Section B1 and Section B2 of the application form require Personal Data and Organizational Data. Should my music band complete the Organizational Data section? We opened a business account at the bank last week.

Yes. On the application, it is advisable to complete the organizational data section, especially if you've opened up an account in the band's name. If an Arts Project Grant is awarded, a GNWT cheque will then be made out to the band. When completing the organizational data section, an individual member may still elect to be the main contact for the group.

The alternative is that an individual could accept funds on behalf of the band. He or she would be obligated to claim any contribution funding as personal income to the Canada Revenue Agency.

The band will not be considered a business enterprise for purposes of a creative developmental project (e.g. a demo recording). If the project is business-related (e.g. promotion or marketing), this of course is not eligible for Arts Council funding.

Do I have to give fixed dates for start and completion of my project when I don’t know for certain if and when I will receive funding?

No. You should provide an estimate of how long you expect to work on the project, and the approximate dates for when you plan to start and finish.

I understand that projects must be completed by March 31st of the following year, but can the actual public presentation occur after that date?

Once you have completed your project, the public presentation of your work does not have to occur within the fiscal year. This can happen later when you are ready.

Do I have to name a confirmed venue for my presentation?

You do not have to have a venue confirmed but must state where you intend to do a public presentation (name the community and list possible examples like community hall, festival, library, schools, etc.).

I plan to submit my film to various local, national and international festivals. Getting a wide range of critiques would really help with my creative development as a video artist. Are the entry costs for these festivals something that the Arts Council will support? My intention isn't to market my film, but the costs are necessary in order for it to be screened and reviewed.

Arts grants support the costs of presentation of NWT artists' works to the public within the NWT. Individual applicants may apply for showcase, touring or exhibit fees and expenses and organizations may apply for presentation fees and costs where NWT artists are directly involved. For presentation at festivals outside of the NWT, consideration will be given to supporting the applicant's entry fees, but not travel costs.

What kinds of assistance should I list in section G of the application?

Applicants are encouraged to match the project funds they are requesting with their own resources, financial support, and other types of in-kind assistance from the community.

This assistance could include donations of art materials, space to do the work, technical advice or services, and other funding. Please be sure to list assistance that is already confirmed separately from assistance that you have requested.

How detailed should my application budget be?

Applicants must provide realistic estimates of costs and contributions, including supporting budget documentation, like service provider quotes and confirmation of other donations or funding.

Are there guides to help me prepare my application budget and to choose the amount of support to ask for?

Typical project budget sample sheets are provided for reference at www.ece.gov.nt.ca/culture-heritage/nwt-arts-council-grants.

This section also contains checklists, project outlines, sample proposals and letters of support and other working tools for use by artists and arts organizations in developing funding proposals.

Besides the Arts Council Grant, is other GNWT funding available for the arts?

The Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment provides support for professional artists via the Support to Entrepreneurs and Economic Development (SEED) funding program.

Education, Culture and Employment provides support for artists and arts groups through the:

• Arts organizations operating funding
• Heritage centres operating funding
• Indigenous cultural organizations contributions

What kind of arts funding is available at the federal government level?

Organizations should enquire about federal funding programs for arts and cultural activities, via regional offices of the Department of Canadian Heritage.

Project and operating support in all arts disciplines is available to individuals and organizations from the Canada Council for the Arts.

How many samples of work should I submit?

Please do not submit more than three samples. Requirements are specified on the Section F Supplement, which is the last page of the application form for each discipline.

Arts Council needs to see or hear an adequate representation of your most recent technique and style. These samples should demonstrate your abilities and relate directly to the project you are proposing.

Remember that your work will be evaluated on artistic merit, so please submit the highest quality material you have available. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that any audio/video samples function properly.

Should I send original works as samples?

Please do not send original materials. The NWT Arts Council will not return samples and cannot assume responsibility for damages or loss of original materials.

Must letters be sent to me, to be included in the application that I submit?

Letters can either be included with your application or sent directly to culturefund@gov.nt.ca.

Is it a conflict of interest if I ask a studio owner to write a letter of support and then end up recording at his studio?

Because there are so few places to record in NWT, references from studio people are inevitable.

It may help to include a letter of support from a studio if they are familiar with you and your work. This letter of support must be separate from the estimates that studios provide to you for your application.

I have read the definition of "emerging artist" and "established artist". I am not sure as to which one applies to me (and does it really matter in this application how I should define myself?).

You probably don’t have to define yourself. The categories for emerging and established artists are used to assess levels of technical skill, training and experience, breadth of exposure in the community, etc.

How much detail is required in the artistic resume? Should I include as much relevant information as I can possibly think of, or should I only include most important points?

It is a good idea to keep your main points in the artistic resume brief, but include enough about your background, training, and creative work in the NWT to make it relevant.

This is not quite the same as a work resume, because it should give a picture of your overall experience as an artist.

Is there special funding available that I could apply for as an artist working in a language other than English?

No. Bilingual or multi-lingual works are encouraged, but it does not have special funding for them. All applications are considered for artistic merit and community benefit with an appreciation of cultural background.

Do I have to pay taxes on my funding?

Yes. Arts grants are taxable and T4A slips are issued by the GNWT at the end of February each year. Applicants should direct any tax-related questions to their accountant, to the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency

I am preparing a budget to accompany my application. I was wondering if you could tell me what percentage the government claims as taxable income from the contribution?

In the case of individual arts projects, the GNWT issues a T-4A slip for the amount of the contribution. The Canada Revenue Agency will tax using the same formula as any insurable earnings. You can examine a chart for current EI premium rates.