Saskatchewan Arts Board

Overview

Established by the Government of Saskatchewan in 1948, the Saskatchewan Arts Board is the first arts funding agency of its kind in North America. It provides grants, programs and services to individuals and groups whose activities have an impact on the arts and artists in Saskatchewan. The Arts Board also presents the Lieutenant Governor's Arts Awards for outstanding achievement in the arts and collects and displays works of art by Saskatchewan artists.

The Saskatchewan Arts Board has established adjudication procedures for all grant programs, which ensures assessment by qualified persons.

The following summary outlines each of our granting programs and their focus. For applications and more information on programs, click on the headings.

Aboriginal Arts and Culture Leadership Grants

Aboriginal Arts and Culture Leadership grants are now administered by SaskCulture. The application form and guidelines are available on the SaskCulture website. Please direct any questions to Damon Badger Heit at (306) 780-9251 or SaskCulture's office toll-free at (800) 476-6830.

ArtsSmarts Saskatchewan offers arts and education grants of up to $7,500 to schools, artists and community partnerships for innovative projects in any art form that bring K-12 students and professional artists together. Projects must take place between January 1 and June 30. This program is offered through a partnership among the Saskatchewan Arts Board, Saskatchewan Ministry of Education and SaskCulture.

This new program replaces the former artist-in-residence program and offers two grant opportunities. Eligible applicants include communities, organizations, corporations, institutions and schools. The Partnership Explorations grant provides up to $7,500 for an applicant to contract an artist in any discipline to assist with needs assessment and planning for cultural and creative development. The Partnership Innovations grant provides funding for an applicant to partner with an artist in any discipline to plan and deliver a program of innovative artistic activity in response to community need. Grant amounts are $35,000 for a 12-month program or $30,000 for a 10-month K-12 schools-based program.

The Creative Partnerships Grant program is administered by the Saskatchewan Arts Board and funded by the Saskatchewan Lotteries Trust Fund for Sport, Culture and Recreation through our partnership with SaskCulture Inc .

The new Culture on the Go program, which is a partnership between the Arts Board and the Ministry of Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sport, will help make it possible for Saskatchewan artists to further their careers and share their art, music or performances with people in our province and beyond. This will help people everywhere better appreciate the fine work of our artists and give them more insight into Saskatchewan's strong and vibrant culture. The program is funded by the Ministry of Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sport.

Independent Artists Grants

Independent Artists grants support the creation, development or performance of new work in any art form, professional development for artists and research in the arts. These grants support the ongoing development of artistic practice in Saskatchewan, as well as independent curators and critics in all arts disciplines.

The Indigenous Pathways Initiative – Arts Grant Program is designed to increase participation in, and access to public funding by Indigenous artists in the province. The Indigenous Pathways Initiative seeks to address these issues while also increasing public access to high-quality Indigenous art.

Annual grants provide funds for one year to groups or organizations in literary, media, multidisciplinary, performing, or visual arts with ongoing programs which benefit the arts and artists in Saskatchewan.

Professional Arts Organizations Programs - Multi-year Grants

Multi-year grants provide funding to eligible professional arts organizations to support their artistic programs and services, and governance, management, administrative and operational functions for a three-year period.

Both the Gallery Grant program and the Media Arts program have been integrated into the Multi-year program and continue to be supported by SaskCulture Inc.through the Saskatchewan Lotteries Trust Fund for Sport, Culture and Recreation.

A new program provides three funding options: ArtVenture supports the creation and presentation of arts projects; ArtConnect assist with the presentation of productions, performances or exhibitions; ArtInquire encourages learning in the arts.

Provincial Cultural Organization Global grants support eligible provincial cultural organizations with program mandates in the arts in Saskatchewan. These grants help offset the costs of developing, delivering and evaluating programs and services in the arts.

The Provincial Cultural Organization program is administered by the Saskatchewan Arts Board and funded by the Saskatchewan Lotteries Trust Fund for Sport, Culture and Recreation through our partnership with SaskCulture Inc .

SaskFestivals Grants

The SaskFestivals Grant program supports and encourages eligible Saskatchewan Festivals to: celebrate community activity and spirit; encourage community engagement, tourism and economic activity; enhance the positive impact and benefits of festivals in the community and province; provide high quality experiences for audiences, artists, participants and volunteers throughout the province; and heighten the awareness and appreciation of the arts and artists in Saskatchewan.

The SaskFestivals Grant program is administered by the Saskatchewan Arts Board and funded by the Saskatchewan Lotteries Trust Fund for Sport, Culture and Recreation through our partnership with SaskCulture Inc .

Travel Grants

Travel grants assist practicing artists and individuals working in the arts to attend events or to take part in activities occurring out of Saskatchewan that provide for discussion or presentation of their work, that present a unique opportunity to enhance their careers, or are of benefit to the arts in Saskatchewan.

Prince Edward Drama Scholarship

The Prince Edward Drama Scholarship was created by the Government of Saskatchewan in honour of the 2003 Royal Visit of the Earl of Wessex. The scholarship awards funds to Saskatchewan youth aged 13 to 18 years in need of financial assistance to attend drama training programs.

Premier’s Centennial Arts scholarships, funded by the 2005 Canada Games Building Dreams and Legacy program, support Saskatchewan students in their development as artists striving for excellence. By providing financial assistance in the form of scholarships, the Arts Board increases student access to professional training.