Funding

Overview 

 Application Deadline May 21, 2025

The Clifford E. Lee Choreography Award recognizes outstanding emerging Canadian dance choreographers or companies, celebrating new voices, ideas, and approaches to professional dance. Established in 1978 by the Clifford E. Lee Foundation, the award supports the creation and development of innovative choreographic work.

Applicants must submit a proposal for a full-length piece that explores a contemporary approach to dance in any style, designed for an ensemble of up to five dancers. The selected recipient will receive a cash prize, along with a creation residency in December 2025 and a production residency, subject to scheduling.

Description

The Clifford E. Lee Choreography Award is a combination of a $14,000 CAD cash prize for the commission of a new work and two residencies at Banff Centre. Banff Centre can support a company with up to five Canadian dancers, and a small team, including Choreographer, rehearsal director, stage manager, and designers. Both residencies include meals and accommodation for all company members at the Banff Centre.

First Residency (December 8–18, 2025):

• Focus on research and development.
• Provides studio space without technical support.

Second Residency (Dates TBD):

• Focus on production development.
• Scheduled based on project timeline and Banff Centre availability.
• Takes place in a venue space that is suitable for the project.
• Includes three technicians (lighting, sound, and staging) for two weeks.
• Concludes with a public performance.

Requirements

• Open to emerging Canadian choreographers (citizens or permanent residents) who have had only one or less mainstage presentations of a full-length dance work.
• Open to any style of contemporary dance.
• Applicants should have access to a company of up to five dancers for the creation and production of the work. If an applicant does not have access to a company, Banff Centre can facilitate arrangements with a suitable professional company on site.

Due to the generous support of Clifford E Lee Foundation all program fees including accommodation and meal plans for both residencies are fully covered.

Apply now

A Message from AFA Board Chair Cynthia P. Moore

On February 27, 2025, the Alberta government announced Budget 2025. I am pleased to share that funding for the Alberta Foundation for the Arts (AFA) was again increased by $4.5 million or by 15 percent to $34.6 million for 2025-26.

This is the second year that the AFA’s funding has been increased by $4.5 million. This is part of the Alberta Government’s commitment to increase the AFA’s funding to nearly $40 million by 2026. The AFA board is pleased to build on the work that was started last year in increasing support for the arts community.

Our results thus far this year have been very positive. As of December 31, 2024, the AFA has provided 726 grants totalling approximately $21.2 million – nearly a 40 per cent increase in the number of grants at this time in 2023.

There is more work to do. Soon, the AFA board will approve a 2025-26 spending plan. In line with the AFA’s mandate, this plan will continue to prioritize and invest in artists, art, and cultural materials, and will adhere to the priorities outlined in the 2024-2027 Strategic Plan.

I am also pleased to share that in the upcoming fiscal year, we will begin to implement new and refreshed funding programs that have been in development since we began reviewing our grant programs in 2022.

The AFA is modernizing its grant programs to provide more targeted funding support to arts organizations and individual artists. More information will be made available on our website at affta.ab.ca. The AFA will communicate directly with clients as changes start to take effect.

It is exciting times for the AFA and the arts community!

Cynthia P. Moore
Chair, Alberta Foundation for the Arts

Budget 2025 information

• Budget 2025
• Alberta Arts, Culture and Status of Women 2024-25Business Plan (PDF) – English | French
• 2025-26 Government Estimates (PDF) – Expense Vote by Program: Operating Expense 4.2 Assistance to the Alberta Foundation for the Arts on page 54

Image: Calgary Opera performers Alessia Vitali (singer) and Jonathan Brandani (pianist) perform at the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium.

On January 23, the Honourable Tanya Fir, Minister of Arts, Culture and Status of Women was joined by AFA Chair Cynthia P. Moore to announce how increased provincial arts funding this year is supporting Alberta artists and arts organizations. Watch:

So far this fiscal year, Alberta’s government has provided $21.2 million in grant funding for 304 arts-based organizations and 422 individual artists, with more funding to be approved before the fiscal year is over. This represents a 40 per cent increase in the number of grants provided compared to this time in 2023.  

“Alberta is proud to be home to talented artists in every corner of the province, and the arts sector remains a significant contributor to Alberta’s economy and quality of life. Each year, the arts sector contributes more than $1.2 billion in GDP and keeps more than 17,000 Albertans employed. When the arts thrive, Alberta thrives.”   

Tanya Fir, Minister of Arts, Culture and Status of Women 

This additional funding commitment has already had an impact on how the AFA has been able to distribute dollars to local artists, with an increase to the maximum eligible grant amount for individual artists from $15,000 to $18,000. 

“The AFA is thrilled by the funding commitment made by Alberta’s government to increase support for the arts community. This has allowed us to support even more Alberta artists this year and providing important support for arts organizations across the province. The AFA will continue to prioritize and invest in artists, art, and cultural materials in line with our mandate and government’s priorities.” 

Cynthia Moore, board chair, Alberta Foundation for the Arts 

Read the full news release on Alberta.ca. 

Apply for a grant

Artists, the next deadline for Individual Project Grants is March 3, 2025. Find funding to support your next art project. 

AFA Individual Project Grants can provide funding through four broad categories:

• art production (art creation)
• research
• marketing
• training and career development

Explore our resources to help you develop you AFA grant application. 

On June 25, 2021, the Alberta government announced it would work with Indigenous communities to establish a permanent memorial on the Alberta legislature grounds for the victims of the residential school system.

