Legislative History: Enacted June 13, 2017 (By-law No. CPOL.-51-247); Amended June 26, 2018 (By-law No. CPOL.-276-267); Amended July 25, 2023 (By-law No. CPOL.-51(a)-192)
Last Review Date: July 25, 2023
Service Area Lead: Manager, Culture Services
1. Policy Statement
This program provides guidelines and criteria for The Corporation of the City of London to:
- provide funding to not-for-profit arts organizations to support operational expenses and capacity building within the London arts community;
- provide project funding to artists/creators/practitioners of traditional arts residing in London and the surrounding First Nations communities (Chippewa of the Thames First Nation, Oneida Nation of the Thames, Munsee Delaware First Nation).
- encourage public awareness and appreciation of diverse artistic forms, expressions, and interpretations of the arts.
- increase access to quality local arts experiences and promote a sense of belonging representing all artistic disciplines;
- contribute to the creative vibrancy of London;
- enhance London’s desirability as a community of choice and visitor destination;
- support goals and objectives of Council's Strategic Plan; and,
- support goals and objectives of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) City of London membership and the London UNESCO City of Music designation.
2. Definitions
2.1. Arts Organizations – a professional artistic organization (including arts festival organizations) that has a clearly articulated mandate which focuses on a specific art form (or forms) that is thematically linked under artistic direction to develop and promote works of artists/creators. Incorporated not-for-profit and/or registered charitable arts organizations located in London in the following artistic disciplines are eligible to apply for CAIP (such as, but not limited to): film/media arts, music, literature, performance art, and visual art.
2.2 Arts festivals and events - having a clearly articulated mandate which focuses on a specific art form (or forms) that is thematically linked under artistic direction to provide unique opportunities for audiences to experience and engage with art. These art form specific festivals and events showcase the arts and artists available in London to both residents and visitors alike.
2.3 Professional Artists – a professional artist/creator is someone who has developed skills through training or practice, is recognized by artists working in the same artistic tradition, has a history of public presentation or publication, seeks payment for their work, and actively practices their art. Individual artists, artist collectives, or ad-hoc art groups led by professional artists/creators/practitioners of traditional arts who reside in London and the surrounding First Nations communities (Chippewa of the Thames First Nation, Oneida Nation of the Thames, Munsee Delaware First Nation) are eligible to apply for CAIP.
2.4 Creators and Practitioners of Traditional Arts – a creator/practitioner of traditional art is someone who has developed skills through training or practice taught from person to person, passed from one generation to the next, and influenced by culture, family, ethnicity, and era. Traditional arts represent a place or a group of people. They also express the thoughts and feelings of a point in history. Individual creators/practitioners of traditional arts, art collectives, or ad-hoc art groups led by professional artists/creators/practitioners of traditional arts who reside in London and the surrounding First Nations communities (Chippewa of the Thames First Nation, Oneida Nation of the Thames, Munsee Delaware First Nation) are eligible to apply for CAIP.
3. Applicability
For the purposes of this program, CAIP applies to a local arts organization that operates on a not-for-profit basis and has operating revenues that are less than $1,500,000. CAIP also applies for the creation/production/presentation of artists/creators/practitioners of traditional arts operating in a not-for-profit manner.
This program will not include:
- festivals that are not arts festivals;
- arts organizations that receive operating funding from the City of London including the London Regional Art and Historical Museum (Museum London) and the Grand Theatre;
- museums;
- cultural heritage organizations eligible for funding from the City of London Community Heritage Investment Program (CHIP);
- organizations not located within the City of London; and,
- artists/creators/practitioners of traditional arts, who are not located within the City of London or the surrounding First Nations communities (Chippewa of the Thames First Nation, Oneida Nation of the Thames, Munsee Delaware First Nation).
However, these types of organizations, if they meet the program criteria, may continue to seek operational financial assistance from other existing City programs.
4. The Policy
Guidelines:
4.1 Annual funding will be made available by the City, subject to Council approval of funding through the Multi-Year Budget.
4.2 Applications will be reviewed and administered, in a city-wide context, by a peer assessment group. This group, referred to as the London Arts Council, whose assessment panel members are representative of arts, business, educational institutes, and the general community. Conflict of interest guidelines are maintained by the London Arts Council.
4.3 Funding awarded by the London Arts Council must be intended and used to further an organization’s non-profit activities and must not, either directly or indirectly, be intended or used to further a profit venture or intended or used for capital purposes including, but not restricted to, the purchase of land, equipment, fixtures or physical facilities. An application for assistance under the Community Arts Investment Program does not preclude an organization from applying for capital funding to the City of London.
4.4 The London Arts Council will provide the City of London Culture Office with an annual accounting of the allocation of Community Arts Investment Program funding. The accounts will also include an identification of the funding requested, which were reduced or refused.
4.5 The successful organization or artist(s) will acknowledge the City’s support in its promotional materials in a manner consistent with the City's Corporate Identity Guidelines.
4.6 These guidelines shall be reviewed at least once every four years.
Criteria:
The London Arts Council will take the following criteria into consideration when reviewing funding applications submitted by arts organizations and professional artists/creators/practitioners of traditional arts:
4.7 Community:
a) funded activities are directed to the improvement of the quality of life in London;
b) the funded activities for the benefit of the residents of London;
c) the funded activities encourages the participation of Londoners; and
d) the financial resources of the funded activities are expended in London.
4.8 Funded Activities and Services:
a) the funded activities and services are of a quality to merit public support;
b) the funded activities do not substantially duplicate the efforts of other organizations or other government supported individuals or organizations;
c) the funded activities bring provincial, national, or international recognition to London;
d) the applicant demonstrates development and innovation in its programming and funded activities;
e) the applicant organization provides and supports artistic programs relative to its objectives and funded activities for the residents and visitors outlined in Council’s Strategic Plan; and
f) the applicant organization collaborates with other not-for-profit organizations in pursuing its objectives;
4.9 Management and Financial Responsibility:
a) the applicant organization is managed in a responsible manner;
b) the applicant demonstrates initiative and success in generating revenue outside of the Community Arts Investment Program;
c) the applicant measures the success of the funded activities and/or programs on an ongoing basis and shares the results of these measures with the City and other interested parties; and
d) the organization is encouraged to consider providing indemnity insurance for the person who sit on its Board of Directors.
4.10 Volunteers:
a) the organization actively and successfully encourages volunteerism.
Procedures:
4.11 The applicant will submit a grant application for the next calendar year to the London Arts Council. The application form and submission process will be determined by the London Arts Council subject to the approval of the City of London.
4.12 The London Arts Council as per the terms of London Arts Council Purchase of Service Agreement will provide an annual information report to the City of London. This information report will contain the identification of the name and dollar value of the funding requests received to date as well as all funding allocated through granting streams and supported programs of CAIP.