were spent and outcomes of the project:
- you must return funds if reporting requirements are not met
- you must return unused portions of funding to the AFA
New applications will not be accepted until your previous project is completed and the final report is received and approved by the AFA.
Any funding recipient who does not provide a report prior to the date noted in the successful notification document, does not fulfill any conditions associated with a grant, or whose report is not approved will be made delinquent and ineligible for further funding from the AFA for a period of three years from the time the delinquency is resolved.
The AFA, or our authorized representative, may examine a funding recipient's financial and other records to ensure that the funding is being, or was, used for its intended purpose.
We require a complete and satisfactory final report submitted to GATE that demonstrates that funding was spend on the activities described in the application.
Funding acknowledgement
Whenever possible, you must acknowledge the AFA for financial support in any publicity prepared in relation to the project, including electronic, print, or visual material.
Download versions of the AFA logo and guidelines for usage.
In your final report, please include:
- a completed project outcomes questionnaire
- a complete and accurate financial accounting for the project based on the original budget submission
And, when applicable:
- copies of promotional materials related to the project, such as posters and programs showing funding credit to the Alberta Foundation for the Arts where appropriate
- a copy of the work produced
- still images must be uploaded in GATE as an attachment
- all Visual Arts and New Media projects require images of the work created, produced, exhibited, or presented, as part of the final report
- any reviews, publications, invitations and/or catalogues in which the project is mentioned
- a travel itinerary, confirmation of attendance at an event, conference or course of study
Visit the Help and Resources section of our website to:
- download the new Front Office User Guide
- read application tips for individual artists that will help you write a stronger grant application