Indigenous artists can submit a Expression of Interest for a memorial on legislature grounds to honour residential school students who never came home.

Funding

Up to $1 million.

Eligible applicants

This Request for an Expression of Interest is open to the following categories of Indigenous artists from or living in Alberta:

• individual artist
• artist-led teams
• artist collectives
• partnerships of artists

Recent familial connections to Alberta First Nations or with the Metis Settlements and Métis Nation Regions are required.

Deadline

Deadline to apply: July 29 at 2 pm MT.

For more info:

news release

Learn more on eligibility requirements and how to apply by clicking on the pink button below.

For further information or to set up an informational meeting please contact ir.rscrg@gov.ab.ca.

We have an important update for artists interested in applying for Music Individual Project Funding by March 1. AFA music grant applicants must now upload music samples directly into their GATE Front Office online application.

What does this mean for you?

Music applicants must now upload two audio samples as attachments to their application. This includes those artists applying for career development, training, or marketing projects.

Samples should reflect your artistic practice, and may include:

• scratch demos
• high-quality demos
• past commercial recording
• recordings of previous compositions or scores
• or two other representative works

Only arts administrators that are applying for training or career development projects are exempt.

• these applicants can upload a blank document as attachments to complete their applications

Format and resources

File size is limited and artists must prepare their samples accordingly. Each audio file must be:

• under 5 minutes
• in MP3 or AAC format
• no larger than 8MB

We encourage artists to edit their files into the required format and length before submitting their applications. Free online resources include:

• Pro Tools
• Reaper
• Garageband
• Audacity

New requirements for music commissions

Music applicants for Commission projects must attached a signed contract by commissioners.

We strongly encourage applicants to use the Model Composer Commissioning Contract, available through the Canadian League of Composers.

• download the contract

More information

You can find more information about how to attach audio files to your application in Music grant guidelines under How to apply.

• view the guidelines

Next deadline

March 1, 2023. The AFA must receive your application by 11:59 p.m. MST on the deadline.

Current applicants and recipients

If you have already submitted an application for March 1, your Arts Development Consultant will update your application on your behalf.

If you are a current recipient of an AFA Music grant and still need to submit your report, you can also upload audio files directly to GATE Front Office. Please visit the Music grant guidelines under Reporting for requirements.

• view the guidelines

Questions?

Contact Jason Flammia, Arts Development Consultant – Music.

In April 2021, the AFA hosted targeted stakeholder engagement sessions to gather input and feedback that could be used to inform the AFA’s 2021-22 spending plan and potential arts sector relaunch communications following the pandemic. The AFA sought input from arts organizations, individual artists, and Indigenous artists and arts workers.

The AFA heard from 91 clients and stakeholders from across Alberta during seven virtual meetings held via Zoom. By seeking stakeholder input on the arts community’s challenges, needs, and expectations, the AFA sought to make funding decisions that both fulfil our mandate and are as responsive to the current situation as possible.

To increase transparency and to help fulfill the AFA’s commitment to evidence-based planning, we have published a summary of what the AFA heard from this engagement process.

What did the AFA hear?

The AFA heard several consistent overall themes during the engagement. Stakeholders highlighted their views and concerns related to:

• funding and support for grant writing
• relaunch and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic
• digital capacity
• communication and advocacy they would like to see from the AFA
• artistic practice supports and professional development opportunities

While we heard a variety of ideas, reflections, as well as concerns, related to these themes, there were four topics we heard repeated across all sessions and through many of these themes:

1. Uncertainty due to the pandemic: We heard about the many challenges that artists and arts organizations have had to endure during the COVID-19 pandemic. One challenge we heard that has been felt profoundly across the sector has been the uncertainty associated with the pandemic, both during the here-and-now and for the future during relaunch and recovery. This uncertainty impacts every aspect of the advice and input we received during engagement.
2. Stability of funding: While many stakeholders shared ideas for new programs that could be of value to the sector, a consistent message we heard across all sessions was the importance of maintaining current programs. Operational clients also stressed the importance of predictability and sustainability of funding levels from year-to-year. 
3. Flexibility for use of grant funding: Comments along this theme varied based on program, but we did hear a consistent desire among clients and grant recipients for fewer restrictions on eligible uses for funding. During discussions on this theme, we also heard some ideas for eligible uses of funding that the AFA already permits in many of its grant programs, such as support for professional development, research and development, costs related to cultural expenses (such as protocols and gift giving), and for child care costs. 
4. Advocacy: In all sessions, we heard many ideas about how the AFA could advocate on behalf of the arts community. We heard the importance not only of better outcomes that could be realized by the arts sector based on increased advocacy efforts, but the value artists and arts organizations see of the AFA advocating on their behalf. 

We encourage all artists, arts workers, other stakeholders and organizations that are connected to the AFA to read the full report. 

What happened next?

The AFA values the input provided during engagement sessions and has addressed some of the priorities raised in our 2021-22 spending plan. Our priorities were to maintain predictable and stable support for Alberta’s arts organizations, and to continue to provide project opportunities for individual artists.

We also considered ways to increase communication on supports available and other topics raised during the engagement sessions. We published frequently asked questions by new AFA applicants, based on feedback we heard during this engagement.

The AFA remains committed to ongoing engagement with our clients and stakeholders to ensure we are as responsive as possible to the community’s needs.

Questions? 

The AFA values input from all clients and stakeholders, and you may share your perspective or ask any additional questions by emailing afacontact@gov.ab.ca.