The Kingston Arts Council (KAC) has announced that $80,000 will be awarded to 80 local, professional artists through the first intake period of the City of Kingston Arts Fund’s Resiliency Grant.

Total funding for the Resiliency Grant is $100,000 and the remaining $20,000 will be administered through a second intake period launching Tuesday, June 1, 2021, according to a release from KAC. This special funding opportunity has been made possible by Kingston City Council who approved an additional $200,000 to be distributed through the City of Kingston Arts Fund in 2021 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Resiliency Grant marks the first time the City of Kingston Arts Fund has provided funding directly to artists. Response to the Resiliency Grant has been significant, which demonstrates the need exists, KAC said. 162 eligible applications were received through the first intake period with a total funding request amount of $304,000, three times the amount of funding available through this program.

KAC said at this time, grants of $1,000 will be awarded to maximize the impact of this funding and to support professional artists so they can continue to pursue their work during these challenging times. A full list of recipients can be found on the Kingston Arts Council’s website at artskingston.ca and KAC noted they range from emerging to established artists working across many disciplines, including music, film, visual arts, literary arts, craft, circus, and theatre.

“The community’s overwhelming response to our initial call for applications was unprecedented and indicates just how critical funding for individual artists is in this difficult moment,” says Kirsi Hunnakko, Executive Director of the KAC. “While this funding will not solve all the challenges facing our arts sector, we are confident it will help the recipients continue to create, work safely, and move toward recovery. We are grateful to the City of Kingston for this vital investment in our city’s incredible, resilient artists and the KAC will continue to find ways to invest in and support the sector.”

In 2007, Kingston City Council established the City of Kingston Arts Fund (CKAF), comprised of $100,000 from the Healthy Community Fund Program and an additional $400,000 in new funding. The Kingston Arts Council was contracted to administer CKAF by providing Operating and Project Grants to local arts organizations and projects to foster creativity at all levels and enrich how Kingston residents experience and engage with the arts, according to the release. Kingston City Council has continued to invest in the funding program growth each year as part of its commitment to supporting arts and culture in Kingston.

Through this program, the City of Kingston has invested close to $6.9 million since its inception. In 2021, total funding for the City of Kingston Arts Fund operating and project grant programs totals $569,050, according to the release. In January 2021, Kingston City Council allocated an additional $200,000 in one-time funding to support individual artists and non-profit arts organizations in recognition of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more about the CKAF on the KAC website.

Resiliency Grant, Second Intake

The second intake period for the Resiliency Grant has been maintained to ensure all artists within the community have an opportunity to apply and recognizes the first intake period was impacted by the Provincial stay-at-home order. The KAC will be accepting applications for the second round beginning Tuesday, June 1, 2021. Individual professional artists of any discipline can apply, and eligible applicants will be approved for funding on a first-come, first-served basis in each intake period.

If an artist has received a Resiliency Grant through the first intake period, they are ineligible to apply again. If an artist did not receive a grant through the first intake period, they are required to re-apply. The application deadline is Tuesday, June 15, 2021.

Guidelines for the City of Kingston Arts Fund Resiliency Grant program are available on the KAC website and the application form will be available beginning June 1, 2021. Applications are submitted online only through the KAC website and applicants are asked to contact the KAC Grants Coordinator, Felix Lee, at [email protected] if assistance is required.