The Alberta Creative Development Initiative

The Alberta Creative Development Initiative (ACDI) has been renewed for the 2011-12 fiscal year. The ACDI is jointly funded by the Alberta Foundation for the Arts and the Canada Council for the Arts. The program was developed in collaboration with the Calgary Arts Development Authority and the Edmonton Arts Council. The partners have committed a total of $1 million to ACDI for 2011-12. Over the past four years the program has provided $7 million in grants to more than 350 professional artists and arts organizations.

Arts organizations and individual artists, including professional artists, arts administrators and collectives can apply for project specific grants through the ACDI. Arts organizations can apply for a maximum of $25,000 per year. Individual artists can apply for a maximum of $15,000 per year.

Arts organizations that do not currently receive operating support from the Canada Council can apply for funding to support research, creation, production and/or dissemination, as well as administrative projects that build the capacity of the organization. They can also apply for audience development projects that increase an organization's public impact and/or profile.

Organizations currently receiving operating support from the Canada Council can apply to the ACDI for administrative and audience development grants only.

ACDI grants for individual artists will support research, creation, production and/or dissemination, as well as professional development, including residencies. The grant includes a maximum subsistence allowance of $2,000 per month, as well as expenses directly related to the project.

Funding decisions are made based on peer assessment and artistic merit. Peer assessment committees for all program components are multidisciplinary and are comprised of assessors from Alberta and assessors from outside of the province.

For more information, or to assist you with your application, please contact Céline Gratton, Program Assistant for western Canada at 1-800-263-5588 (toll-free) or 613-566-4414, ext. 4693.