OAC Exhibition Assistance

*NEW* SAVAC accepts submissions on an ongoing basis as of the 2025-26 program year.

The Ontario Art Council’s exhibition assistance program supports Ontario-based artists and artist collectives working in visual arts, craft and media art practices in the presentation of their artwork in a confirmed public exhibition. Using Nova, OAC’s online grant application system, artists apply to the galleries and organizations designated as recommenders for the program. These recommenders assess applications and submit grant recommendations to OAC.

SAVAC is a third-party recommender who accepts applications from artists of colour from any zone.

Assessment
Recommenders base their funding recommendations on the quality of the artist’s work, OAC priority groups, and other funding priorities they may establish. 

SAVAC’s assessment criteria are as follows:

• Contemporary visual and media art by artists of colour
• Projects that offer a multitude of perspectives on the contemporary world through experimental, challenging, or critical approaches to form, medium, and/or subject matter
• Significance of the presentation opportunity in the development of the artist’s career

Grant Amount

• Minimum $500, maximum $2,000
• Submit up to three Exhibition Assistance applications at a time
• Each application must be for only one exhibition. You can apply to different recommenders for the same exhibition, or for different exhibitions.
• You may receive up to $2,000 in Exhibition Assistance grants, for applications submitted during the program year. This amount can be from more than one recommender, and towards one or more exhibitions.
• If you are awarded more than one grant in a single third-party recommender program within its 2025-26 year, these grants will count as one grant toward your three-grant limit for 2025. The recommender programs are: Indigenous Visual Artists’ Materials, Exhibition Assistance, Recommender Grants for Theatre Creators and Recommender Grants for Writers.
• Due to the number of applications received and the limited funds available, grants awarded may be smaller than the amount requested.
• If your application includes ineligible expenses, OAC may reduce the recommended amount to cover only eligible expenses or withdraw the application.

Eligible Applicants

• professional visual artists, craft artists and media artists who reside in Ontario and have a confirmed, public exhibition
• Ontario-based visual, craft and media artist collectives that have a confirmed, public exhibition
• Collectives: for this program, eligible collectives are defined as unincorporated groups of two or more artists who create collaboratively and exhibit together.
  • Read the Guide to OAC Project Programs for more eligibility information.

Ineligible Applicants

• undergraduate or graduate students enrolled full-time at an educational institution
• incorporated not-for-profit or for-profit organizations
• curators

Eligible Expenses

• presentation costs, including framing, display structures, mounting and installation hardware and supplies and construction of structural elements specific to an installation, photo printing for exhibition
• audio-visual presentation equipment
• technical and installation expenses and fees, including the cost of preparing or documenting artwork to present in a virtual/online exhibition
• crating and transportation of works of art
• exhibition venue rent or booth fee
• exhibition promotional expenses
• insurance

Only costs that are the artists’ responsibility, and not covered by the gallery or presenter, are eligible. See further details in the expenses section of the application.

Eligible Exhibitions

• exhibitions in Ontario, in other Canadian provinces and in international locations
• exhibitions in public art galleries, artist-run centres and commercial art galleries
• solo and group shows
• do-it-yourself (DIY) or self-presented public exhibitions
• exhibitions in alternative public locations such as community centres, restaurants or rented spaces
• art fairs, collective studio tours and exhibits at trade fairs

Note: Virtual/online exhibitions are eligible if presented by a gallery/museum or other professional exhibition platform. Self-presented virtual exhibitions are not eligible.

Ineligible Expenses

• art materials, studio costs and other expenses related to the creation of artwork
• artist’s fees for exhibition and installation
• artist’s travel (travel costs are only eligible for performance art and site-specific installation)
• artist’s accommodation
• catalogues and documentation of artwork
• hospitality

Ineligible Exhibitions

• exhibitions in venues that are not open to the public
• theatrical-style screenings of film or video
• exhibitions presented for credit in a secondary or post-secondary program
• self-presented virtual/online exhibitions, including online exhibitions and e-commerce sections on an artist’s own website
• presentations in online shops

Activity Timing

The exhibition for which you are requesting funding:

• must start on or after January 16, 2025
• must be completed no more than two years after you receive the grant notification

Deadlines
To apply, complete and submit an application in  Nova, OAC’s online grant application system. SAVAC accepts and assesses applications on an ongoing basis until funds are spent.

About Recommender Grants

Recommenders are organizations authorized by OAC to receive applications, review them and make grant recommendations. OAC allocates a budget to each of the participating recommenders.

For more information visit OAC’s exhibition assistance program.

For SAVAC related questions, contact:
Abedar Kamgari, Artistic Director
abedar@savac.net
or call us at 416-542-1661