Arts

Arts Overview

The purpose of the Arts stream is to assist Japanese Canadian artists who are Japanese Canadian Descendants or Survivors with funding to create and produce finished artistic projects or artworks. Both established artists and emerging artists who have attained Professional Practice in the Arts may apply. The primary applicant must be a Japanese Canadian Descendant or Survivor but the artist can apply either as an individual or an individual working in collaboration with artists who are not Japanese Canadian Descendants or Survivors.

DATES (subject to change)
Applications open November 1, 2023
Deadline for applications January 31, 2024
Application results out March 15, 2024
Projects must be completed by December 31, 2025

The JCLS may announce a second intake in 2024.

Download Arts Guidelines

GLOSSARY

Arts

Creation and dissemination of artworks in any artistic discipline including but not limited to: Dance, Literary Arts, Media Arts, Music, Theatre, Visual Arts and/or Interdisciplinary pursuits. Arts may also include traditional Japanese forms of art.

Basic Arts Training

Artists should have completed studies or training in their respective artistic discipline (not necessarily at formal institutions). They should be able to work in that discipline at a level recognized as practice independent from that training. They do not require further training to practise at a professional level.

Descendant

A living person of Japanese Canadian descent whose family was directly impacted by BC Government actions in the 1940s and whose family experience in BC predates April 1, 1949. A Descendant can be living outside of BC.

Japanese Canadian

A Canadian citizen of Japanese ancestry or a person of Japanese ancestry who has permanent resident or landed immigrant status in Canada. Children adopted by Japanese Canadian families as well as foster children are also considered to be Japanese Canadians for the purposes of this work.

Professional Practice in the Arts

Applicants should be engaged in a professional practice in the Arts. After completing Basic Art Training (see above), they should have received remuneration for their artwork along with public presentation of their work.

Survivor

A living person of Japanese descent born prior to April 1, 1949 who was directly impacted by BC Government actions in the 1940s. Survivors include persons who were not displaced but were living in BC, and persons who, after their families left BC, were born prior to April 1, 1949, which was the day Japanese Canadians were given full voting rights and the legal restrictions used to control the movement of Japanese Canadians were removed.

WHO CAN APPLY

Applicants must be a Japanese Canadian Descendant or Survivor and be 18 years of age or older to apply. The applicant may be working individually or in collaboration with artists who are not Japanese Canadian Descendants or Survivors.
Applicants should be engaged in a Professional Practice in the Arts.
Applicants should have completed Basic Art Training and/or should have received remuneration for their artwork along with public presentation of their work.
The applicant will be the primary contact for the project and may be working in collaboration with other artists who are not required to be Japanese Canadian Descendants or Survivors.

WHAT CAN BE FUNDED

Applications will be accepted in any artistic discipline including but not limited to: Dance, Literary Arts, Media Arts, Music, Theatre, Visual Arts and/or Interdisciplinary pursuits.
Eligible expenses may include:
- Cost of materials.
  - All physical materials and other costs such as website fees, software, memberships required to create the project.
- Artists’ fees.
  - Subsistence is not provided. It is expected that artists will allocate funds from the budget to pay for their own fees to produce the project.
- Fees for knowledge exchange or instruction that provide essential information for the creation of the project.
- Rental of specialized equipment.
- Rental of specialized space for creation of the project (i.e., studio costs).
- Required travel
  - Airfare, train, boat, ground transportation, accommodation and per diem towards the production of the final work.
- Fees to other individuals necessary for the project.
  - Professional fees for technicians, other artists, mentors or consultants.

The project can commence any time after the application intake opens. However, there will be NO reimbursement for any costs incurred should the application not be successful. All projects must be completed by December 31, 2025.

WHAT WILL NOT BE FUNDED

This program is not for recreational artists. (Please see Community Projects or Intergenerational Wellness.)
Capital expenses (e.g., equipment that lasts longer than the project).
Ongoing operating expenses.
Full-time or part-time studies. (Please see Scholarship program.)
Projects that have received NAJC funding through the Capacity Building Program, Cultural Development Fund or Endowment Fund.
Projects that have received other funds from the JC Legacies Community Fund in the current funding period.
Projects that take place (training, exhibition, performance) outside of Canada.
Projects that are created outside of Canada.
Projects that have already been completed by the time of the application date.
Any expense that is not directly associated with the creation of the artwork.

FUNDING REQUESTS

Applicants may only make one application to this stream per intake.
Applicants must propose projects that can be created and produced with a specific and tangible outcome and within the timeframe allotted.
The applicant retains full creative control over the project.
Funding can be up to $20,000 per applicant.
A successful applicant cannot apply for another grant in the Arts stream.

WHAT IS NEEDED FOR THE APPLICATION

NOTE: Applicants are responsible for submitting a complete application. The JCLS will NOT contact applicants to address errors or missing requirements, other than as required to determine eligibility. Eligible applications are assessed as submitted.

