Purpose

The 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.

This is a third-party recommender program. 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. See About Recommender Grants below for more information on the grant application process.

Deadline date(s)

The 2025-2026 program is open from early June 2025 until January 15, 2026, 1:00 p.m. ET.

 

Each recommender either sets its own deadlines or assesses applications on an ongoing basis until their budget is spent. See the Recommenders for Exhibition Assistance web page for deadline information.

Note that the list of participating recommenders is posted when the program opens and is subject to updates and changes during the program year. Be sure to check this list shortly before applying to a recommender to confirm that it is accepting applications.

If you choose a recommender that does not have set deadlines, be aware that the recommender will stop accepting applications once it has reached its funding limit for the year. This may happen at any time, including while you are working on an application. In this situation, even if you started your draft while the recommender was still available, you will not be able to submit your application, and it will not be considered for funding. If other recommenders are still accepting applications and your application is eligible, consider submitting it to one of them instead.

 

Notification:

• Recommenders with set deadlines – You will be notified up to two months after the recommender’s deadline date.
• Recommenders that assess applications on an ongoing basis – You will be notified up to two months after the date you submit your application.
• It is possible that you will be notified after your exhibition has already started (or ended). In this case, if you are awarded a grant, it will be awarded retroactively.

Grant amount(s)

• You may 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.

Important:

• If you have submitted three Exhibition Assistance applications during the 2025-26 program year, you must wait to be notified of the results of one of them before you can submit another.
• If you have applied for the same expenses to more than one recommender, and are awarded a grant by one of them, you must contact the OAC. You cannot receive more than one Exhibition Assistance grant to cover the same expenses.

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.
• Collectives may apply in the name of the collective, or may choose an individual to represent it as the applicant.
• Only one individual can apply on behalf of the collective at any time. An amount awarded in the name of the individual counts towards their $2,000 limit for the program year.
• If the collective applies, OAC issues the grant cheque in the name of the collective. Grant cheques cannot be re-issued in the name of an individual.
• For a group exhibition, where artists present their own individual work, each artist must apply individually for their own expenses.

Read the Guide to OAC Project Programs for more eligibility information.

MORE INFO HERE.