Since 2007, the City of Kingston Arts Fund (CKAF) has worked with the Kingston Arts Council (KAC) to distribute over $11 million to the city’s arts sector.
This year, $738,000 is available through CKAF, with $567,170 going back to local art initiatives, and over $171,000 in funding for community artists under KAC’s new Creation & Development Grants.
In a press release sent to The Journal, the KAC announced applications for their Project Grants and Creation & Development Grants, operating under the new City of Kingston Arts Fund (CKAF) Framework, which was approved in November 2025, making this year it’s inaugural year.
The CKAF is administered by the Kingston Arts Council every year on behalf of the City of Kingston. The municipal support increases the public’s access to the arts while improving accessibility for applicants, subsequently creating more opportunities for artists.
The Creation & Development Grants are available to all artists in the Kingston area. The artistic discipline has no limits; dancers, musicians, theatre performers, visual artists, and more, are all encouraged to apply.
“CKAF Creation and Development Grants are open to artists working in any discipline to support the creation, development, and production of new work or the competition of works in progress,” Executive Director Nicole Daniels wrote in the press release.
Although other funding bodies like the Ontario Arts Council exclude students from their definition of professional artists, CKAF grants are eligible to Queen’s students.
“CKAF Creation & Development Grants are open to artists working in any discipline to support the creation, development, and production of new work or the completion of works in progress. These grants are open to any applicants who fit the definition of a professional artist outlined in the Grant Guidelines, and KAC is unique in that we don’t exclude students from that definition,” Daniels wrote in a statement to The Journal.
While the funds cannot support school related projects, these funding opportunities allows students to pursue art outside of school.
With an emphasis on supporting the creation process, the CKAF grants appear to prioritize nurturing the artists’ experience rather than the presentation of their art to the public.
“The new Creation & Development Grants stream offers a meaningful opportunity for a wider variety of artists to seek critical financial support to sustain and grow their practice,” Daniels stated.
While increasing funding opportunities for students, KAC intends to make funding more accessible with this program. This includes offering up to $500 financial support to disabled applicants so they can access writing supports.
“Together with expanded accessibility support and dedicated applicant assistance, these changes reflect our commitment to building a more inclusive and sustainable arts sector,” Daniels wrote in the press release.
The application deadline for the Project Grants and Creation & Development Grants is Sept. 21.
Tags
applications, City of Kingston Arts Fund, Grants, Kingston Arts Council
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