The Kingston Arts Council (KAC) and the City of Kingston are committed to the continuation of the City of Kingston Arts Fund (CKAF) through the intake of applications in the 2020 cycle and the payment of awarded 2019 grants. We want to support our applicants and recipients during this time, as we know this will impact the arts sector.
Please note that there are no additional funds available to allocate to COVID-19-related relief through the KAC or the City of Kingston at this time. However, KAC staff will work with grant recipients to support them if proposed plans must be delayed or modified and will approve the use of awarded CKAF grant funds to cover reasonable unanticipated costs that may have arisen from canceled activities. The KAC, in consultation with the City of Kingston, have developed the following next steps for CKAF in relation to COVID-19.
2020 CKAF Deadline
The 2020 CKAF deadline is set for 22 April 2020 by 5 PM EST. The deadline will proceed as planned. Applications are submitted by email and all details can be found here. If you require assistance with your application, the Grants Coordinator is available at grants@artskingston.ca.
Please keep in mind as you apply in 2020 that these applications are assessed in part on feasibility. Consider that your plans must be viable even as the response to COVID-19 continues to evolve.
Steps for Current Grant Recipients
We encourage everyone to comply with public health advisories fully and completely. Recommendations from KFLA Public Health, Public Health Ontario, the Ontario Ministry of Health, the Public Health Agency of Canada, and Health Canada are being updated frequently. We ask all our grant recipients to monitor their websites and reliable news sources for the most up-to-date information.
Our priority is that grant recipients are able to make the best decision for the community without fear of penalties. In light of the rapidly changing situation, we recommend all public events create contingency plans for postponement or cancellation. The processes outlined are aligned with the Kingston Arts Council Plan for Administration of Arts Funding for the Corporation of the City of Kingston in 2019.
For 2019 CKAF Project Grants:
If your 2019 CKAF Project activities are postponed or cancelled as a result of COVID-19, it will not impact your eligibility as an applicant for a future CKAF grant.
Postponement
Organizations or collectives may postpone or adjust Projects impacted by COVID-19 without penalty. You must contact the KAC at grants@artskingston.ca and notify us of your plan to postpone or adjust your activities. We will ask that you submit a short report that outlines the intent of the postponed project, a revised project timeline and budget that will be subject to approval by the KAC.
Cancellation
If it is not possible to postpone your event or activities, you may choose to cancel. In this case, all activities will stop and events will not proceed. You must contact the KAC at grants@artskingston.ca and notify us of the cancellation.
You will be allowed to cover eligible expenses already incurred by the project up to the point of cancellation. Specifically, funds may be used to honour artist fees or cancellation fees. The Grants Coordinator will provide you with detailed next steps. Unused funds will need to be returned to the KAC.
For 2019 CKAF Operating Grants:
Organizations receiving Operating Grants are not required to replace the events or activities they have cancelled or postponed due to COVID-19.
We encourage funded organizations to track all lost revenue and other financial losses due to Covid-19, as well as take all necessary steps to ensure the safety of staff and audiences. This means creating accommodations to work from home wherever possible and promoting social distancing under the direction of public health agencies.
Additionally, if you are cancelling or postponing your event or activities under a public health advisory, you have a number of considerations to make:
1.The artists you have contracted will be greatly impacted by this loss of income, so please consider how they can be partially compensated;
2.You may encourage your audience to make a donation in lieu of purchasing a ticket or to donate their ticket price instead of requesting a refund;
3.If you have insurance, this situation may qualify for compensation; and
4.You should track the impact on your finances and document any losses in case there are mechanisms for compensation in the future.
Contact us at grants@artskingston.ca with any questions or concerns regarding your funding.
Please refer to the KAC website for more information and available resources for the arts sector: https://www.artskingston.ca/covid-19-list-of-resources-for-artists/.