Saanich Peninsula Arts and Culture Grant Program

• To encourage and support the creative capacity and cultural development of individuals, groups, and organizations located on the Saanich Peninsula. 
• To support skills development, information sharing, presentations, exhibitions of work, etc.
• To strengthen and support the presence of arts and culture on the Saanich Peninsula, and to provide additional opportunities to engage in related activities.

Applications for this funding stream will be accepted from:

• Individual artists, curators, writers, and all arts and cultural practitioners that reside on the Saanich Peninsula, including those that reside or provide services for the WSANEC First Nations communities.
• Arts and cultural groups, collectives, or organizations that are located on the Saanich Peninsula, have the majority of their membership on the Saanich Peninsula, or primarily serve the communities on the Saanich Peninsula.*
• Great news – you do not need to be a registered charitable organization or non-profit organization to apply for funds through the SPACG program!
• Grant funds are not available for businesses.
• All applicants must hold a current ArtSea Membership (individual or group membership, as appropriate). Learn more about becoming an ArtSea Member.

Eligible Activities

Activities that will be considered for funding include (but are not limited to):

• Community-based initiatives to engage citizens through artistic or cultural practices, including creation, production, performance, design, writing, programming, publication, artistic training, residencies, and collaborations.
• Arts and cultural exhibitions, public events or presentations involving cultural or artistic practices, concerts, festivals and showcase events (with health and safety protocols, and a contingency plan in place).
• Outreach activities or networking events that involve artistic or cultural practices.
• Preservation and/or sharing of traditional knowledge or skills through artistic or cultural practice.

Eligible Expenses

Expenses directly related to the planning and/or delivery of an arts and culture initiative, including:

• training or workshop costs (see above section “Demonstrated Benefit to the Community”)
• materials and supplies
• staff or contractor fees

• honoraria (example: payment for a guest speaker or lecturer that does not charge a set fee). Please note: honoraria cannot be paid to ones self (individual applicants cannot include an honoraria for their own services).

Grants awarded through the Peninsula Arts and Culture Program are based on

funding availability and community benefit.

Please note: Grant funding is not guaranteed and amounts awarded are subject to availability of funds, and the extent to which the initiative aligns with the program goals and requirements.

Funding will not be provided for initiatives or program components that:

• already receive or are planning to request funding directly from the municipalities of North Saanich or the Town of Sidney. (SPACG funds are provided by these municipalities – activities, initiatives, or organizations cannot request funds twice from the same source).
• do not benefit the citizens or communities on the Saanich Peninsula (funding may be available to support a portion of a larger project that benefits the residents of the Saanich Peninsula, but funding will not be extended for activities that do not serve this community).
• do not have a core foundation in arts and culture.
• involve third party content or performances that are not cleared for the proposed uses (e.g. music not created and owned by the applicant).
• do not include a plan to follow public health orders (PHO); if the grant application requests funds to support activities such as large public gatherings or travel, the proposal should include a contingency plan in case such activities are suspended at the time of program delivery.
• extend beyond the specified “Project Dates” for the intake (see Dates and Deadlines section).
• are already complete (funding is not available for cost recovery or deficit reduction).
• are submitted for application outside of the intake dates. (see Dates and Deadlines section)
• SPACG Funding is not able to cover living expenses or for profit business expenses.

The SPACG program will have two intake periods each year:

There are two application intakes each year. Funding is available for up to 12 months of activities. Applications may be submitted every 12 months (one application per year); grants cannot overlap. 

1. Review information and guidelines

• Prior to submitting a funding application, read through the guidelines, FAQ, and the full application; please note, there are separate applications for individual applicants and for group/organization applicants.
• If you have questions prior to filling out the application, please send an email to grants@artsea.ca. ArtSea will respond as soon as possible; please allow for 2 to 5 business days.

2. Online application

There are separate applications for individual applicants and for group/organization applicants, but both applications include the following sections:

Application support is available for those that have difficulty accessing the online application, or require assistance filling out the application. Please contact grants@artsea.ca

3. Adjudication

All applications will be reviewed by the adjudication committee, according to the schedule provided in the Dates and Deadlines section of the Program Guidelines. See section, Assessment Criteria and Adjudication Process for more details.

4. Notification

All applicants will be notified by email according to the schedule provided in the Dates and Deadlines section of the Program Guidelines.

5. Reporting

If the funding application is successful, applicants will submit a report (using a provided template) within six months of receiving funding, or at the completion of their initiative.

