How can the "Canada Council for the Arts" help support the Visual Arts in your community?

The Canada Council for the Arts

The growth of visual arts in Canada is important to all in the arts community and especially to those who are in the business of supporting the visual arts. To follow is some information from the "Canada Council for the Arts". This a federal Crown corporation that was created by an Act of Parliament in 1957 (Canada Council for the Arts Act) "to foster and promote the study and enjoyment of, and the production of works in, the arts." 

Interested in the Arts? You might want to bring some of these programs to the attention of artists in your community.

The Canada Council offers a broad range of grants and services to professional Canadian artists and arts organizations in music, theatre, writing and publishing, visual arts, dance, media arts and integrated (multidisciplinary) arts. It also seeks to raise public awareness of the arts through its communications, research and arts promotion activities.

The Canada Council awards prizes and fellowships every year to some 200 artists and scholars. The Canadian Commission for UNESCO and the Public Lending Right Commission operate within the Canada Council. The Canada Council Art Bank contains some 18,000 works of contemporary Canadian art that are rented to the public and private sectors.

The Canada Council is governed by an 11-member Board. The Chair, the members of the Board and the Director of the Canada Council are appointed by the Governor in Council for fixed terms. The Canada Council relies heavily on the advice of artists and arts professionals from all parts of Canada (some 750 serve annually as jurors, or peer assessors, in the awarding of grants) and works in close co-operation with federal, provincial and municipal cultural agencies and departments. The Council reports to Parliament through the Minister of Canadian Heritage.

The annual budget allocation from Parliament is supplemented by endowment income, donations and bequests.

The Visual Arts Section provides creation, production and dissemination support in the fields of architecture, crafts, photography and the visual arts, as well as for the acquisition of works by Canadian artists. In addition to funding the activities of independent artists, museums, artist-run centres and other professional arts organizations, the Council encourages the work of independent critics and curators, and the work of performance artists whose practice is rooted in the critical discourse of the visual arts.

                                                                           

Project Grants to Visual Artists

The Project Grants to Visual Artists program supports professional visual artists and collaborations who contribute to contemporary visual arts.

Program Administered By: Visual Arts

1 December

Long-Term Grants to Visual Artists

Long-Term Grants provide support over a two-year period to Canadian, professional artists who have made a significant contribution to contemporary visual arts.

Program Administered By: Visual Arts

1 September

Fine Craft: Grants to Artists and Curators

The Fine Craft: Grants to Artists and Curators program supports studio-based artistic practices and curatorial research in contemporary fine crafts.

Program Administered By: Visual Arts

1 March


Travel Grants to Professionals in the Visual Arts

This program provides assistance to professional visual and fine craft artists, independent critics and curators, and architecture professionals. Grants are for travel to attend or participate in ...

Program Administered By: Visual Arts

1 February
1 April
1 June
1 September

Project Grants for Organizations in the Visual Arts

This program provides grants to Canadian non-profit visual arts organizations and collectives for projects that advance knowledge and promote public enjoyment of contemporary visual art. 

Program Administered By: Visual Arts

15 April
15 September

For more information contact:

                                              

The Canada Council for the Arts
150 Elgin Street, P.O. Box 1047
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5V8
1-800 263-5588 or (613) 566-4414

                                              

                                              

                                              

                                              

                                              

   

Dealing with feedback: Six Tips

Collecting feedback on your ideas is an important part of the creative process. But not all feedback is created equal. For every useful observation and insightful suggestion, some comments are just wrong and not helpful.

Dealing with poor feedback can be tricky, especially when you have to be sensitive to the business situation and the position of the reviewer. It can also be difficult to maintain confidence in your own work when faced with negative feedback. 

Here are six tips for dealing with feedback that will help you handle negative comments, while remaining true to your original vision.

1. Who is the reviewer?
If someone gives you feedback with which you find disagreeable, think about who they are? They may have expertise from a different point of view that your skillset does not cover. They may have a proven track record for making things better. Opinions from colleagues like this deserve close consideration, so listen to them closely - they may help you improve your work. For everyone else, be confident and trust your own judgment.

2. Try not to get defensive
Try not to be the first person to respond to a critique on your work. Your first response will probably be defensive. Gather feedback and then let the comments marinate before responding. 24 hours, if you can spare the time, is a good rule of thumb. Things often look different the next day. By taking a little time you will be able to better fully understand their comments and their perspective. While you ponder the feedback, others reviewers may either offer up support for your work or show that the original commenter may have a point.

3. Small issues may be a ruse for bigger problems
Sometimes small things might be brought to your attention - like if someone doesn’t like a certain word you’ve used in a written piece. Ask if the problem is the word or its meaning? Feedback should be questioned to see if it is the root of something that might be more significant.

4. Check your Ego
You may be the one who is putting the presentation together but you might not be the final presenter or therefore the final decision maker. If you don’t agree with the decision makers feedback - deal with this. Perhaps have a one on one with the decision maker as opposed to announcing your disapproval within a greater group where egos can clash. However if you are the decision maker on a controversial piece - get a second opinion from someone you trust.

5. Be prepared for criticisms
Before your work is reviewed, try to prepare yourself for possible questions before they come your way. What issues might others may have with your work? Always being prepared and ready to answer any questions that might come up is a great way to deal with potential negative feedback.  Anything "new" will always be met with some fear of the unknown, so be prepared to show examples of how other businesses succeed by taking risks.

6. Don't be afraid to go back to the Drawing Board
Nothing is stopping you from starting over on a new version of your proposal with fresh insights and improvements. A fresh start from a different angle may help the reviewer see that their objections weren't as serious as they once thought.

The review process is really a creative way of making your work better - so don't sweat it.