Ontario Arts Council launches arts grant for Indigenous creators across the province

The Ontario Arts Council (OAC) is offering new funding to support First Nations, Inuit and Métis artists through its Indigenous Arts Materials Grant, a program designed to help cover the cost of essential art supplies and small tools.

The grant provides awards of either $500 or $1,000 to individual Indigenous artists, culture carriers, and eligible groups or collectives living in Ontario. Funding is intended to support the purchase of materials and related costs that enable artistic creation or the delivery of workshops, with projects required to be completed within two years of approval.

According to the OAC, the program focuses on practical, hands-on support. Eligible expenses include items such as wood, fabric, beads, hides, inks, metals, paints, shipping materials, and travel required to gather materials. Artist fees, honorariums, large equipment, business or promotional expenses, and commercial product lines are not eligible for funding.

The grant supports a broad range of Indigenous art forms, including basketry, beading, carving, jewelry, painting, photography, pottery, textile arts, woodworking, traditional regalia, tattooing, and other visual and customary practices.

To be eligible, applicants must be First Nations, Inuit or Métis artists or culture carriers who are at least 18 years old. Applicants must be Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or have pending status, and must have lived in Ontario for at least 12 consecutive months prior to applying. Groups and collectives may also apply, provided they meet specific residency and structural requirements.

Applications are submitted through Nova, the OAC’s online application system, and must include written responses, a selected recommender, and up to eight images or video samples of the applicant’s work. Optional support documents, such as an artist résumé, may also be included. For Indigenous applicants facing internet access barriers, offline and oral application options are available.

Applicants must select a recommender — an Indigenous peer assessor — who may set a fixed deadline or accept applications on an ongoing basis. Notification timelines depend on the recommender’s assessment model, with decisions typically made within two months of submission or deadline. Funded activities can begin only after applicants are notified of approval.

The application deadline for this funding cycle is January 30, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. ET.

Grant recipients are required to submit a final report at the end of their project, including a brief description of what was created, three images of work produced using the funded materials, and an explanation of how recognition requirements were met.

The OAC says the Indigenous Arts Materials Grant plays an important role in sustaining Indigenous cultural practices across Ontario. By focusing on materials and tools rather than artist fees, the program aims to remove practical barriers to creation, support culturally grounded artistic development, and encourage community engagement through workshops and skill-sharing.

The grant also reflects Indigenous-led decision-making, with Indigenous staff and recommenders guiding the assessment process. More information about eligibility, recommenders and application requirements is available through the Ontario Arts Council.