Applications for the Saanich Peninsula Arts and Culture Grant will be reviewed by an adjudication committee consisting of representatives from the ArtSea Board of Directors, and Council representatives from the Town of Sidney, the District of North Saanich, and the District of Central Saanich. Each application will be assessed according to the following standardized scoring assessment criteria to ensure that results are fair and equitable:

Relevance – Arts and Culture (30%)

• The project plan and goals of the initiative have clearly identified artistic and/or cultural focus and/or components.
• The organizational mandate and vision have a foundation in arts and culture (not applicable to individual applicants).

Impact – Saanich Peninsula Community (30%)

• The initiative advances artistic/cultural practices or enriches the cultural life of the greater Saanich Peninsula community.
• The initiative provides opportunities for citizens to engage: audience and number of citizens that will benefit from performances, exhibitions, screenings, readings, publications, networking events, articles, reports, etc.
• The project plan demonstrates an ability to gain support or interest from the wider community (public participation; and where appropriate, partnerships, volunteers, sponsorships or in-kind donations, and alternative/additional funding sources).
• The application includes effective outreach activities and/or marketing plans, and demonstrates the applicant’s knowledge of their target audience/participants; does the initiative include indigenous content, or is it accessible to vulnerable populations?

Feasibility – Administrative and Financial Viability (40%)

• The applicant’s capacity and experience to undertake the initiative, and the thoroughness of the project plan.
• The degree to which the initiative aligns with the SPACG program guidelines and expectations.
• A reasonable budget, efficient use of resources, and (if applicable) appropriate fees paid to project participants and other revenue sources.
• The plan will demonstrate appropriate allocation of human and financial resources to fulfil the organization’s annual and long-term plans (not applicable to individual applicants).
• This funding stream is not appropriate for cost recovery (initiatives that are already complete, or deficit reduction).

Saanich Peninsula Arts and Culture Grant Program, Q&A:

Q: Where do I find the application for the Peninsula Arts and Culture Grant Program?

A: The application can be filled out online – the “Individual application” and “Group Application” links can be found below. This webpage also includes information about the Peninsula Arts and Culture Grant, as well as application guidelines and requirements.

Q: Do I need to be a registered non-profit or charity to be eligible for this funding?

A: No! It is not necessary for applicants to be a registered society, but Charitable organizations and non-profits are welcome to apply. This funding stream is available for existing programs, as well as new and innovative initiatives that benefit the residents of the Saanich Peninsula.

Q: Can businesses and for-profit organizations apply?

A: No. This funding stream is for individuals, groups, and organizations that are not a part of a registered business. Please see the section: Who can apply?

Q: I am not a member of ArtSea. Can I still apply?

A: While you can apply, your application will not be considered until you become a member of ArtSea. If you are not a member by the submission intake deadline, your application will not be considered during the intake period. To learn more about becoming an ArtSea Member.

Q: Does ArtSea still offer Member Grants, or does this funding stream replace the ArtSea Member Grant program?

A: ArtSea has identified a need to provide a consistent and reliable funding source for arts and cultural initiatives on the Saanich Peninsula; however, due to budget reductions resulting from the pandemic, the ArtSea Member Grant program is no longer viable. ArtSea is grateful that the municipalities on the Saanich Peninsula have agreed to provide funds to support this new funding stream; we are thrilled to work together with our municipal partners to support arts and culture in our community.

Q: Can we apply for programs that have already started?

A: Yes, you can apply for funding for programs that are under way at the time of the application, but you cannot apply for programs that are already complete (funds are not available for cost-recovery or debt reduction). Please see section: Dates and Deadlines.

Q: Can we apply more than once?

A: There are two scheduled application intakes each year; individuals or groups/organizations can apply once every 12 months. Please see the section: Dates and Deadlines.

Q: Can I apply for a portion of a larger project?

A: Yes. Be sure to provide a budget for the portion that you would like funded, as well as project details for the larger initiative.

Q: Can applications be submitted via email?

A: Our preference is that applications are filled out using the online submission form; however, if this presents a difficulty you can download the appropriate (individual or group/organization) PDF application and submit via email to: grants@artsea.ca, along with supporting documentation. Please ensure that you have read all sections of the guidelines and requirements, and that all required sections are complete (required sections are indicated by asterisks*).

Q: If this is the first time applying for funding, can I get assistance?

A: Yes. Should you require assistance with completing the application, please email: grants@artsea.ca

Q: Will I/we be at a disadvantage if I am applying, or if my group is applying for the first time?

A: No. We encourage individuals and new groups to apply. Part of our mission is to be a springboard for new arts and cultural initiatives in the community.

Do you have questions for which you did not find the answer?

Email your question to grants@artsea.ca

The information presented on this page is also available in a PDF document that you may download and print.