Visual Arts & New Media Individual Project Funding Expert Panel comments

September 2, 2025 Submissions
General Expert Panel comments

Comments made by the panel during its assessment of applications submitted to the September 2, 2025 deadline are outlined below. Please note that these comments provide a summary of the panel's assessment and do not necessarily relate to every application submitted to this deadline. The panel does not provide individual comments.

Project description

  • Please be sure that your description clearly outlines how you plan to do your project, because vague descriptions make it difficult for the panel to understand what your goals and intentions are.
  • Please include contextual information about your creative choices for materials, content, etc. This provides insight into your practice, and how the project might support project goals.
  • Including a timeline or schedule of activity is a valuable component of your project description. This helps the panel better understand how and when you plan to undertake your activities.
  • Be as clear as you can about your intentions and why artistic choices, or project directions are important. This is especially helpful when there is a notable change in direction in your practice.
  • Be sure to allow yourself ample time to complete your project so the panel has confidence that you can complete activities as proposed.
  • Applicants need to demonstrate clear anticipated outcomes, or end goals, as this addresses potential impacts the project may have on you, your artistic practice, and/or broader career goals.
  • If you are undertaking an activity that is a clear departure from your usual practice, be sure to address what supports you will have in place to help you with your transition, learning, and development. Examples: Mentors, courses, workshops, collaborations, etc.
  • Providing contextual information around specialized practices or disciplines is helpful for the panel.
  • The panel was impressed with the diversity of projects and the quality of activities in the province.
  • An unsuccessful grant request did not necessarily mean your project was without artistic merit. Not all strong projects could be supported. The panel encourages applicants to reapply in the future, and to reach out to AFA consultants for feedback prior to next submission.

Budget: 

  • Budgets should be sufficiently detailed to give the panel all the information they need to evaluate the potential of a project.
  • Budgets demonstrating that expenses were researched did better than those without support materials. Example: Included quotes or invoices (where relevant), and/or budget notes stating which websites and other sources were used.
  • When you have pending revenue in your budget (in addition to the AFA grant you are asking for), the application is strengthened if a contingency plan is provided. For example: If the only revenue received is the AFA grant, can you still do the project as proposed, or can you modify it to fit a smaller budget?
  • If project costs use out of country currency, be sure all relevant budget expenses are converted to Canadian dollars.
  • If you are receiving artist fees from galleries (or other institutions), including these in your revenues strengthens the application.

Support material:

  • Please provide support files as per the guidelines on the website, and do not provide streaming or website links. The panel does not have time to do additional research due to volume of applications.
  • Please provide enough images or work samples (up to 10) to provide a clear sense of your work.
  • Large quantities of extra support materials do not guarantee they will be viewed due to the volume of applications the panel must view. Including carefully selected, relevant materials is more helpful.
  • Including sketches, mock-ups, maquettes or other planning related information helps the panel to understand your vision, especially for a new practice without previous documentation.
  • If images do not reflect the proposed project directly, provide a context.
  • For images: Ideally have one image per page. By adding multiple images or design elements, your artwork may be more difficult to see clearly.
  • Please reach out to AFA staff in advance of a deadline if you need help with preparing or providing support material items (images, video, etc.).
  • Support materials are most helpful when they are reflective of the artist's intent, activity and/or practice relative to the project being applied for.