Bad Fortune - Spring Reverb 2024. Photo by Wayne Turcotte
Bad Fortune - Spring Reverb 2024. Photo by Wayne Turcotte

About Festival Grants

Festival Grants are annual grants to support the production, presentation, and operations of arts festivals that have a city-wide impact. This program has two categories, based on years of operation and festival history:

This grant program provides operational support for established festivals run by incorporated non-profit arts organizations with a sustained history of festival delivery, and smaller festival grants for emerging arts festivals run by non-profit organizations and collectives.

A festival is defined as a concentrated collection of arts activities with a common theme. Festivals funded through this program must have a primary focus on the arts and may be devoted to one or more artistic discipline(s). 


Funding Period

CKAF 2026 Festival Grants are intended to support festival activities occurring between September 2026 – December 2027.


Key Dates

Applications Open Thursday, 26 March 2026
Information Session Tuesday, 14 April 2026, 5:00 PM ET
Deadline to Book a Consultation* Thursday, 23 April 2026
Application Deadline Thursday, 7 May 2026, 11:59 PM ET
Results Expected Wednesday, 8 July 2026

*Applicants seeking to apply as Established Festivals must book a consultation with KAC staff before 23 April 2026 to assess their eligibility for this application type. Organizations who received a CKAF 2025 Operating Grant are not required to book a consultation.


Grant Amounts

Grants awarded to Established Festivals range from $10,000 – $55,000.

Grants awarded to Emerging Festivals range from $10,000 – $20,000.


Eligibility Requirements

All Eligibility requirements can be found within the 2026 CKAF Festival Grant Guidelines document.

CKAF 2026 Established Festival Grant Guidelines

CKAF 2026 Emerging Festival Grant Guidelines


Application Deadline

Thursday, 7 May 2026
11:59 PM ET


Grant Application Support

The KAC is committed to Indigenization, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IIDEA) and strives to make our granting processes more accessible. Applicants with accessibility needs are encouraged to contact KAC staff as early in the application period as possible to request accommodations for their grant application. Applicant support offered for the CKAF grant program include, but are not necessarily limited to: 

  • Providing ASL interpretation at all CKAF Information Sessions;
  • Facilitating online or in-person meetings, and by request:
    • Providing Access Notes for the KAC office for in-person meetings; and/or
    • Providing ASL interpretation for individual meetings with applicants, typically hosted via Zoom.
  • New to CKAF: Providing financial support of up to $500 for grant writing services for applicants who are Deaf, living with a disability, illiterate, or do not have a working proficiency in English;
    • Note: Financial support for CKAF grant writing services must be requested by the applicant and approved by the KAC no less than two weeks prior to the application deadline. Applicants who are approved for this type of support must then submit the service provider’s details to KAC staff, who will coordinate payment with the service provider directly. The applicant is responsible for paying the service provider for any costs exceeding the maximum allowance.
  • Providing recommendations for services or tools that may be of use to artists with accessibility needs

Alternate forms of support for grant applications, including alternative submission methods for components of an application, may be considered upon request. Please contact KAC staff if there is another way we can make the grant application process more accessible for you, and we’d be happy to consider it.


Applications and Submission Process

Completed applications are due to the Kingston Arts Council by Thursday, 7 May 2026 at 11:59 PM ET. 

Before applying you must:

A complete application for Emerging Festivals (Non-profit Organizations) consists of:

A complete application for Emerging Festivals (Collectives) consists of:

Submission Instructions

Completed applications are due to the Kingston Arts Council by Thursday, 7 May 2026 at 11:59 PM ET. 

Applications must be submitted by email to Grants@ArtsKingston.ca. All application files should be attached and submitted in one (1) email. If the attachments are too large, send them as a ZIP folder. Please review the detailed application instructions and application checklist before submitting to ensure all required materials are included.

If you require accommodations, please contact Grants@ArtsKingston.ca no less than two weeks in advance of the application deadline.

Information Sessions

The KAC will host an information session for the Festivals Grant stream, which will include a detailed review of the respective Guidelines, Application Forms, and Assessment Criteria, as well as a Q&A with KAC staff.

Each session will be hosted virtually via Zoom, with ASL interpretation provided.

The sessions will be recorded and shared via the KAC website for applicants who are unable to attend.

CKAF 2026 Festival Grants Information Session:
Thursday, 16 April 2026, 5:00 - 6:00 PM
Register to attend here:
ckaf-festivals.eventbrite.ca

Adjudication

Assessment Criteria

CKAF Festival Grant applications are assessed based on the criteria outlined below. In preparation for adjudication, jurors assign each of the assessment criteria below a score on a scale of 1 to 5.

  • Artistic Merit
  • Artistic Programming and Service Quality 
  • Impact and Benefit to Kingston Residents
  • Financial Management and Viability
  • Leadership, Administration, and Governance
  • Administration and Viability

More details on the assessment criteria can be found in the 2026 CKAF Festival Grant Guidelines.

Adjudicators

Applications are reviewed by a jury of artists and arts professionals. Jurors are selected for their knowledge of the arts, high standing in the arts community, and awareness of the local and broader arts environment; jurors are reflective of the gender, demographic, and cultural diversity of Kingston.

If you would like to be considered for the 2026 CKAF Festival Grant Jury, please submit a Juror Interest Form.


Contact Information - Kingston Arts Council

Inquiries regarding the CKAF Festival Grant program should be directed to Shamara Peart, Grants Administrator at Grants@ArtsKingston.ca or 613-546-2787.

Applicants may also visit the KAC office in person during office hours.

The KAC Office:

Unit 115, Tett Centre for Creativity and Learning
370 King St W, Kingston ON  K7L 2X4
Monday – Friday, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM