Every year Cultivate Art Commons is a Recommender for the Ontario Arts Council (OAC) Exhibition Assistance Program. The purpose of these awards is to provide assistance to individual artists with costs related to presenting their work for an upcoming confirmed public exhibition. The program provides grants ranging from $500 - $2,000. Due the limited amount of funds and high number of applicants, a successful grant may be less than what the artist requested. 

Artists are required to submit their applications for Exhibition Assistance online through the OAC's Nova Portal. Applications sent directly to Cultivate Art Commons will not be considered for the program. It is the artist's responsibility to fill all required fields in Nova.  

Artists must apply to a recommender located in the zone where they live. Cultivate Art Commons is a Zone 4 Recommender which covers the areas in and around Cobourg, Kingston, Minden, Ottawa, and Peterborough.  

Cultivate Art Commons prioritizes supporting emerging artists, first-time applicants, diverse regional practices, and work that is adventurous or experimental in nature. Different recommenders have different priorities - find one that best matches your work. 

For more information about eligibility, what to submit, eligible costs and general guidelines, visit the Ontario Arts Council. The OAC has recently updated the guidelines - please make sure to read their instructions carefully.