Applicants must create a user account to access the application form that will be submitted through the online application system.
Applicants must complete the following information, including longer answers as required:
1. Attestation of identity as a Japanese Canadian Descendant or Survivor. Applicants must describe their family’s history and experience in BC prior to April 1, 1949.
2. Curriculum vitae (CV) or résumé. (Maximum 3 pages.)
3. Please indicate previous training and/or public presentation of artwork and practice.
4. Project description. (Approximately 300 words.)
5. Budget (to include other sources of funding, if applicable).
  1. Provide a balanced budget showing projected sources of funding and expenses (expenses that comprise 10% or more of the budget must provide the breakdown/rationale for estimates).
    1. If the project budget exceeds the maximum possible grant, a list of additional sources of funding must also accompany this budget.
    2. If additional sources of funding are required to create and produce the project, those sources must be confirmed by the time the application intake closes on January 31, 2024.
6. Detailed project schedule that also sets out the interim report stage.
7. Description of any related collaboration, if applicable.
8. Short biographies of other artists involved if the project is collaborative.
9. A list of other key personnel, as applicable, with a short description of the expertise/experience they bring to the project.
10. Proof of Canadian citizenship (scan or photo of Canadian passport or birth certificate).

SUPPORT MATERIAL

Documentation of previous work that demonstrates to assessors the applicant’s ability to carry out a project as proposed. This may include one of:

Maximum 12 images. Accepted format and file size will be available on application form.
15 pages of writing at a maximum of 300 words per page (e.g., manuscript or playscript – excerpts should be contextualized).
Up to 5 minutes of moving images. Excerpts from previous work or documentation of a previous project. Accepted format and file size will be available on application form.
Audio recordings. Accepted format and file size will be available on application form.

ASSESSMENT PROCESS

An assessment team consisting of Japanese Canadian community members with a high level of experience in professional arts practice will be established through the JCLS.
The following process will be used to evaluate every application:
1. The JCLS informs each applicant upon receipt of application and Community Fund program staff reviews the applications for eligibility.
2. The assessment team evaluates eligible applications to determine whether the applicants should be funded and the level of funding for successful applicants.
3. The assessment team recommends applicants to the JCLS, which makes the final approvals.
4. The JCLS informs each applicant if they are successful or unsuccessful in their application.
All decisions of the JCLS and assessment team are final.

NOTIFICATION

Decisions will be made by the JCLS and the assessment team within approximately six weeks of the application deadline. Notification will be sent via the online system to the contact linked to the online application. Results cannot be requested in advance.
Applicants should ensure the email address community@jclegacies.com is on their safe sender list and applicants should check their spam folders on a regular basis following their submission of application.

PAYMENT OF GRANTS

Awards for artists will be paid in three instalments: 50% upon receipt of a signed grant agreement; 40% upon receipt of an interim report after having expensed the first drawdown of the project; and a final payment of 10% upon receipt of a final report detailing activities and financial outcomes.
In the event of any project changes that affect the project budget, schedule, persons involved or overall project description, recipients must contact the JCLS office (in writing) as soon as possible to discuss impact on the project and to request permission for the changes.
The JCLS reserves the right to suspend payments if the recipient:
1. does not carry out their planned project;
2. makes major changes to the planned project without the approval of the JCLS;
3. fails to comply with the terms of the grant, including submission of final reports.

REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

Recipients must submit a final report within 30 days of the end of the project to receive the final payment.
Instructions on submitting final reports will be given to successful applicants.
The requirement for an interim and a final report will be part of the grant agreement.
Future applications to the JCLS will be ineligible if reporting requirements are not met.

Grant Application

Assisting Japanese Canadian artists with funding to create and produce finished artistic projects or artworks. This stream is intended for established artists or emerging artists who have completed Basic Art Training and/or have attained Professional Art Practice in the Arts. The primary applicant must be a Japanese Canadian Descendant and can apply as an individual or in collaboration with other artists who are not Japanese Canadian Descendants.

Funding of up to $20,000 per application.

Each applicant may apply for only one grant per stream.

Grant is currently Closed for Applications

Opening Date: November 1, 2023

More Information

CONFIDENTIALITY

The collection, use and disclosure of personal information are subject to the privacy provisions of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (BC). Personal information will be shared in confidence with members of the assessment team. The names and locations of successful award recipients will be published, along with the amount of the award, in the Annual Report of the JCLS as well as in various communications and promotional vehicles thereof.

RECOGNITION OF ASSISTANCE

In recognition of funding, the support of the JCLS should be acknowledged in all promotional materials, both print and online where appropriate. Further details of recognition will be provided to successful applicants.

AMENDMENT OF GUIDELINES

These guidelines may be amended by the JCLS from time to time and applicants should ensure that their applications comply with the most recent version of the guidelines.

THIS VERSION OF THE GUIDELINES IS DATED MAY 1, 2023.

CONTACT INFORMATION

If you have any questions after reading these Program Application Guidelines and the Frequently Asked Questions, please contact the JCLS: community@jclegacies.com.

Any general inquiries to the JCLS Project Office can be directed to: info@jclegacies.com.