Alberta Foundation for the Arts: Music Literary Individual Project Funding

Individual eligibility criteria

The AFA celebrates and supports diversity and is committed to creating equitable, inclusive, and accessible programs for all, free of barriers and discrimination. We recognize the unique contributions all artists make towards our community, and encourage applicants representing diverse communities, including Indigenous peoples, racialized communities, women, people with disabilities, and the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

To be eligible for individual project funding, you must be a resident of Alberta. This means you:

• are a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or Protected Person with an open work or study permit from inside Canada
• have had your primary residence in Alberta for at least one full year before applying
• ordinarily live in Alberta for a least six months of each year with the exception of attending a formal program of study

You must be in good standing with the AFA with no open or outstanding projects or reporting to apply. Previous grant recipients must ensure all final reporting has been approved by the AFA before new applications are accepted.

Applicants, including ensembles or collectives, must not be incorporated under either provincial or federal legislation.

Collaborating artists, ensembles, and collectives

Collaborating artists, ensembles, and collectives are eligible to apply to this program if all project co-owners meet the individual eligibility criteria as defined above.

The AFA defines project co-owners as:

•  those who share in the ownership or copyright of the created work
•  those who have a significant financial stake in the project

For the purposes of this funding opportunity, in addition to the lead applicant, co-owners include, but may not be limited to, the following:

•  writers
•  writers/illustrators

Unless identified as retaining ownership or copyright of the work, contributors who are not normally considered co-owners include, but may not be limited to, the following:

•  story/script editors
•  contracted illustrators/visual artists
•  beta readers
•  interview subjects
•  Mentors, Elders, and Knowledge Keepers

Project co-owners must select a lead applicant to submit the application. The lead applicant must ensure all co-owners are listed in the application and is responsible for submitting the complete application before the program deadline.

If the project is approved for funding, the lead applicant is also responsible for receiving and managing any funds and completing any related reporting for the project.

If you are unsure whether an artist should be listed as a co-owner in your application, please contact your Arts Development Consultant as listed on the AFA website.

Types of projects

Through this opportunity, you may apply for project funding to support artistic activities in:

• art production
• marketing
• research
• training and career development

Art production includes the development, creation, of a work in literary arts.

Projects should be confined to a distinct phase of a work, such as a first or final draft, in one of the eligible literary genres listed above.

Marketing includes a program of activity for a specific period of time to disseminate a completed literary work and/or to develop audiences and markets for the artist's work.

Eligible projects include, but are not limited to:

• promotional reading tours and book launches
• on-line marketing initiatives such as book trailers
• attendance at literary festivals, non-academic conferences, or award presentations by invitation

Research includes a program of activity for a specific period of time that supports or results in the development of new work in the literary arts.

Eligible projects include, but are not limited to:

• experimentation
• exploration
• research of primary materials

Training and career development includes a course or program of study to develop a writer's training in literary arts, including translation.

Eligible projects include, but are not limited to:

• workshops
• master classes
• retreats
• mentorship programs
• professional development
• professional courses of study in literary arts

Eligible expenses

You can receive up to $18,000 to support your project.

You may apply for up to 100% of eligible expenses that are directly related to carrying out your proposed project.

These expenses may include, but are not limited to:

• artist fees
• commission fees
• promotion and publicity
• transportation and accommodation
• tuition or training fee
• royalties
• administration and contract fees
• basic living/subsistence expenses (housing, local transportation, food, child care, dependent care) up to $3,000/month
• other expenses and supplies considered by the AFA to be reasonable and necessary

Ineligible expenses

Costs for publication or production of books or periodicals in print or digital platforms are ineligible for project funding.

Additional expenses and activities that are ineligible for AFA project funding include:

• expenses for capital purchases, such as computers, printers, software, buildings or property, or for capital development and studio construction or renovations
• recreational training projects
• specific component activities undertaken as part of a course of study
• expenses already incurred prior to application submission, including grant writer fees

Ineligible genres

For the purposes of this funding opportunity, ineligible literary genres include:

• bibliographies
• cookbooks
• catalogues
• directories
• guides
• indexes
• journalism/reportage
• lifestyle articles
• manuals
• promotional publications
• scholarly books or articles
• self-help books
• textbooks
• trade journals
• reference or technical works

Additionally, project funding is not available to support publications in:

• community newspapers
• weekly or daily newspapers
• student or free magazines
• newsletters of associations or other organizations

Ineligible projects also include production of:

• privately-printed, self-published, and vanity press publications
• print-on-demand or shared cost publications