The BC Arts Council - Individual Arts Grants to support Media Artists

The BC Arts Council is offering the Individual Arts Grants Media Artists Program to support professional independent media artists in British Columbia. This program aims to assist in the creation and production of original media-based artistic works. It supports independent media arts practices across film, video, sound art, digital arts, and immersive media projects that are not part of commercial entertainment industries.

🌟 About the Program

The Individual Arts Grants Media Artists Program is designed to empower professional independent media artists by providing financial support to create innovative and original works. The program is open to a wide range of media arts practices, including:

• Film
• Video
• Sound art
• Digital arts
• Immersive media projects

💰 Benefits

• Maximum Grant Amount: $25,000

✅ Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for this grant, applicants must meet the following requirements:

General Requirements:

• Be an independent media artist who has completed all basic training (not necessarily in academic institutions).
• Be recognized as a professional by other practitioners in a similar artistic practice.
• Be committed to working full-time at your practice when financially possible.
• Demonstrate your status as an established independent media artist or arts and culture practitioner through your CV or resume by meeting one of the following:

Professional Experience:

1. Training: Completed appropriate and relevant training in your field of practice. This may include:
   • Post-secondary institutions
   • Traditional knowledge transfer
   • Professional-level workshops
   • Apprenticeship with a qualified practitioner
2. Creative Work: Created and completed at least one project where you held final creative control as the lead artist. This project must have been professionally presented as part of a public program for which a professional fee was received. Examples include:
   • Exhibition in a professionally curated event
   • Screening of a directed film at a professional film festival

OR

• Have received at least one grant to assist with the creation of work through the First Peoples’ Cultural Council arts program.

Additional Requirements:

• Be a Canadian citizen or Permanent Resident of Canada.
• Be a B.C. resident who has lived in British Columbia for at least 12 continuous months prior to the application closing date.
• Have final creative control over the proposed work (e.g., director’s credit).
• Fairly compensate all contributors, including artists, technicians, Elders, and Knowledge Keepers, in alignment with industry standards.
• Engage skilled leadership for project or service delivery.
• Follow intellectual property rights standards and cultural ownership protocols.
• Comply with the Criminal Records Review Act if working with children or vulnerable adults.
• Be applying for the first or second time with a project. If applying for the third time, the proposal must be substantively changed.
• Have no overdue final reports on previous BC Arts Council grants.

📅 Application Date and Process

• Application Deadline: 17 June, 2026
• Applicants must submit their applications through the official BC Arts Council website.

📌 Important Notes

• Commercial activities, commissioned works, or pay-to-play activities do not contribute towards eligibility.
• Culturally specific practices where compensation is not traditional may still be eligible. Applicants are encouraged to contact a Program Advisor for clarification before applying.

For more details, visit the official BC Arts Council website.

• Maximum grant amount: $25,000