Literary Creation Projects (Works for Performance)

About the Open Call

This program supports Ontario-based literary artists to complete new works for book-length publication or for public performance, including spoken word, storytelling, sound poetry, dub poetry, and American Sign Language (ASL) literature. It also supports literary performers who wish to record their own repertoire. Funded activities include artist fees for project time, research expenses (including travel), and studio time for recording projects, fees for supporting artists, recording professionals, manufacturing physical media (up to 1,000 copies), and initial setup fees for digital distribution, marketing, and publicity. The program does not fund writing for film, radio, television, theatre, or interactive digital media, manuscript evaluation, editorial services, publication expenses, or works in languages other than English (French and Indigenous languages are supported by other programs). Projects must be completed within two years of receiving grant results.

What is Offered

Grants are offered, with amounts up to $5,000 for creation of literary works for performance, up to $10,000 for recording of literary works for performance, and up to $15,000 for combined creation and recording projects. Childcare, dependant care fees, and accessibility expenses for project participants are also funded. Grants may be smaller than the amount requested due to limited funds.

Requirements

Applicants must be Ontario residents with a recent professional history of public performance in dub, sound or performance poetry, storytelling, ASL poetry, or other performance literature forms. Applicants with a professional publishing history eligible for Literary Creation Projects: Works for Publication may also apply if their project is eligible. Ineligible applicants include students, those submitting academic publications, or work done as part of employment (unless professional journalists/writers of narrative content/visual artists/illustrators for comics, film, television, or interactive digital media sectors). Projects must be in English. Children’s picture books, commissioned adaptations, screenplays, ghost-written books, and certain types of reference/educational/commercial books are not eligible.

How to Apply

Applicants must complete and submit an application through Nova, the Ontario Arts Council’s online grant application system. Before applying, review the Guide to OAC Project Programs for eligibility requirements and create or update your profile in Nova. The application requires basic project information, answers to specific application questions, artistic examples (two audio or video recordings of recent work, maximum five minutes total with optional transcript), and support documents including a history of performed literary work. Detailed instructions are available within the Nova application.