Alberta Foundation for the Arts – Queen's Platinum Jubilee Scholarship for Performing Arts

One scholarship of $7,000 a year, from the Government of Alberta, for a young Albertan performing artist with clear training plans. The discipline rotates: music, theatre and dance take turns, and the 1 March 2027 round is the music year — worth knowing, because applying in the wrong year is wasted effort.

You must be 25 or younger at the deadline, have lived in Alberta for a full year, normally spend at least six months a year in the province, and be legally entitled to remain in Canada. The money is tied to training: an undergraduate degree with a performing arts major or minor, a conservatory or technical school, or a recognised mentorship or workshop programme all qualify, but graduate study does not. The award is only paid once you show proof of enrolment, within 60 days of being notified.

Applying goes through the GATE portal and is closer to a conservatory audition than a grant form. You submit a two-page letter about your background and what the scholarship would make possible, a two-page artistic CV, a description and schedule of the training you plan, legal proof of age, a current signed reference — ideally from a teacher or a professional in your field — and, for music, two contrasting pieces as audio or video. Files upload to GATE up to 4 MB, with MP3 or MP4 preferred; anything larger is emailed or posted.

An expert panel weighs the audition material, how well the proposed training fits you, what difference it would make to your development, and what you have achieved so far. Decisions take four to six months, and no panel comments are given either way.