Arts Nova Scotia – Arts Equity Funding Initiative
Offered by Arts Nova Scotia
Who can apply
Nova Scotia artists from equity-seeking communities: Indigenous (Mi'kmaq, other First Nations, Metis and Inuit), African Nova Scotian, Black, racialized people of Asian, Latin American, Middle Eastern or mixed descent, artists who are deaf, partially deaf or hard of hearing, artists with disabilities, and artists with mental illness or who are mad-identifying. Canadian citizens or landed immigrants resident in Nova Scotia for at least 12 months before the deadline.
About this opportunity
Four separate streams for Nova Scotian artists from equity-seeking communities, and which one you pick sets the ceiling: up to $15,000 to create new work, up to $12,000 to present your own work publicly, up to $12,000 for professional development — study, mentorship, workshops, apprenticeships, conferences — and up to $1,000 for time-sensitive travel, that last one open year-round but only to artists a peer committee has already recommended.
You must be a Canadian citizen or landed immigrant who has lived in Nova Scotia for at least twelve months before the deadline, must self-identify as part of one of the designated communities — Indigenous, African Nova Scotian, Black, racialized, Deaf or hard of hearing, disabled, or living with mental illness — and must meet the province's professional-artist test. Solo artists, duos, ad-hoc groups of three or more, and Nova Scotian non-profits can all apply.
Usefully, solo and duo applicants can claim living expenses of up to $2,000 a month across the project period, and access costs are covered up to 25% of the budget or $2,500, whichever is lower. Artist fees, though, are only claimable by groups and organisations. Commercial work, including music videos, is excluded, as is anything already underway before the deadline.
Expect real paperwork: project description, financial template, schedule of work, CV, and support material — recordings or scores, streamed rather than attached. Deadlines are 15 February and 15 August. A peer committee of equity-deserving artists and administrators assesses on three published grounds: the quality of work your samples show, the artistic merit of the project, and whether you can deliver it. Results take twelve to fourteen weeks, and unsuccessful applicants can request feedback.
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Frequently asked questions
- When is the deadline for Arts Nova Scotia – Arts Equity Funding Initiative?
- The current deadline is February 15, 2027.
- Who offers Arts Nova Scotia – Arts Equity Funding Initiative?
- Arts Nova Scotia runs it, from Canada.
- What funding or support does Arts Nova Scotia – Arts Equity Funding Initiative offer?
- Creation up to CAD $15,000; Presentation up to $12,000; Professional Development up to $12,000 (CAD $500 minimum on each); Special Travel grants up to $1,000. Individual and duo applicants can also claim living expenses up to $2,000/month during the project, plus access support capped at 25% of the expense budget or $2,500, whichever is less.
- Who can apply for Arts Nova Scotia – Arts Equity Funding Initiative?
- Nova Scotia artists from equity-seeking communities: Indigenous (Mi'kmaq, other First Nations, Metis and Inuit), African Nova Scotian, Black, racialized people of Asian, Latin American, Middle Eastern or mixed descent, artists who are deaf, partially deaf or hard of hearing, artists with disabilities, and artists with mental illness or who are mad-identifying. Canadian citizens or landed immigrants resident in Nova Scotia for at least 12 months before the deadline.
- How do I apply for Arts Nova Scotia – Arts Equity Funding Initiative?
- You apply on the funder's own site. The link is on this page: with a free GrantGigs account for deadlines in the next 30 days, or with Pro for later ones. If applications are new to you, our guide on how to apply for music grants walks through the whole process. Read the guide →
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Arts Nova Scotia – Arts Equity Funding Initiative